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Day 22: August 11 – Passover

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:45:19 GMT

S: Luke 22:15-16
15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

O: The Passover is the ritual of remembering God’s grace over the Israelites during their captivity in Egypt. It is highly symbolic of Jesus to take part in this as His final meal before being apprehended by His accusers. Moreover, Jesus declares that He will not eat this again until the “fulfillment in the KOG.” This signifies the grace that is here and now in Jesus, and perfect grace that is to come when the KOG is fully ushered in to this world.

A: Jesus gives me grace to live today, and gives me hope for the future. Today, I walk knowing that His grace abides with me.

P: Lord, I walk in full confidence knowing that You go before me. Amen.

Day 21: August 10 – Make Up Your Mind

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 21:43:39 GMT

S: Luke 21:14-15
14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves.
15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.

O: Jesus talks about a time when there will be great destruction and conflict in the world. Additionally, He warns us that there will be persecution for following the Lord. What is striking is how he challenges his followers to ‘make up your mind’ beforehand. There is a sense of counting the cost to follow Jesus and to have faith in His provision and protection.

A: The NY Times report that Ossetia/Georgia is on the brink of “all-out war.” It’s further evidence of the decay of society. Yet I often feel like these are issues that are so far-removed from my current circumstances. This passage is reminding of me of the impending day where my faith in Christ will be tested. I am challenged to resolve in my heart my commitment to following Jesus. I also am convicted that God is reassuring me that He will provide in times of trouble. I am tempted to take matters into my own hands, but Jesus is reminding me to trust in Him and He will protect me.

P: Lord, I have decided to follow You! Amen.

Day 20: August 9 – Heaven or Men?

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:20:49 GMT

S: Luke 20:4,25,35
4 John’s baptism — was it from heaven, or from men?”
25 “Caesar’s,” they replied. He said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage,

O: There is a theme in this chapter – the contrast between Heaven’s ways and Men’s ways. People think in terms of taxes and marriage. But Jesus shows that these matters are mortal issues that is below what heaven really stands for. Like a sparrow pecking at a lion, if they are not careful, they will eventually be swallowed up by their consumption of worldly things.

A: I don’t fully understand the implications of this chapter. But one thing God is convicting my heart is to be careful not to try to straddle both worlds, of heaven and earth. I can easily try to rationalize heavenly things with earthly ideas, but this will never measure up. There is a way that God thinks and acts that will always be beyond my human comprehension. I must seek to align myself with Him.

P: Lord, Your ways are higher than my ways. Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. Amen.

Day 19: August 8 - Conviction

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:44:36 GMT

S: Luke 19:7-10
7All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' " 8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." 9Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

O: Why does Zacchaeus offer to give up so much of his wealth? My inclination is to assume that Zacchaeus was trying to show off to the people that were muttering, or to impress Jesus of how honored he was to have Him at his home. If this is the case, then why would Jesus say "salvation has come to this house" unless Zacchaeus conversion was genuine? When one welcomes the living Christ into their own home or life, one is naturally convicted to align his or her life with the ways of Christ. Also, I noticed how Zacchaeus was able to separate himself from the judgment of the world (he climbed up a tree for goodness sakes). It didn't matter what the others said. He was fixated on meeting Jesus!

A: This passage frustrates me, mainly because I know that in my own heart, I do respond with such conviction that Zacchaeus had when Christ invited him into a relationship. Z comes to a fork in the road: either continue to live out his worldly tax-collector ways, or give it completely over to God. But there is no middle ground or room for compromise. He gave up the majority of his wealth. To follow Jesus was a costly decision, and yet he does it with such gratitude. There isn't a hint of withholding from God. He is committed. I think if we only knew what we were getting into when decide to follow Christ, our lives would look radically different.

P: Lord, I want to live my life in utter abandon like Zacchaeus who gave all he had to follow you. Amen.

Day 18: August 17 - Abandonment

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 14:00:11 GMT

S: Luke 18:4-5,8,13,15,22,32-33,39

4"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, 5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' "
8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
15People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.
22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
32He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. 33On the third day he will rise again."
39Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

O: One Word comes to mind as I read this chapter - Abandonment. Jesus continues on the theme of how to build faith (see Day 17). The characters in this chapter all had one thing in common - they abandoned themselves, and disregarded the opinion of others to approach God. By worldly standard, it was irrational what they did. Yet the woman persisted. The tax collector was convicted of his sin and repented before God, even if people judged him. The parents wanted their children blessed and approached Jesus, even at the discouragement of the proud disciples. Jesus gave hints to the ultimate abandonment of self in His coming persecution and crucifixion. The blind man shouted "all the more", abandoning any sense of embarrassment or social decorum. How telling that the only man who didn't abandon himself was the rich man. He clung to himself and his possession.

A: This is confirmation of what the Lord has been teaching me through Peter and Geri Scazzero (Emotionally Healthy Spirituality). Two days ago, I traced my genogram and examined how enmeshed I was to my family. The goal was to help me move towards differentiation. Faith is the same in that I must learn to differentiate from or abandon myself and opt to seek out and follow Christ regardless of what I think or what other people think. This is hard, but this is also faith. The question in verse 8 is an indictment on the state of my heart and the state of the world - Will there be any faith left when Christ returns? As long as I am here, Yes!

P: Lord, I choose to follow you. There is nothing better in this world than to serve you! Amen.

Day 17: August 6 – Increase My Faith!

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:20:47 GMT

S: Luke 17:5-10
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
7 “Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’?
8 Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’?
9 Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?
10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

O: It’s so interesting that when the disciples demanded for more faith, Jesus responded in this way. Faith comes from humility. Faith comes in knowing that my place is to serve the Master; and as His servant I shouldn’t demand accolade and recognition for doing what I am called to do. What was the motivation for the disciples to ask for this? Perhaps they got a taste of spiritual authority or supernatural power and they wanted to more. Jesus is making sure that they understand that to serve God is not to fulfill their own agenda or selfish desires. Faith is given to those who surrender all rights to Him.

A: What does it mean to give God all the glory? What does it mean to live my life for God? Often times, I will do good things just so that I can look up at God, and ask Him, “Did you see that? Bless me!” Serving God isn’t a sport where I get a gold medal for running really fast. Serving God is about humble submission and obedience to what the Master wants, not about me getting a pat on the back. Otherwise following Jesus becomes a selfish endeavor that is motivated by personal gain.

P: Lord, command me to do Your will. Amen.

Day 16: August 5 - Master

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 07:40:46 GMT

Luke 16:13
“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

One Thought: Who do I call Master? God or the world? I must choose, but I cannot have both.

Day 15: August 4 - A Father an His Elder Son

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:43:01 GMT

S: Luke 15:11,20-24,31

11 Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons.
20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
21 "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.
23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate.
24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
31 My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.

O: This is not the story of 1 prodigal son but 2. More than that this is the story of a father. I love how the father ran out to meet his youngest son, and restored his honor. But one thing that I always glance over is how much he loved his eldest son. He declares that everything already belonged to him. But the older son was caught up in jealousy and discontentment over his brother's restored status that he forgot that he had his father's love, blessings, and resources at his disposal.

A: This story resonates with me because I'm the eldest son in my family. And like the parable, I often forget that the Love, Grace, and Blessings of God is already so abundant in me. It is already at my finger tips, and yet I forget. I lose that connection. I get caught up in my jealousy of those who are doing better than me. But the Father loves me dearly. This is a reality that I must not confuse. What I have in God will always be so much greater than what I don't have in the world.

P: Lord, You are all that I need! Thank you for your abundant love and grace that knows no bounds. May I never forget that you give all good things to those you love. Amen.

S: Bridge group, Jeff, Craig

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Dear Friends,

It's a beautiful day in Oregon. I look forward to what God has in store!

Blessings,
Daniel Ra

Day 14: August 3 – Counting the Cost

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:35:24 GMT

S: Luke 14:7-11,27,33
7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

O: It is costly to follow Jesus! And the Lord makes sure that I go in knowing this reality. The Kingdom of God is not a place where I should seek out prestige and power. It is awarded. Humility and Submission are 2 key ingredients to discipleship.

A: Serving God is not a career where one looks for upward mobility and comfort, nor should I look to expand my influence or renown. Jesus carried His own cross, and so must I. There is no bellboy to carry my bags. Congregations are not meant to treat me like a king. I am called to be a servant. The Lord is reminding me to remain humble in my coming and going. When I am faithful to God, He will lift me up as He sees fit. Up is down.

P: Lord, may You be lifted higher, and may I be humble before you. Amen.

Day 13: August 2 - What is the Kingdom of God?

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:27:49 GMT

S: Luke 13:15-16,18-21
15The Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"
18Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches."20Again he asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.

O: It's interesting that Jesus describes the Kingdom of God as a mustard seed & yeast. I often remember the passage, "Faith like a mustard seed", but the KOG? Jesus said, "The Kingdom of God is near!" (10:9,11) and "Thy Kingdom come." (11:2). The KOG refers to heaven. But He is also referring to heaven on earth. The KOG is the reality of God's presence, grace, and power in my life. Here. Now. On this earth. The purpose is not that the KOG is to be something small like a seed. The truth is that as I go deeper in intimacy with Him, the reality of God's Kingdom becomes more and more apparent in my life. Preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ, miraculous signs and wonders, and an intimate relationship with God come naturally as the KOG increases into a large tree, or permeates like the yeast in the dough of my life.

A: May God increase. May I decrease. My capacity to do God's work will increase and God's grace and power permeates throughout my life. Don't hold to the Sabbath like a bunch of strict rules. The Sabbath was meant to be a reminder for me to be in deep communion with God. Don't get bogged down with the legalities like the Pharisees, but "Seek First His Kingdom." I'm not going to wait until the end of my life to see heaven. I believe I can taste this in my life now.

P: Lord, thank You that Your Kingdom is near, and that You allow me to be a part of Your Kingdom. Always be first in my life. Amen.

S: Bridge group