Strangely Warmed

Luk 24:32 (NIV) They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
>> What an awesome privilege and once in a lifetime experience for the two disciples to have the Lord Jesus walking with them and opening up the scriptures to them. They can feel it in their hearts – their hearts are burning. Set ablaze. Strangely warmed. Only Scriptures can do that to our hearts. That’s what the Holy Spirit does His work in our hearts. I have experienced such warmth and surge of emotions as scriptures spoke to me. The fresh bread from heaven refreshes my soul. What a joy to just sink your teeth into the very word of God for there you will find life. Amen. >

The Watch

Luk 23:49 (NIV) But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
>> One word that spoke so much of the people witnessing the death of Christ is the word – watching. The people stood watching (vs 35) and lastly the women who followed stood at a distance watching. Watching what is going to happen. One group after seeing the crucifixion, they saw what happened, beat their breasts and went away. People are also watching our lives to see how we lived as Christ’s disciples. How we live speak of the Savior that we believed. May we not fail “in the watch”. Amen! >

Last Minute Salvation

Luk 23:42-43 (NIV) Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
>> Even in midst of Jesus’ impending death, He forgave one of the criminals hang on the cross. It was that simple, he acknowledged that he was punished justly and getting what he deserved (vs 41). He spoke in faith that Jesus would save him. That’s what it takes for him to be saved. It was not of works (how could he as he was about to die) but by his faith and the grace of God. God can still save even if it is the last minute. Amen! >

He Did It All For Me

Luk 23:9 (NIV)He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.
>> Jesus could have defended himself of the charges put against Him but he did not. Isa 53:7 says “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.” He endured the beating and mockery for me. He suffered because of my inquities. He died for me. He did it all for me. There is no other way to thank Him than to live for Jesus! 主让我们每天为你而活。

The Epic Account Of A Broken Man

Luk 22:62 (NIV)And he went outside and wept bitterly.
>> Heartbroken. That’s the picture of someone who was convinced and repented. That was the moment of truth for Peter. He was not as strong as he thought he was. He too was afraid to be sent to the prison or even faced death. But this adversity became the turning point in his life. While he was afraid to admit he knew Jesus when confronted by a servant girl and two other person, he boldly preached the greatest revival meeting about Christ during the day of Pentecost. While he was afraid to be put into prison, he was put into prison in Acts 12. While he was afraid to die previously, he requested to be crucified upside down. What a transformation! Transformation happened because he was broken before God. God can use even our brokenness for something great. Amen. >

Overcoming Evil With Good

Luk 22:50-51 (NIV) And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.
>> It was just moments before Jesus was arrested. It was an intense moment, emotions were running high and things were getting messy. Yes that was what happened. One of the servant’s ear was cut off and in the midst of the chaotic moments, Jesus heals. Can you imagine how one would react before being arrested. But not so with Jesus. He overcame evil with good. He is still compassionate to the servant whose ear was cut off. Even though scripture did not mention anything further about the servant but I believed Jesus’ healing would have made a difference in his life. Jesus is still graceful till the end. Circumstances don’t change what is true of you, it only reinforce and the fact is they either define or destroy you. >

Anguish In Love

Luk 22:44 (NIV) And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
>> Being in anguish talks about being in extreme suffering, grief or pain. Why was Jesus in such condition? May I suggest that firstly He will be leaving the disciples that He loved and the ministry. He would definitely love to continue what He was doing but that’s not what God called Him to do. Secondly, the moment will come when He had to bear the sins of the world and be separated from the heavenly Father. Paul was in so much anguish when he wrote in 2Co 2:4 “For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you.” Thank you Jesus for loving us so much that even though you were in such suffering, grief and pain, You still go to the cross for me. You lived to die, trampled like a rose and thought of me above all. Amen! >

Spiritual Strength 💪

Luk 22:31-32 (NIV) “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
>> What Jesus Is saying that there will come a time when we will be sifted like wheat. Sifted so that the impurities would be separated from the wheat. A painful process. Tested to the extreme so that what is true of us rises to the surface. But Jesus is praying for us that our faith will not fail. Peter betrayed the Lord and in the letter he wrote this powerful message – 1Pe 5:10 “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” Spiritual strength, that is, a strong faith comes after suffering and struggle, not before. May whatever we go through be such a powerful testimony that will strengthen others in the midst of their suffering and struggle. Amen! >

Heart Matters

Luk 21:34 (NASB) “ Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap;
>> Pro 4:23 (NIV) Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. The need to guard our hearts so that we will not be dissipated (growing less and less) in love for God by the worries of this world. Jesus called us to  watch and pray (vs 36). The psalmist implored us in Psa 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Lord may our hearts never grow cold but keep me burning with love for You! Amen. >

The Glory Of Forgiveness

Pro 19:11b (NIV) it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.
>> Found some interesting “glory” that the book of proverbs talk about : Pro 17:6b (ESV) and the glory of children is their fathers. (Yes, fathers the children look up to you).
Pro 20:29 (NIV) The glory of young men is their strength, (Yes, they have so much energy).
Pro 25:2 (NIV) It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; (and a God of revelation too) to search out a matter is the glory of kings. (Kings have almost everything but they sought out things). Romans 3:23 tells us all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We have fall short of the standard God set for us. But it is one’s glory (standard) to overlook an offense or better paraphrased by the Message bible – their grandeur (great and impressive) is to forgive and forget. What this is saying is simply that it should be “standard” that we forgive. Forgive and forget. May we forgive as God has forgiven us! There is that glory when we forgive. Amen. >