ACTING HONORABLY. By Pastor Fernando.

Scripture:
Jotham continued, “Now make sure you have acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelech your king, and that you have done right by Gideon and all of his descendants. Have you treated him with the honor he deserves for all he accomplished? For he fought for you and risked his life when he rescued you from the Midianites. Judges 9:16-17

Observation:
Abimelech and the people of Shechem did not acted honorably nor in good faith towards Gideon and his 70 sons. Abimelech killed all his brothers so he could be king and the people condone this behavior. Only Jothan survived! After everything Gideon did for them, the people were cruel to his memory and to his descendants. They allowed a greedy and cruel man like Abimelech to take advantage of the situation. Jotham’s compares his brother’s leadership ruthless like a thorn bush and cursed the people for their behavior. As a result, both Abimelech and the people suffered their own destruction. Jothan teaches us that it is important to give proper honor to those who have served us well, and to bless them and protect them, even when their presence is not around anymore.

Application:
It is very important that remember those whose sacrifice and service have brought tremendous blessing into our lives. I can think of so many faithful pastors and servants that gave up many comforts to take the gospel to my family and that invested in my spiritual growth. Many of them had flaws! However, they deserve a special place of honor in my heart. I need to make sure that they will be always treated honorably and that everything I say and do is motivated in good faith. I have leaders above me that deserve respect and honor, regardless of their mistakes towards me. When I have the opportunity, I will speak and act in good faith, always thankful for the many good things they have brought into my life. Also I have people that have serve under me. They deserve the same treatment of honor and good faith, especially when they are not around anymore. In my memory, I will withhold all the good memories of their dedication and service and I will throw away all the negative memories. In this way, I will bring honor to them and I will honor God as well!

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, sometimes is easy to compromise honor and respect for feelings of disappointment and revenge. Let me always give proper honor and act in good faith towards those who have serve me. I don’t want to take advantage of their mistakes and use them for my advance. I refuse to think and behave in such way. Please reveal immediately in my heart when this mindset is not present in my conversations and in my private pondering. Let me always remember the good and reject the bad about your servants. Let me act honorably and in good faith towards people. Amen!

COMPLETE OBEDIENCE - FOLLOW THROUGH. By Renee Takahashi

Scripture:
When Israel became strong, they pressed the Canaanites into forced labor but never drove them out completely.
Judges 1:28

Observation:
God is sovereign and wise. When the Lord commands us to do something, He seeks complete obedience. It would make sense to follow His command all the way. He knows everything. Yet somehow we compromise the command by what we think makes sense at the time, but that turns out to be what gets you in the end. God knew that the Israelites could not co-exist with the evil Canaanites. He had commanded the tribes that when they took over the promised land, they were to drive out the inhabitants there. But we read that they didn’t drive them out but used them for labor. That must have made sense for them at that time, but because the Israelites did not drive out the people, they ended up being tempted into the ways of the inhabitants and fell away from the Lord. Ironically, it turned out that although the Israelites kept the Canaanites to enslave them, the Israelites ended up being in bondage to their ways and away from the Lord.

Application:
Sin needs to be dealt with completely. We cannot only half stop doing the sin. We need to be completely rid of it. We cannot compromise in dealing with sin, we have to follow through with it completely. I love that we have a church that has a restoration program. Its awesome that there is direction to deal with sin completely. Its an honor to walk beside the person as they complete the direction given by the Pastor. The challenge for me is to NOT compromise anything that was determined. I have to remember what the program was all about and the time in which it was given. Even if things seem to be going well, I must always remember to hold the person accountable to COMPLETE the program.

Prayer:
Father, I am so thankful that you love us so much that you don’t want us to be bound by the sin that we commit. Thank you that you give us commands to help us be free of temptations, but even when we don’t listen and are stuck, you give us mercy and help us get out. Thank you that you allow me to walk beside my brothers and sisters and they with me in dealing with the sin in our lives. Thank you Lord that you want complete obedience and follow through. That you make it perfectly clear so there is no room for compromise. Hallelujah!

TESTS OF OBEDIENCE. By Pastor Fernando

Scripture:
I did this to test Israel--to see whether or not they would obey the Lord as their ancestors did. That is why the Lord did not quickly drive the nations out or allow Joshua to conquer them all.
Judges 2:22-23

Observation:
In the process of conquering the Promised Land, Joshua was able to drive the inhabitants little by little. However, God kept some of the areas unconquered in order to test Israel’s obedience. God in His infinite wisdom, allowed temptation to come around His people. God knows that without tests of obedience His people may become more religious, but cannot grow in relationship with Him. By keeping the temptations of other nations around, Israel would realize that they cannot follow their covenant with God on their own, and that they would need God’s intervention through a redeemer. God wants to develop people that are obedient, an the only way to develop obedience, is to overcome temptations.

Application:
Many times I wonder why God doesn’t remove all the temptations around us. It would be easier to stay pure without so much moral pollution around. It will be easier to obey without temptations. But my obedience to God means more when the choice of disobeying Him is clear and present. As a loving Heavenly Father, God is proud of His children when they have the opportunity to disobey, and yet, they choose to obey. God allows temptation in our lives to reveal how sincere our desire to obey His ways really is. That’s why is so important to pass the test of obedience when we are tempted. The more we chose to obey, the more sincere our desire for Him will be. We shouldn’t be mad at God because of unconquered areas in our lives. We should use these areas to develop obedience, dependence and devotion to God.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me about the purpose of the temptations. Even though I have prayed to remove all temptations form my life, I understand that you may choose to keep some areas unconquered as tests of obedience. Help me to chose your ways always and to pass the tests as they come. Let me overcome my temptations. Let me mature in obedience and let me honor you as I chose your ways above my ways. I love you Lord. Amen.

FOLLOW THE LEADER. By Renee Takahashi.

Scripture:
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
1 Cor 11: 1

Observation:
Because the Corinthians were new Christians, they needed an example of what living as a Christian meant. Since they trusted Paul, who brought the good news to them, he told them to follow him. But he didn’t tell them just to follow him because he had it all together, he qualified that by saying as he followed the example of Christ. When I was young, I loved playing follow the leader. I loved being a follower enjoying the crazy things my friends thought of doing and trying to do it exactly the way the person in front of me did it, not my interpretation of it, so the person behind me would have the fun that the leader wanted us to. I also loved being the leader thinking up those crazy things to do. As I leader I felt responsible to make it creative and fun so my friends would continue to follow and play, but at the same time think of things we all could do so no one felt left out. This verse reminds me of that game we played. I want to make sure that I am following the Lord exactly as He is, not my interpretation of what He is doing. I can only ask people to follow me if I am following the example of Christ.

Application:
Whether we are intentionally doing it or not, as Christ followers we share the gospel by the way we live. I am not perfect, but even in my imperfection, I can glorify God. In the way I handle my blunders, I can lead people to Christ. The main thing for me to be an example to others that is worthy of them following is that I keep my eyes fixed on Jesus so I am following His example. This scripture along with many others, keep convicting me to be more diligent in doing my devos not for the sake of checking it off as a task, but to really know Him. The more I know Him, the more I can be like Him. The more I will decrease so He can increase in my life. That He would have His way with me.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for the conviction in my heart to go deeper into your words and to know you more, so that I can follow your example. Forgive me for sometimes reading your word as a task and not the joy and discipline for which it is intended. Thank you for leaving us with your word of truth and life. Your manual for life. I repent for leaning on my own understanding in situations that truly call for me to lead by your example. I love you Jesus.

IN THE PAST... By Kim Matsukawa

Scripture
"…be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that
Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to
walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to
serve him with all your heart and all your soul." Joshua 22:5

Observation:
God gave Joshua and his people the land that He had
promised to Moses, although because of Moses' doubts, him and his
people were forced to wander the wilderness for 40 years. Joshua
trusted God, having faith in Him, received the land and let the people
know to make sure to follow God's commandment and continue to love Him
and serve him with all their heart.

Application:
Do I serve God with all my heart? Am I truly serving
God or do I serve myself still? In the video this weekend, I
confessed to the church that I used to serve myself and now I serve
God and others…which is true in whole. However, after today's lessons
from Kiha, I say to myself, IN THE PAST…I served myself while trying
to serve God, not always, however, what does it matter, it happened.
IN THE PAST…I didn't serve him with ALL my heart, sometimes for
selfish reasons. IN THE PAST…I didn't obey his commands, I followed
my own. IN THE PAST…I didn't walk in his ways, I followed my own
path. I want to be able to stop saying IN THE PAST and go on to say
NOW I…regardless of what I do, I serve God with all my heart, follow
his paths, and obey his commands.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father…thank you Lord, for all that you provide.
Lord forgive me for taking advantage of your GRACE and your MERCY. It
didn't truly hit me until this morning's teaching that I do take
advantage of Your grace and that how being accountable to being on
time (although it may not seem like a big thing), it doesn't really
bother me when it happens. And yes, I too get bothered when I get to
something early and everyone else is late. Father forgive me for the
sins against you in this area of my life. Help me to not take you for
granted, You already died for me once, you shouldn't have to do it
over and over again in my mind. Thank you for your sacrifice of
taking on the sins of the world, even just mine. Amen

CAN, BUT NO CAN. By Kamu Sing

Scripture
Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
1 Corinthians 10:24

Observation
This passage speaks about putting others before yourself. As the verse before says how everything is permissible but not beneficial or constructive, most of what this is saying is how even though you can do most things and it’s okay, sometimes as a believer, choices will be made not because of it being legal or illegal, but whether morally right or wrong in the company of others.

Application
Just recently in speech class, I’ve been learning about different methods of a persuasive speech: Questions of Fact, Questions of Value, or Questions of Policy. In Questions of Fact it addresses things that are true or false, in Questions of Policy it addresses things that you should do or not do, but in Questions of Value it addresses the things that are morally right or wrong. Being morally right or wrong is connected to our belief system and as we read today about everything being permissible but not beneficial or constructive, it reads as though God is defining our moral value to what we should or should not do. For instance, even though we are physically capable to crawl on our knees, should we? Or what about our ability to talk down to people, is that really beneficial? Today, I feel that God is asking me to review the moral standards that I have on my life and ask myself in every instance of my actions, “Am I thinking of others well being as I act in this way?”

Prayer
Lord, I receive your direction this morning. Continue to refine me in the ways that I live, speak, and think so that in everything I do, I would bring glory to Your Name. I love you in Jesus name, Amen.

STRONG BUT VULNERABLE. By Pastor Fernando

Scripture:
If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall into the same sin. But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it. 1 Corinthians 10:12-13

Observation:
The apostle Paul here warns us about thinking that we cannot sin the same way others do. He doesn’t wants us to feel immune to temptations, especially in the areas when we think we are strong. Paul knows that is easier to judge others from a place where we feel safe. We tell ourselves, “I can’t believe this person fell in this area! i would never do that!” Such attitude is arrogant and must be avoided. Instead we need to understand that we all face the same temptations. We can also fall! But in the midst of temptation, we have an assurance that God is faithful, and that He will always provide a way out. If we fall, it’s because our arrogance and our lack of endurance, not because God is cruel. We must remember that we may be strong, but we are always vulnerable.

Application:
Very easy to fall into the arrogance trap! We could stand on our pedestal of self-righteousness and think of ourselves as better than others because we don’t make other people’s mistakes. The reality is that we may fall into the same sin. We may be strong, but we will always be vulnerable. There are many areas in my life where I feel weak and I try to be extra careful to not fall into temptation. But there are other areas where I feel very strong and I don’t pay too much attention when the tempter comes around. I should be more careful in those areas where I feel strong. I need to realize that I could fall as well. I’m not above the law and I need to apply myself so I can endure the temptations.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, please help me to remember that I’m vulnerable like everyone else and that at any moment I could fall, even in those areas where I feel so strong. Help me to pay attention to my heart, to avoid arrogance and self-righteousness, and to develop endurance when in the midst of temptation. Amen.

HIDDEN THINGS COMPROMISE VICTORY. By Pastor Fernando

Scripture:
For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove those things.
Joshua 7:13

Observation:
Israel could not defeat the army of Ai because Achan had hidden certain things that he wasn’t supposed to have. Achan’s sin was of greed and impatience. He lusted after a fine Babylonian robe, some silver coins and a bar of gold. If he had waited few more days, he could have the same things, probably even more, when plundering Ai. These hidden things brought a curse upon the people and compromised the victory over the enemies of Israel. The only solution for Joshua was to find them and get rid of them.

Application:
Many times I wonder why victory is so elusive in some Christians. One possibility, is the hidden things that stay buried deep in our hearts and that we don’t want to let go. It is possible that out of greed we keep things, attitudes, and plans that compromise our victory. Also is very possible that out of impatience we hold onto certain things and place our security in them, forfeiting our trust in God’s timing, and therefore, compromising victory. Certainly, the Son has set us free, and we are free in deed. The problem is when we protect the hidden things and neglect removing them from our lives. We struggle between thinking like Joshua or like Achan. Joshua became the conqueror. Achan and his entire family died as a consequence of their foolishness. I want to have a Joshua-like mindset!

Also as a leader, I need to seek for hidden things when victory is elusive. I need to help people to uncover, confess, and remove the things that do not belong in their hearts. I cannot deal with this softly. It needs to be handled boldly and swiftly. Not only the lives of the individuals are at stake, but also the lives of those around them and their entire camp. We cannot allow hidden things to compromise victory in our homes, in our families, in our ministries, and in our church.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for many hidden things in my heart that compromise the victory your cross has purchased. I don’t want to forfeit the blessings of the freedom you provided for me with such a high price. Let me live in your freedom as I offer full devotion to you. Guard me from greed and impatience. Let me expose and remove the hidden things of my heart, and let me secure an outstanding victory in my life. Amen.

MOSES' & JOSHUA'S. By Renee Takahashi

Scripture:
Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.
Joshua 2:1

Observation:
Joshua sent two spies to check out the land they were about to enter. Just like he had been sent out by Moses with 12 others to check out the promise land for the first time. From the exodus, we read that Joshua was a constant companion to Moses. He was Moses’ shadow. It’s no wonder that he would do the same thing as they were getting ready to enter Canaan that Moses did.

Application:
I am in a season of mentoring. It started out as an “ask” and has been growing into a passion that I don’t think I necessarily would have picked for myself. It has been an incredible work of the Lord placing a love in me for those He has called for me to mentor. God being an abundant God, has used this passion for mentoring to make me aware of and tangibly address my weaknesses as well. This scripture challenges me ask a hard question; who are my Joshua’s and what are they going to replicate of me? The Bible gives us great references for different relationship dynamics, different character strengths to model after. When all is said and done, will those who I mentor see that God was the focus of my life, the source of my strength, my all in all? Will I have borne His image?

Prayer:
Father God, thank you for people in my life and especially in the Bible who can be a Moses to me. People who I can trust and follow. People I see you in. Thank you also for letting me be a Moses' to the Joshua's you put in my life. Let me be a life of integrity so that which I am passing on is what glorifies you.

BE STRONG & COURAGEOUS. By Ken Primeau

Scripture
No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous... Only be strong and very courageous... Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:5-6a, 7a, 9

Observation
Joshua is a young leader. Moses, the deliverer of the Jews, the one who confronted Pharaoh and led the people through the desert, had now passed the baton to Joshua. Joshua had to lead a whole nation of people now! Not only that, but the land they were supposed to live on was inhabited by many people (some that were giants).
Joshua has a long and rocky road ahead of him, but before he does anything, God commissions him and speaks these words of encouragement over him. God repeatedly commands Joshua to be strong and courageous. Why should he be? He doesn’t have the experience necessary. He probably isn’t certain about his ability. Why should he be strong and courageous? Shouldn’t he be filled with fear? God tells him, “I will be with you. Trust me. I will go with you wherever you go!”

Application
Our confidence doesn’t rest in our track record or in our abilities. We are strong and courageous because God is with us. We trust in his leading, his provision, his direction, and his strength. As a young leader myself, there are many situations I face in which I say to myself, “I don’t have the necessary experience… I don’t have the skills… I don’t have the leadership necessary.” God is still saying today, “be strong and courageous. I am with you!”
I need to be more trusting of God! He is faithful.

Prayer
“Lord, sometimes I live in fear instead of faith. I choose to trust you and your faithfulness. Help me not to fear, but to place my trust in you. Make me bold and courageous for you. IJNA.”

MY DELIGHT. By Pastor Fernando

Scripture:
Trust in the Lord and do good. then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Psalm 37:4-5

Observation:
In every single B-Day card, Christmas card, or any other written greeting my mom sends me, she manages a way to bless me with this passage, especially the phrase on God giving me the desires of my heart. This amazing blessing is conditional and depends on the way I delight in the Lord. In the context, King David encourages us to stop looking with envy at what evil people have accomplished in their lives. God;s justice will come upon them sooner or later. God is faithful with those who practice good, so we need to keep our trust in God and always do what is good. Taking delight in God has to do with enjoying the lifestyle of the worshipper of the Almighty. We may not have the fame and fortune that others easily acquire with their ungodliness and sometimes it may seem that they are enjoying life more than us. However, since my delight is in the Lord, I can trust him that as I live in obedience, my sacrifices will be rewarded in abundant ways.

Application:
Many times I catch myself delighting in many things but in the Lord. My delight is at the end of the day when I can get home and be with my family, put the kids to bed, and watch a cool movie with my wife. Very often I find myself doing the “good things” out of obligation. And yes, sometimes I envy those who live in constant defiance of God’s ways and prosper in this world. This morning I sense the Holy Spirit calling me to delight in the presence of God, to find my joy in doing what is right, and to have fun as I dedicate my life to serve Him. Dealing with church business, staff transitions, leadership decisions, counseling, etc is all part of the deal of serving the people of God. I need to renew my delight in the Lord as I do all these things and then I will expect God to give me the desires of my heart.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the many times I’m not delighting in you, when I put my trust in my own efforts, and when I envy those who are evil and successful. Please help me to stay consistent in my commitment of doing good and serving you and your people. Let me delight in your presence and give me diligence to find moments of joy at your feet. Draw me close to you during this season and help me find my delight in your embrace and everlasting love. Amen.

PASSIONATE ABOUT SOMETHING. By Ken Primeau

Scripture
Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you. Galatians 4:17-18

Observation
Humans are passionate people. Some are passionate about developing a cure for AIDS, some are passionate about writing beautiful music, some are passionate about Nintendo Wii, and some are passionate about stealing. It’s okay to be passionate, but it depends on what you focus that energy towards. Paul is correcting the Galatians for potentially misplacing their passion, their zeal. Paul fears that they will become zealous for false teaching.

Application
Passion is a good thing, as long as we are passionate about the right things. TV shows and technology have the potential for me to become misplace passion instead of focusing my energy on what God has called me to do.
A person who is passionate about Christ and working for God’s kingdom is a beautiful thing. They live a life of joy and purpose. What is God calling me to be passionate about? Where should I focus my energy? These are important questions we should be asking ourselves.

Prayer
“Lord, I want to be zealous for You and your kingdom. Help me to target my energy onto kingdom things. IJNA.”

DILIGENT TO PROTECT OTHERS. By Pastor Fernando

Scripture:
Every new house you build must have a barrier around the edge of its flat rooftop. That way you will not bring the guilt of bloodshed on your household if someone falls from the roof. Deuteronomy 22:8

Observation:
The Law instructs people to be careful and diligent to protect others. In ancient times, houses were build with flat rooftops and people use them for different activities. Having a parapet around the edge worked as a guardrail in a deck. It would protect people from falling from the roof. The Law insisted to have those barriers built in each new house. In case of an accident, negligence in having this guardrail would have result in the household to be guilty of bloodshed.

Application:
As we build our lives and our ministries we need to be careful and diligent to protect others around us. We cannot get caught in the excitement of having a “new house” without completing the “guardrails” that will prevent accidents. We are responsible for friendly fire casualties when we neglect to protect people. As good and faithful stewards, we must make sure that we don’t have loose ends in our dealings, that we don’t give room for miscommunication, and that we develop an eye for unattended places where people can fall. Besides being a hassle, building guardrails takes extra time and money. But once it’s done, it will provide the protection God wants us to have for others.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the bloodshed I have spilled in the past because my negligence in protecting others. Please give me eyes to build guardrails as I build my life and ministry. Let me be a blessing, not a burden. Grant me discernment to tie loose ends, to communicate clearly, and to keep people from falling. If the fall, it will be because their recklessness, not because of my negligence. Let me have a heart like yours. Amen.

HE DIED FOR SOMETHING! By Renee Takahashi

Scripture:
I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! Galatians 2:21

Observation:
It is sometimes easier to have rules to follow because then it would be a matter of how closely you can show that you are abiding by them. It wouldn’t be so much a matter of your heart than that you are following rules. Your actions might not even be motivated by your heart, but the set rules that you need to follow. There was a lot of legalism that justified the way many were oppressed. But when Jesus came, it changed from law to grace. It was not by what you did, but trusting that the Lord Jesus died on the cross for us and it is in His power only that we are saved. Not by our works.

Application:
The phrase that jumps at me this morning is “Christ died for nothing!” The way this always tugs at my heart is not so much about following rules, but when I am convicted that I do not trusting Him completely. I see this when I know the word says He loves me, but I do not receive it. When the word says I am forgiven, and I don’t receive it. The Lord’s way is beyond my comprehension so I limit how much I can receive from Him. He is faithful to fulfill all His words, but I am so limited to receive. These are the times when I get convicted… if I don’t step out to live as He promises, then He died for nothing… That breaks my heart so much that I immediately go into repentance and try again. I want my life to be a banner that reads…. “He died for something”. I need all the grace He has died to give, and I never, ever want to take it for granted or to cast it aside. How will I be different today because of what I have just read? To live my life that shows Christ died for something.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, I am sorry of the times that I try to do things on my own. I am sorry that I rely more on me following rules, keeping appearances than by accepting your grace through the cross. Forgive me Father for trying to earn my way, rather than living under your grace. Thank you for recalibrating my heart by the words… Christ died for nothing! That conviction is so hard to bear, that image is so humbling that it quickly gets my focus back on your love, your grace and mercy rather than my self focus. In your mighty name I pray… amen

DEFEATING ARROGANCE. By Pastor Fernando

Scripture:
“When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way.” Deuteronomy 17:18-20

Observation:
One of the inevitable character traps in leadership is arrogance. Moses instructed the people to be careful about acting arrogantly, first as a subject towards authorities by rejecting appointed leadership, and second as a leader towards the subjects by abusing power and authority. When giving instructions to those in leadership, Moses clearly provided the key to defeat arrogance--to keep the law of the Lord daily in front of them. God’s Word would remind the leader that he is called to be a servant of the people and his obedience will result in a humble leader that defeats the natural tendency to become arrogant.

Application:
Among all the kings of Israel and Judah, I’m not sure how many of them followed Moses instructions. My guess is that most of them followed the rituals of the temple, including this instruction. They probably had daily readings of the law and even wrote their own copy of Torah. The problem is that for the vast majority of them, those exercises were simply religious calisthenics. Their reading and writing became a ritual that did nothing to affect their character. As a result, they were proud, they were arrogant, and they act as if they were above their fellow citizens.

If we are not careful, we can fall into the same problem. We can devote ourselves to daily devotions and journaling without changing a bit in our character. They only way to defeat our natural tendency towards arrogance is not just read and write, but most of all, obey what we read and write. Many times I find myself doing my devotions because I have to. I’m the pastor and if I want people to do devotions, I should lead by example. The problem with that is that I may do the reading and journal a great entry, but my heart stays away from it and my character is not moving from glory to glory. I need to understand the importance of doing my devotions for the sake of transformation. If I’m called to lead God’s people, then I need to apply more and more myself to God’s Word in a way that efficiently motivates me and causes change in my life. In that way, I will defeat the arrogance that will naturally build up in my heart.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the many times I take the sacred things and make them ordinary things. Please help me to focus every time I’m doing my devotions and truly find the gems that will transform my life and mold my character according to your heart. Let me be quick to listen and obey. I don’t want my devos to become a ritual. I want to be transformed from glory to glory by the power of your Word. Please help me to defeat the arrogance and pride that prowls daily around my life and ministry. Please never let me think of me as if I’m above everybody else. Let me be always humble before you and before those whom I serve. Amen.

REVEALING JESUS IN ME. By Ken Primeau

Scripture
“But when He who had set me apart, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles...” Galatians 1:15-16

Observation
That is such a cool phrase: “to reveal His Son in me.” Paul understood well what it meant to be a “Christian”. It meant that God had called him to be Jesus to people. Through his life, God would reveal who Jesus was. His life would be a revelation of God’s Son to people who didn’t know God.

Application
I know Paul was an extraordinary man, but I believe all Christians have the same calling through God’s grace: to be Jesus to people who don’t know God. We are today the revelation of Jesus Christ. Inside of us dwells His Spirit and He guides us to live how Jesus lived.
We often hear, “you might be the only bible that many people will ever read”. I think that holds so true. Jesus was the “living word”, he was the word of God lived out in flesh and blood. We as “Christians” or “little-Christs” are the “living word” and non-Christians will read us. Because of this, how I live is just as important as what I believe. Often we think that right thinking is the key, but people will impacted by our lifestyles, not our theology.

Prayer
“Lord, I pray that you would help me to keep today’s lesson in mind as I walk through my day. Please use my life to be a revelation of your Son! Use me to reach people who don’t yet know you. Lord, I don’t want to live as a hypocrite. Please burn from my life anything that is not of you. IJNA.”

PEOPLE PLEASER VS. CHRIST'S SERVANT. By Pastor Fernando

Scripture:
Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. Galatians 1:10.

Observation:
Paul here is very clear about the tension that we will always endure between pleasing people and pleasing God. According to Paul’s choice of words, pleasing and serving must be clearly reconciled. When serving people, we will always fall in either two places: pleasing them, or displeasing them. In many occasions I could please people but with the possibility of being a bad servant. In other occasions I could displease people and still serve them well. Ideally we want to do both. So how can we reconcile this? The answer is in the principle of serving Christ before we serve men. If I serve Christ well, I will serve people according to His desires and plan for their lives, which in many occasions, will contradict the desires and plans people already have for themselves. In this conflict, we must choose wisely. We cannot be simply people pleasers. Above all things, we are Christ’s servants.

Application:
Serving people well cannot be influenced by a popularity contest. Very often, if we serve Christ first, our way to serve people will displease them. We will make decisions that will not fill their expectations. That’s why obedience to Christ brings all the emotions and personal opinions to one thing--to do what God requires from us. In the past I always had struggles between pleasing people and God. Many times I serve people poorly and lean on the side of making people happy. The consequences of those decisions have taught me that pleasing people doesn’t bring good outcomes in my life and in their lives. A tough challenge in my service is when people are not happy with the way I serve them. My allegiance to Christ is tested when some people are displeased with my service. What do I do? I need to stay strong in my conviction that I’m a Christ’s servant before anything else. i cannot compromise my service to the Lord because i want to make people happy. I need to have nerves of steel when tested in this area. And as i serve Christ, I will always champion for God’s very best in people’s lives, even when they don’t wants God’s best.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, please help me to defeat my tendency of wanting to please people at the cost of serving you well. As a leader, I’m called to do you will even when some people feel unhappy about the decisions I make. Help me to lead in such a way that I can do both, serve you well and make people happy. Give me the perseverance to deal with people’s insecurities and to serve them well, even when they fight me back or when they question my motives. Make me more like You! Amen.

HE IS RISEN! By Renee Takahashi

Scripture:
He has risen! He is not here. Mark 16: 6

Observation:
When the women brought spices to the grave, they found that the tomb was empty. When they entered, they were told that Jesus had risen!

Application:
The promise was fulfilled. And with that was hope that all that Jesus said was true and there was eternal life waiting for us. It confirms that Christ is a living God. If He could resurrect our earthly bodies, He would also be faithful to resurrect our dead spiritual selves if we call upon Him. Jesus is no longer on earth but He promised the Holy Spirit, so the fact that He is not here is assurance that the Holy Spirit is.

How will I be different today because of what I have just read?
I will be a witness of the resurrection of Jesus and the power that is available for our own spiritual resurrection through Him.

Prayer:
Father God, as Easter approaches, I am thankful of the gospels to recount the story of Jesus and His resurrection. Thank you for showing me how you are faithful to fulfill the promises of victory over death and the Lord’s resurrection which is available to me. Thank you that no matter how far I fall, if I choose to die to myself, you make resurrection available through your power and grace. Praise be to you forever!

ONE 'NATION" AT A TIME. By Renee Takahashi

Scripture:
The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. Deuteronomy 7:22

Observation:
Moses told the Israelites that God was going to destroy the occupants of the land. There were many different nations, and God was going to eliminate them one at a time. God was going to deliver the foreign nations over to the Israelites. The nations were stronger and the people were afraid, but Moses directed their thoughts to being faithful to God, keeping His commandments and how not to allow any of their idols, etc into their lives.

Application:
God chose to destroy the existing nations one by one. Going through a healing process, I see how that pattern pertains to my life, too. I know God can heal me completely at a moment’s notice, but I am going through the process, step by step While in the old Testament it was a nation, for me each nation represents an area of brokenness. I sometimes feel restless, but when my perspective is on the Lord, I know the value of leaning into the Lord and surrendering it all to Him and His perfect timing. When I reflect, I can see how the Lord is transforming my life. It’s gradual, but it is happening. Sometimes in the moment, I just can’t see it, but God is with me. With each step, it’s a molding my heart more to Him, it’s digging deep into my heart to know what’s in it. It’s bearing His image more clearly.
How will I be different today because of what I have just read?
I will keep leaning on the Lord to reveal the loyalty to the “nations” in my heart, and to surrender to His commands.

Prayer:
Lord God, thank you that you would go before me and defeat the “nations” one by one. I repent when I hold on to any of the idols or the ways of the nation and it hinders my total allegiance to you. Father, your kingdom is the one and only nation I choose to surrender to. As you lead me Father, let me remember your command not to hold on to anything of the “nation” but to keep integrity and be rid of everything of that nation so it doesn’t snare my loyalty to the one true kingdom!

OUT OF EGYPT. By Renee Takahashi

Scripture:
Be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery... And He brought us out from there to bring us in and give us the land that he promised on oath to our forefathers.
Deuteronomy 6: 12, 23

Observation:
There can be a bit of Egypt in all of us. A slave to something that keeps us from being totally dependent upon the Lord. But the Lord can free us from that bondage. He is the one that HAS, not will, not maybe but HAS brought us out of Egypt. We must be careful to remember that and live our lives according to this truth. God brings us out of places that we are struggling in or places that are not His best for us, to take us to something better.

Application:
When something is tough and seemingly out of my ability to handle it, I may quickly go to the Lord and pray and pray and pray. When that circumstance passes, then I may not be so fervent about praying. I may even forget the Lord’s presence and resume to my old patterns of self-reliance. No wonder Moses warned the people NOT to forget the Lord. He is the only one that can bring me out of bondage to whatever holds me back from totally giving my life to the Lord. God promises to bring me out of something to bring me in to something better. He hears the cry of my heart like He heard the cries from the Israelites. When things got tough, the Israelites didn’t keep faith and therefore were stuck in the desert. God promises to bring me into something better, sometimes even when I don’t realize I’m in a place that is not good. He promises me the promise land. Will I be miss the blessings because of lack of faith? Even when I don’t see what God is doing, will I hang on to what He promises instead of what I visibly see? Will I lean on my own understanding rather than trusting in God? I pray that I will not! I pray that I will keep the faith and follow Him out that He might bring me in!
How will I be different today because of what I have just read?

Prayer:
Father, thank you that your heart is to take me OUT of bondage to take me IN to the promised land, the eternal kingdom. Thank you that you teach me along the way the many lessons of truth, love, compassion, perseverance, integrity and faith. Help me to remember what you are doing for me and forgive me for my old pattern of self-reliance. I surrender to you! In the mighty name of Jesus I pray, amen.

THE BEAUTY OF HIS MERCY. By Pastor Fernando

Scripture:
When those bitter days have come upon you far in the future, you will finally turn to the Lord your God and listen to what He tells you. For the Lord your God is merciful--He will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant He made with your ancestors. Deuteronomy 4:30-31

Observation:
Amazing to see the unfailing love of the Lord for His people in action. In a prophetic way, Moses reveals what is going to happen to the people of God, their success, their betrayal, their disobedience, and ultimately, their redemption. In spite of their rebellion, God will not abandon them or destroy them. God has fulfilled throughout history Moses’ words. His mercy cannot be confused with lenience. God’s mercy is for the purpose of our repentance, not for our indulgence. We cannot take God’s mercy for granted. We must respond in obedience to God’s ways not because we have to, but because we want to.

Application:
Sadly said, many of us have to experience bitter days in order to soften our hearts and listen to what God says. We learn obedience through our sufferings, and we become more willing to follow the Lord after we have experience pain away from His presence. The key is for us not to go back to a place of disobedience when things get better again. We need to learn how to be obedient not only when we suffer, but also when we enjoy God’s blessings. We cannot make the same mistakes Israel did. They are written so we know what happens to our vulnerable hearts. We can build our lives in wisdom and avoid great suffering. We cannot take God’s mercy for granted and continue in the same habits of sin and disobedience. We must be motivated by God’s love and by His mercy to walk in consistent repentance and obedience before Him.

Prayer:
Dear heavenly Father, what a wonderful and merciful God you are. Your mercy makes all my blessings available and my redemption possible. Please don’t let me take your mercy for granted. I don’t want to walk into new bitter places in order to learn more obedience. I want to learn the lessons from the past, to trust in your word, and to set my life according to your ways. I don’t want to go through the same suffering again in order to relearn the lessons. Please let me be always mindful of your mercy, not to indulge my sinful habits, but to walk away from them in the power of your redemption. Amen.

CALCULATED & PATIENT. By Pastor Fernando

Scripture:
So Jesus came to Jerusalem and came into the temple. He look around carefully at everything, and then He left because it was late in the afternoon. Mark 11:11

Observation:
Jesus arrives to Jerusalem in the midst of the praises of the people. They wave branches at Him and give Him the royal welcome. As He comes to the city, he comes into the temple. While there, He simply observes carefully at everything. He observes the moneychangers, the merchants of animals, the people worshipping, and the priests fulfilling their duty. He does not say or do anything that day because it was too late already. He patiently waits for the next morning. He has time to think exactly what He is going to do. He rehearses in his heart and He knows as soon as He arrives to the temple what he is going to do.

Application:
Many times I’ve seen the passage where Jesus clears the temple as the Lord reacting impulsively. But He observed carefully at everything and had time to think and calculate what He was about to do. How many times I react according to my impulses and say or do things that would regret later? I do that all the time! I need to learn from Jesus on this regard. I need to take time to observe carefully around me and then calculate very well what I need to do. when I look into my life, what do I see? In which ways I’m compromising my devotion to Christ? What am I doing about it? Do I neglect correction? Do I withhold discipline? Or do I make the necessary adjustments, as radical as they need to be, to put things in order?

The same principle we must apply when we respond to the call to be stewards of the Lord’s house. We need to take time to observe carefully at everything and then think and calculate carefully how to bring order, how to re-calibrate people’s hearts, how to go back to heart, how to prune, how to increase, how to excel, and how to make our church a place where God’s presence is welcomed and entertained.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching me the importance of being patient and to calculate well when we need to bring order in our lives and ministry. Please remind me of the importance to have the right sense of timing. The right thing can become the wrong thing if done in the wrong time. Please teach me how to be patient and how to bring order the right way. Let me put aside my emotions and impulses. Let me be more calculated and patient, just like you. Amen.

PHONY TREE. By Renee Takahashi.

Scripture:
On the day following, when they had come away from Bethany, He was hungry.
And seeing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, He went to see if he could find any fruit on it. But when He came up to it, He found nothing but leaves, for the fig season had not yet come.
Mark 11:12-13

Observation:
This fig tree must have been a welcomed sight for Jesus who was hungry. It must have had a pretty impressive appearance because Jesus saw it even from a distance. Jesus approached it only to find that it was all show no go. There wasn’t a single fig on it. A phony.

Application:
I know my own anticipation approaching the season of one of my favorite fruit trees, the mango. As I drive around, my eyes immediately check out the mango trees as it progresses through the season. I take a mental snapshot of the tree and its flowers and anticipate how much fruit it would have. What a disappointment it would be if that tree didn’t bear a single fruit. What about me? Am I a phony tree? Am I walking the talk? Am I bearing fruit or just the appearance of having fruit? How many times has a hungry person come to me only to find that I was nothing but leaves? How many times has a hungry person come and not be fed the sweet fruit of the good news?
How will I be different today because of what I have just read?
Like our message this past Sunday… I will steward the little I know well and apply it in every area of my life.

Prayer:
Lord God, thank you for your words of encouragement and of conviction. Help me to be a tree that bears your fruit. To be a tree that stewards your goodness and love. A tree that embraces and shares your truth. A tree that doesn’t disappoint the hungry. Father, prune me as you deem necessary. I love you.

THE CHOICE: MONEY OR JESUS? By Ken Primeau

Scripture
And as He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and began asking Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to Him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.” “You know the commandments, ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.” And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” And looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But at these words his face fell, and he went away grieved, for he was one who owned much property. And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those we are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!”
And the disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Mark 10: 17-25

Observation
This story in Mark is jam packed with meaning. A rich guy comes to Jesus and asks how he can inherit eternal life. This Jewish man was well versed in the Old Testament scripture. He knew the 10 commandments and what God required of him. Of the 10 commandments, three are about our relationship with God (no idols, no using His name in vain, keep the Sabbath) while the other seven deal with our relationships with other people. Jesus says to the rich man, “You know the commandments” and then he lists off 6 of the 7 people-oriented commandments, intentionally leaving out one, as if to elaborately highlight it for the man. This Jewish man most likely was aware of the one that was left out. The commandment not mentioned is “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.” This man was sinful in that he coveted the possessions of others. His treasure was located in his wealth. He probably compared himself to others and always tried to one up them by having more.
Jesus then then teaches his disciples that it is hard for rich people to enter the kingdom of God. What does He mean by this? Jesus is essentially saying, it is harder for God to rule a rich person’s life than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle. It’s hard, because the rich person submits more to their money than they will to God’s reign.

Application
Most of us read this story and place ourselves as characters alongside the disciples. We are simply learning from Jesus as he points out the faults of the rich man. Something inside of me whispers, “You are that rich man”. We in America are truly rich by the world’s standards. We might not feel rich, because our neighbor has more. There are always people who will have more than us, but if we look at the big picture, most of us are in the top 10 percentile worldwide (probably even higher). We are rich and have so much to spare.
Jesus prods us with the same question, “are you more loyal to your money and your desire to possess more, or are you loyal to my kingdom rule? Would you be willing to give up everything and just follow me?”

As I read these words, it makes me realize how much I love my money. I’m not rich compared with lots of other people around me, but I am rich because I have much more than I need. It’s not easy for me to give away my money or possessions. But Jesus calls me to abandon everything and follow him. I can’t trust in money, I only trust in Him.

Prayer
“Lord, help me to separate my heart from my money. I want to be willing to do and use money however you ask me to. Help me to become more generous and less covetous. IJNA.”

SALTED WITH FIRE. By Pastor Fernando

Scripture:
“For everyone will be purified with fire. Salt is good for seasoning. But if it looses its flavor, how do make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with one another.” Mark 9:49-50

Observation:
Jesus here is speaking about dealing with sin. In the verses before he urges the importance of doing whatever it takes to avoid sinful practices. He speaks of self-purification by the means of repentance and of sacrifice. If our hand or our eye is causing us to sin, then we must cut them off. In this passage, Jesus clarifies how this takes place--by fire. He refers to the saltiness of our lives as an effective means to bring flavor to this world. We cannot be effective in our mission if our lives loose the Gospel’s flavor, which is determined by our transformation and freedom from sinful practices. We loose our saltiness when we continue slaved to sinful habits. The only way for us to fight against our sinful nature is to be salted by fire, to experience sacrifice, to loose our lives, to suffer loss, and to believe that in our sacrifice we will find victory beyond our wishes.

Application:
One of the most frustrating things a s a follower of Christ is to find myself over again in the same places of sinful habits. The compulsions and selfishness of our nature have a way to come out, each time with its doses of guilt, disappointment, and pain. We fight them with all our might and for a season we find victories in many battles, but sooner or later, there is one battle lost. The enemy loves to see God’s children defeated. These are the moments where our saltiness is taken away. But this is a result of a diligent work of the enemy to tempt us patiently, to steal our flavor little by little, until we are left alone as victims of our own compulsions.

The solution for this problem is fire. We need to live in the presence of the consuming fire of God. In His presence, we find the purity and the flavor that our lives must always be characterized by. When the fire of the Holy Spirit burns in our lives, the claws of sin and the compulsions of our nature loose grip in our hearts. The more we are in the fire of God’s presence, the saltier our lives will become. We don’t have to wait until sin makes its fruit in our lives to experience the purification power of God’s fire. We can walk into a life of purity and constant victory as we keep our lives in the presence of our consuming fire.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are my consuming fire! Please forgive me for the many opportunities I stay away from the power of your fire and that result in the fruit of sin in my life. Let me stay closer to you so your fire burns all the impurities of my heart. Please restore the saltiness I’ve lost in the past and make my life more pure and holy. Let me have such a passion for integrity and holiness that I’m willing to loose anything and endure whatever it takes in order to be purified with your fire. Thank for your immense patience with me and for allowing me to continue practicing righteousness as your consuming fire burns all the things that will not bring honor to your name. Amen.