December 18th 2011 – Matthew 19:14

“But He said, Leave the children alone! Allow the little ones to come to Me, and do not forbid or restrain or hinder them, for of such [as these] is the kingdom of heaven composed.”

December 17th 2011 – Psalm 34:8

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”

December 13th 2011 – To Bear, from Galatians 6:1-5, by: Pastor Tony Kang

November 27, 2011: To Bear – Galatians 6:1-5

“To Bear (endure, carry) one another’s burdens and troublesome moral faults, and in this way fulfill and observe perfectly the law of Christ (the Messiah) and complete what is lacking [in your obedience to it]. To bear another’s burdens is at the basis of love; it is what we are called to do in Christ Jesus. This is what is lacking in our lives. Love covers a multitude of sins; it bears another’s sins (Prov. 10:12). This is what Jesus did for you and I; He bore the sin of the whole world upon Himself.

To bear another’s burdens means to endure, carry; render, give; to permit growth of; to support theweight of; sustain; to hold above, to allow, accept. This means that if I bear another’s burdens, their problems, their burdens and troublesome moral faults become mine. I no longer consider them their problem but my problem as well; they are “our” problem. Now we are operating from a position of equality and not superiority; we are co-heirs in Christ. This is the unity that is in Jesus Christ; the unity of love. To bear is to take everything upon ourselves. Jesus not only took all our sins upon Himself but He also took all the pain and shame as well. To bear another’s burdens is not just about their problems; it is also
to bear their shame and guilt; their hurts and pain. We have to understand that everything a person does is dictated by their hurts and shame. If we could take hold of the love of Jesus, all the pain and shame would be gone because we would fully accept that Jesus took all of it upon Himself. People have real hurts and pains and we criticize and judge them for this. It is easy to criticize another as long as we do not feel their shame, guilt, and pain. But if we take these things upon ourselves, we could never say a negative word to them; we would only be able to love them.

We help people and they never appreciate what we do for them and we get angry. But to bear another’s burdens means we would not take it personally and get upset. We would just do. We would sacrifice ourselves for love. Many people go on missions, thinking they will be able to do so much for the needy. But if you are unwilling to bear their burdens, you will have no power. If you have the attitude that you are going there and then you can come back to your comfortable life, little will change in the spirit. You may help them physically but the need will still remain. They need love; they need another to bear their burdens. Mother Theresa loved the needy and she bore their burdens upon herself; she sacrificed everything and was willing to stay until there was a solution to their problems. She was not looking at coming home. She did not abandon them. Without love, we cannot truly bear another’s burdens. If we want to follow, we must burn the oxen and the yoke (1 Kings 19:21).

Love (through Jesus) is the answer to all problems. Love will enable us to take another by the hand and walk through the problem together towards the solution. Love will be gentle and kind and accepting. Love is willing to bear another’s burdens. And love is the fulfillment of Christ Jesus in us.

December 4, 2011: War and Peace – James 4:1-3

“War and Peace” by Leo Tolstoy told of Napoleon’s military campaign into Russia. Against the advice of his generals, Napoleon attacked Russia in winter. The harsh Russian winter reduced his army 600,000 to less than 27,000 and Napoleon withdrew from Russia in defeat. This defeat contributed greatly to his downfall. Napoleon’s arrogance led to the fall of his empire. Likewise, we need to know which battles to fight; when it is time for war and when it is time for peace.

1WHAT LEADS to strife (discord and feuds) and how do conflicts (quarrels and fightings) originate among you? Do they not arise from your sensual desires that are ever warring in your bodily members? 2You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your desires go unfulfilled; [so] you become murderers. [To hate is to murder as far as your hearts are concerned.] You burn with envy and anger and are not able to obtain [the gratification, the contentment, and the happiness that you seek], so you fight and war. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3[Or] you do ask [God for them] and yet fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose and evil, selfish motives. Your intention is [when you get
what you desire] to spend it in sensual pleasures.

The origin of every conflict, every fight is from within ourselves, our flesh (members). The battles do not come from without; they come from within. Our selfish desires are contentious by their nature. Jealousy and covetousness cause us to fight; these unfulfilled desires (of the flesh) cause us to fight and war. We
will be quarrelsome, disagreeable, unkind and hate. There will be no peace in you.

Ecclesiates 3:8 tells us that there is a time or season for war and a time for peace. Peace is defined as freedom from disquieting and oppressive thoughts or emotions. So what make us contentious are the thoughts and emotions of the enemy; it is spiritual. Remember that we battle not against flesh and blood
but spiritual forces in dark places (Ephesians 6:12). The oppressive thoughts and emotions are divisive and contentious; this is how the Satan operates. The evil spirits speak fighting words; words of provocation and division. And yet, we fight the person. But every time we fight another, we lose because we fight the wrong fight. Our fight is not against flesh but against the devil. Which fight will we choose to fight? We cannot let our pride and emotions make us fight the wrong fight.

Luke 14:28 – you do not build a tower without first seeing what the cost is. Napoleon did not consider the cost of a winter campaign against Russia. We must consider the cost of each battle and see if it is worth fighting. When husband and wife fight with each other, have they considered the cost, the affect it has on
the children? If we understood the cost, we would not fight this battle. Jesus did not say a word in His defense. He knew the cost if He fought; the cost would have been the loss of God’s will and the salvation of mankind. The cost was too high and He chose not to fight.

But we fight because our sensual desires (selfishness) do not see the cost. So we fight and we do not have; we have not peace; we have not victory. We ask but we ask with the wrong heart (selfish heart). If you do not pray with a right heart, a heart of love, you pray amiss. To love is to bear another’s burdens; to
share with another. It is unselfish; not judgmental. It means that we believe that God can do for “us”; for the other person. So we do not have to fight; we just have to ask God with a right heart and He will fight for us (Exodus 14:13,14).

The Christmas season is upon us and it is the time for peace and goodwill (friendly attitude; willingness) to all men (Luke 2:14). Peace and goodwill are not about what others do to us; it is about what we will choose to do. If we hold onto peace, the Lord will fight our battles and we will be victorious. To hold onto peace means to put every oppressive and negative thought into captivity (2Cor. 10:5). We must have good thoughts towards another; kindness, gentleness, and love. We must pick our battles wisely and know who the enemy is. We must know the cost of war.

December 9, 2011: Judges 11:29-40

“It Is Well With My Soul” by Horatio Spafford was written when he lost his wife and children at sea while they were coming to join him overseas. He went to the site of the sinking and this song came out of his praise to the Lord. He had lost the things that mattered most to him and yet he had peace and was able to thank the Lord. If you lost the one thing that you desire, would you still give glory to God? Would you have peace in your soul? Would you willing let go and give praise to God?

In Judges 11, Jephthah made a vow to God that if God gave him victory over the Ammonites, he would
sacrifice the first person that came out to meet him when he returned home. When he returned home, his only child, his daughter came out to greet him. He was devastated when he saw her. But he honored his vow to God and offered his only child as a sacrifice to the Lord.

The things that happen in our life are not because we have a mean God. We have a loving God; He is love and can do nothing else but love. Like Jephthah, we are responsible for the things that come upon us. It may be a little thing but the moment we sin, we are outside of God and in the hands of the devil. It is the devil that hurts us and causes us such pain.

We reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7). Jephthah made a vow out of his pride and the result was the death of his daughter. If we could see what we did to cause our loss, our suffering, then we would be able to praise God. Peace comes from the assurance we have in a wonderful God. As long as we blame God, we will never have peace. We will never be able to praise God as Horatio was able to do.

I made a vow many, many years ago when I was in the pit of depression. I promised that I would continue to believe in God even if He did nothing for me in my life. That resolve brought me out of the pit of darkness. And many times since then, my God has had to remind me of my promise. And as I hold onto
this promise, I am able to slowly let go of the things that my heart desires. Worries, fears, and doubts are falling into the shadows as light fills my heart. If sorrow come tomorrow, then my peace will grow because it is well with my soul.

December 11, 2011: Take Up – Mark 2:1-9

9Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? NKJV

The Christmas season seems to be focused on what to give others or what you want to get from others. But Christmas is about Christ Jesus and this Christian life is not about what you give or what you get; it is about what you take up. Which is greater; to forgive sin or get someone walking? Jesus did the greater work; He gave us everything. Jesus forgave us of all sin and He put sin away. So God has already given us everything; we do not have to ask for anything more. Our part is easier; arise, take up, and walk. And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me]. – Mark 8:34

Arise means to get up, stop feeling sorry for yourself; it means to deny self. To deny is to declare untrue; to refuse to admit or accept something. It means to know the untruth of our emotions and feelings, fears and worries, and every negative and oppressive thought that comes into our mind. And when we deny the works of the enemy, what will be left is the truth of Jesus Christ.

Take up means to acknowledge, believe, and accept what Jesus Christ has done for you; what He has given you; His truths. Believe and trust in Him or at least believe in the works He has done for you (John 10:38); the work of the Cross. Either way, take hold of the truth.

Walk means to follow Jesus Christ; walk in the path that He has made for you. This means to walk in what He has already done for you. Walk in faith, believing in what Jesus has done; the works. It means to be steadfast and continually moving in Christ Jesus. How can two walk together unless they are in agreement (Amos3:3)?

When you are walking in faith, nothing is impossible. Look at this account of faith; it was not just the faith of the lame man but also the faith of those carrying him; his bearers. It says that Jesus saw their faith (vv. 4, 5). Faith in unity means that everything is possible. We are called to walk in faith; to bear the cross; to bear each other’s burdens and infirmities; to accept each other’s faults and shortcomings. Faith takes up; the men took up the bed with the man on it and brought him to Jesus because they had faith. Their faith carried this man who had weaker faith; he did not yet have the faith to walk. We are to carry, to bear another and walk with them (not ahead of them) until they have the faith to walk themselves. If you are only thinking about yourself, you will be by yourself. If you think about others, you will be with others; in unity and peace with others.

The time is for the faithful to take up: take up your cross, take up your calling; take up the burdens of another. The truth will set you free; free from bondages; free from sickness; free to walk. And we will follow Jesus; we will have peace and goodwill towards others; we will think well of others. And we will not let go of Jesus.”

December 9th 2011 – James 4:13-15

“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

Decenmber 8th 2011 – Romans 12:21

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Decenmber 8th 2011 – Romans 12:21, commentary by:ngai-leslie:scott

“Romans 12:21 is the last verse of Romans Chapter 12. This verse tells us that evil may overwhelm you by FORCE but it can never overcome our ability to choose. Only we ourselves can choose to succumb to evil voluntarily and that there exists a remedy for evil. Romans 12:21 enumerates this remedy for evil, and tells us that the remedy for evil is good. Now if you find yourself asking how are we to do good and whom are we to do good toward please read Romans Chapter 12, where both of these questions are answered in full.”

Decenmber 7th 2011 – James 3:8-9

“But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.”

Decenmber 7th 2011 – James 3:8-9, Matthew Henry’s Commentary

“…how very difficult a thing it is to govern the tongue: For every kind of beast, and bird, and serpent, and of things in the sea, are tamed, and hath been tamed, of mankind. But the tongue can no man tame, Jas. 3:7, 8. As if the apostle had said, “Lions, and the most savage beasts, as well as horses and camels, and creatures of the greatest strength, have been tamed and governed by men: so have birds, notwithstanding their wildness and timorousness, and their wings to bear them up continually out of our reach: even serpents, notwithstanding all their venom and all their cunning, have been made familiar and harmless: and things in the sea have been taken by men, and made serviceable to them. And these creatures have not been subdued nor tamed by miracle only (as the lions crouched to Daniel, instead of devouring him, and ravens fed Elijah, and a whale carried Jonah through the depths of the sea to dry land), but what is here spoken of is something commonly done; not only hath been tamed, but is tamed of mankind. Yet the tongue is worse than these, and cannot be tamed by the power and art which serves to tame these things. No man can tame the tongue without supernatural grace and assistance.”

December 6th 2011 – Luke 10:19

“I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”