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!

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!

Heart Felt Living. By Pasotr Jan Tomai

SCRIPTURE
“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing." Romans 6:18

OBSERVATION:
God must sometimes tire of our lives. It isn’t the thoughts that we think but the the words that we speak about others and the actions we perform that tells of this inability to overcome sin in our lives. I think that is why God gave grace to each of us--to sustain our life when we do what we do not want to do and to protect our thoughts, words, and actions toward others when they do what was not meant as an offense. Our sinful side wants to assume that others’ intentions are not meant for good.

APPLICATION:
So many times, I can think about things I have done that I did not want to do causing unintended offense. If the grace were not there, I would find life futile and un-meaningful for where would I go to find forgiveness. And, how would I keep my thoughts, words, and actions pure before the Lord when others offended me? At first it seems complicated, but it isn't. It is the daily walk to hear God and receive freely what He gives us.

PRAYER:
Lord thank you for your relentless, undeserved grace. Help me to use it with love and heart-felt intention not allowing a place for the enemy to reside in my life.

Renewing Me in Him. By Kim Matsukawa

SCRIPTURE: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2

OBSERVATION: The price of Jesus paid was a high one and all that He asks for in return is a sacrifice of our body and mind to Him. He asks us to take care of ourselves and to constantly renew our minds.

APPLICATION: The season before brought me to question how much I have missed because I failed to take care of myself in mind and body. So in this season, I became more physically active and took a critical thinking class. Paddling became a great help in my ability to lose a few pounds, giving me confidence in myself. The class has allowed me to think outside of my own little world and giving me the fervor to want to learn more. Each of these things would not have been possible without knowing that God's got my back. He can help me through anything. As I continue to renew myself in Him, I yearn for more knowledge about Him.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank You for being with me every step of the way. I ask forgiveness for taking so long and ask for Your continued guidance in the season to come. Thank you for this season of helping me to grow. I look forward to spending more time at Your feet. Amen

BUILDING BRIDGES. By Pastor Fernando

SCRIPTURE
⁵May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, ⁶so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:5-6

OBSERVATION
In the context, Paul wants to make sure that relationships among brothers and sisters in the church are thriving and are not affected by differences of opinion in non-essential matters. The people in the church in Rome needed a message about preserving unity. Regardless of difference of style, they all could have one heart and one mouth to worship the Lord. They were making a big deal of small things, not realizing that it was causing division. Paul's sobering instruction instructs them to focus in the essentials and to grow together in their devotion for God.

APPLICATION
One of the saddest things I've seen in the church is the division that differences of opinion create when people prioritize dogma over love. I love a quote that has been attributed to St. Augustine tha says, "In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, charity (love)." The problem is that many times we make non-essentials the essentials. We use our personal convictions as an opportunity to grow apart. We sacrifice unity for being right. But at the end, we result being wrong, very wrong.

As I grow in my call to lead the church, I need to have much wisdom to always be a bridge builder, not a wall builder. I want to help people to get along, but also I need to get along with those who have differences of opinion with me. The tendency is to walk away and hide from them because we are afraid of their judgment, or of their attempts to convince us of their positions. I'm sure God's calling in my life is greater than that. Building bridges, especially among people that believe in Jesus Christ as God, Lord and Savior, is a noble task worth while to pursuit.

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, please help me to always think and act as a bridge builder. Give me endurance and encouragement to build a spirit of unity among the church and other churches. Amen!