Have been thinking about temptations for the past few weeks-  It’s interesting to see that Job was tempted even though he was doing all the things right in the eyes of God:

Job 1:8 (New King James Version)

⁸ Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?”

Still, he has to go through temptations.   Same thing happened with Lord Jesus.  After fasting, he was led to a desert place to be tempted.  The point is clear: temptations are for everyone, whether the person is upright with God or not.  When one thing that he is strong in a way no temptation can harm him, that person better think twice and worry (verse 12):

1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (New King James Version)

¹² Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. ¹³ No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

But God is faithful!  He will show the way out.  Hallelujah!

My prayer is that I would be effective when I use my tounge.  That practice include when I used it toward my wife, kids, extended families and friends.  As I grown up, I have seen that spoken words can be effective on it’s time.   The same spoken words, if spoken at different time/ocassions, will bring different results. The best thing is to say the right thing at the right time, while the worst one is to say the wrong thing at the wrong time.  I was specifically astounded by v. 4 and 5 from Isaiah 50:

Isaiah 50:4-10 (NKJV)

 4 “ The Lord GOD has given Me 
      The tongue of the learned, 
      That I should know how to speak 
      A word in season to him who is weary. 
      He awakens Me morning by morning, 
      He awakens My ear 
      To hear as the learned. 
       5 The Lord GOD has opened My ear; 
      And I was not rebellious, 
      Nor did I turn away. 
       6 I gave My back to those who struck Me,
      And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; 
      I did not hide My face from shame and spitting. 
       7 “ For the Lord GOD will help Me; 
      Therefore I will not be disgraced; 
      Therefore I have set My face like a flint, 
      And I know that I will not be ashamed. 
       8 He is near who justifies Me; 
      Who will contend with Me? 
      Let us stand together. 
      Who is My adversary? 
      Let him come near Me. 
       9 Surely the Lord GOD will help Me; 
      Who is he who will condemn Me? 
      Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; 
      The moth will eat them up. 
       10 “ Who among you fears the LORD? 
      Who obeys the voice of His Servant? 
      Who walks in darkness 
      And has no light? 
      Let him trust in the name of the LORD 
      And rely upon his God. 

I want to be ‘the learned’ ones.  To hear and learn on daily basis.  To gain understanding.  To be obedience and not rebelious.  That’s maturity, and that’s where I want to be.  Not only myself, but with my family.  That’s my prayer.

Reading on Luke 5 for the past few weeks, I wondered what happen to Simon. Jesus use his boat to preach and teach from it. (This could be the coolest preaching platform). But at the end of the day, he obeyed what Jesus commanded; even though he did it with a failure before. What’s more interesting, is the fact, that after he received the miracle, he asked Jesus to go away!

I believe in miracle. Miracle is the thing that happened beyond our control or beyond our mind who think it’s impossible to happen. I can imagine, in a real world scenario, that when they throw the net after Jesus told them to do so, only few fish that they will catch. That might not have changed Peter’s heart to realize who Jesus is.

The only thing that I start to realize is when miracle happened, we ought to give thanks to the Lord since every good thing comes ONLY from Him. And if it indeed happened, I hope that we are clinging back (Repent) to Jesus who change live for good.  God’s intention is for us to repent and come back to Him.

Luke 5 (NIV)

1One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” 9For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” 11So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Conscience speaks softly, yet it may have the loudest resonance. When we are water baptized, it is cleansed so that we have unblemished/clear conscience.

1Pet3:21
and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also–not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.

The book of first Corinthians discuss plenty of it. And it is indeed shed a light in the gray area that may not have been explicitly mentioned in the bible.

David, the man who after God’s heart, is a conscious-stricken man that he, in his power, wouldn’t allow harm to Saul even it is clear that Saul has attempted to kill him. Not only once that David has the opportunity to kill Saul but twice.  And both times, he stayed true to his conscience.

Plenty of sites and sources have written the importance about prayer.  Indeed, the bible is also compiled of plenty occasions, situations and testimonials where God answered prayers.

Watched Joel Osteen program last Sunday night, and he brought up topic on “Praying Boldly”.  It translates into “Praying for something beyond what you could have imagined or praying for an increases that stretches beyond your capabilities”.

This is not a new topic, but he referred back to Jabez (See “Prayer of Jabez” by Bruce Wilkinson).
1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NIV)
9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, [c] saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” 10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

It’s interesting to see that the verses before and after the above, it recorded the name of descendants without anything notable on each person.  Note also, that Jabez is mentioned to be more honorable than his brothers, but there is no record of who is the father.

The scripture, however, noted how Jabez prayed boldly.  For his name itself has negative impact on him, yet, he want God to set him free, and allow him to soar beyond.

If your live is in negative situations, prayer is the answer.  Praying boldly allow God to do miracles.  Miracles are good things that happen beyond your capabilities.

While I would list out things that I need to pray for, I am hoping that you would do the same.  Here is some lists/topics that can help you to start with a list:
1.  Your personal situation
2.  Your family (parents, children)
3.  Your finances
4.  Salvation of loved ones
5.  Your church
6.  Any dire situations

Remember, Nothing is Impossible with God.  Be precise in what you want; rather than praying generically in the topic.

It’s been a while since my last update, as we just passed easter yesterday. I’d rather call it passover rather than easter(which is next month according to the Jewish Calendar). Jesus died on the cross on passover and He was risen on the third day. And He is still alive until today.

It was His obedience that allow any person to start a new life again. Being born again of the spirit. Nicodemus asked how this could happened (“how can one be born again? Certainly not by going back to the mother’s womb!”). Jesus responded by pointing to born in the Spirit (John 3)

Being born again means able to live in a righteous manner. No more condemnation. There may be things that one have to go through due to past mistakes, but the future is not hold by the past anymore.

Born not by flesh, but by the power of holy spirit in flesh. That’s Jesus. Sickness and diseases are still around in the world. But by His stripes, we are healed. The sin that was placed on a pure and without-a-sin man, Jesus, allowed redemption of those with sin.

To be born again, one simply need to ask God for His forgiveness. and Jesus has shown the way. In fact, He is the only way. It would only take a prayer and confessions. If you have that, then His grace will be over you.

That’s what have happened. and it is still the most important event ever happened in this world. Ever.

2 Tim 3:16 (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

There were four functions of the scripture usefulness: To Teach, To Rebuke, To Correct, and to Train in righteousness.

In John 5:39 (NIV)
You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me,

The scriptures were also testify about Jesus (you in this phrase refers to the pharisees).

When Jesus was on earth, he does all the things that the scriptures has prophesied. He taught many of the truth, He rebukes the pharisees and His disciples, He corrected the mindset of others (Kingdom of Heaven mindset) and trained His disciples for the works of righteousness.

All of these were written in the scriptures (either old and new testaments), as it’s our task to dig deep into the scriptures, and we’ll gain more from it.

Romans 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Today, it’s a Valentine day. The day when love is celebrated all over the world. It’s one day when one could express his/her love to another, while another might hope to receive those.

But then, what is the greatest love one could ever receive? I hope that it’s more than a mere expressions (whether the flowers, messages and chocolate) or the commercialization that it has become.

Jesus said that there is no greater love other than one give his live so the other could live (john 15:13). In the meantime, there is a hypothetical question that I have for you, the readers. If you were the only one in the world that sinned (out of the 6 billion that alive), do you think that He would still come and die for you?

No doubt, He would. The parables that Jesus has told (such as the lost sheep, the missing coin) describe that he would come and look for the lost.  God’s love is the greatest love that one could receive.

There were two equally importance commandments that Jesus replied when he was asked which one is the most important commandments. His replied was not on His own saying, but straight from the scripture.

29“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.31The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31. Refer to: Deut 6:4,5 and Lev. 19:18

Few things that we can learn from more from this passage.

1. Love God.
-The essence of loving God is so essential, such that Deut 6 show that we ought to teach our children to love God, and constantly remind oneself to love Him. Had it been given these days, it probably is written to set reminder on your alarm clock, calendars or PDAs.

2. Love Your Neighbor.

-Jesus didn’t say to love every one in the world. Instead, love the one in your vicinity. He has died for the world, and it is our job to love our neighbors. The parable of Good Samaritan was introduced after Jesus was asked “Who is my neighbors?”.

3. Love Yourself.

-So, who doesn’t love one self? While it may be fittingly means to be egoistic, one must be able to forgive oneself. Knowing that Father in heaven loves you will definitely help. In fact, being loved would be the starter to be able to love oneself. That’s why it’s important for a parents to shower their children with love.

Ecclesiastes 12 (NIV) 

 13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.

 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.

Prior to verse 13, the whole book of ecclesiastes can be summarized into the vanities of human being (or everything is meaningless). Why does a human being eat, work, marry and live while at the end of the day life goes on?

Fear Him. That’s the whole duty of a man.

When someone fear God, it would effect everything in a person’s life.  Be it family, finance, work, etc.