Romans 12:19-20 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him;..."

Don't get in the way of God doing His job.

Take the injustices of life that outrage and crush your spirit, do what you can, and give them over to God. Vengeance is God's job and He will take care of all in a way that defies explanation and staggers the mind.

I find that God's way is different than how we normally take things. When something angers us, we do something about it.

While in the Philippines, I drive a car to school. I am angered by arrogant drivers who does not care about other cars but themselves. What I usually do is pull down the window and shout and curse the other driver, step on the gas pedal making the engine roar and speed off. (as if he hears me because all cars in the Philippines have air-conditioner, so their window is closed, with their FM radio turned on.). Another situation would be in the office, if someone does not treat you right, what you do is you tell your colleagues about their bad attitudes behind her back. You are hoping that a cult against your bad-attitude-colleague and someone will share the same sentiments as you.

Normally, we take what irritates and angers us into our own hands. We try to solve our own problems. If someone is not okay, we try to fix them by using our own solutions. Today, the Bible is suggesting that instead of doing this, we should pray about the people who we think treated other people unfairly. It can be as little as the examples I gave, or as big as politicians who steals money from the citizens while a lot of poor taxpayers can't even eat 3 times a day. If they deserve punishment in the eyes of God, then they will be given punishment. What the article today wants me to remember is that treat everyone fairly and with a good heart -- even your enemies. Why?

First, it is God's job to judge people. Second, the Gospel is not just a word, its not just knowledge, we should live it. If people do bad on us, but we as Christians choose to be happy, continue trusting on the Lord's greater plan, these people will realize that our faith makes us different. They will see that the gospel is true and there is a better chance that they will believe.

We should not sin because people sinned against us. God is fair, if anything needs to be repaid, pray that God help you maintain your temper, and let God take care of the injustice. If you don't want what's going on, PRAY.

Philippians 1:27-28 Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel and not frightened in anything by your opponents.

This month, Pastor Peter always reminds me that Christianity is IMPOSSIBLE!

If you begin to read the Bible you will see that there are a lot of commandments -- God don't want us to do this, He doesn't want us to do that, it makes Christian life difficult, Peter Tanchi describes it as IMPOSSIBLE!

A side track, I remember Adidas tag line that says 'IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING', for Christianity... maybe the tag line should say..... Christianity, 'IT'S JUST IMPOSSIBLE'.

Anyway, God knew that His commands are difficult for human to do because we have a sinful nature. But, God equip us with tools to help us make the impossible possible. He gave us the Spirit so it may dwell and fill us every moment of our lives. If we have the Spirit in our lives, Christianity is possible. Because it is not only our work but me and God, so the new tag line for Spirit-filled with Christianity -- Christianity with the Holy Spirit -- 'EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE'.

I brought up this topic because the article today is about Christianity not ending in faith, but it should reflect on your lives. The integrity of the Gospel is not in the Bible alone, the Bible is a guide, but it is our lives that should be living proof that God exists.

So, I talked to another Peter today, Peter Liao. I was asking him how to prove God's existence. I am think it's a chicken and egg question... people asks 'Why would you believe the Bible?' The answer is that because it's God's word and it defines His purpose of our lives in this world. But, why would you believe God? And we start saying that because the Bible says that God created the world, man, and everything in it.

What he told me is this, first we should know the Bible very well. This is his example. For example, imagine that you are a lawyer and you are defending the truth. Even if you are defending the truth, people will definitely doubt you, and the judge is unbiased, so you still have to prove the truth.  As a lawyer, even if you know you are sided with the truth, you don't go to court knowing nothing or just a few information about the case. You study it, you find any weak point about the truth and find proofs to plug these weak points with supporting reasons. It is our duty to do the same thing, we should know the Bible tools we have to support what the Bible is saying. First, we have our truth, the Bible, its verses, and its quotations. Second, we should support it with facts. It can be historical details, or better yet personal experiences, and our life.

How can you share the Gospel to a non-believer if it doesn't show on your own life? People need to see the gospel from Christians as well as hear it from them. Hearing is not enough, Christianity is a lifestyle, and we need the God's help so we can live the life that God wants us to live.

I feel like I am not doing enough for God. I think I have to start experiencing more of Him. I have to talk to Him more so I can share more things with Him, I have to read His Word more so I can include His word in my life. These are my to-do's, I'll update you when something good/bad happens to this plan.

Romans 5:3-5 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

God keeps us close to protect us.

If you have been reading my blog entries, you might have notice that the past few days was God telling me how I should manage abundance. Abundance was defined not being wealthy but having the assurance that I will have a house to stay at night, a bed to sleep on, and food to eat for the whole week. God was telling me that it is my responsibility to keep getting closer to Him despite the abundance. It is a challenge, a test for me to continually grow in spirit during times of abundance.

Today, God was explaining to me that He broke my heart for a reason. He is a shepherd who wants to take me back and bring me closer to Him. I had to learn that a time of abundance is a test, I failed it before. I grew further away from God but like a shepherd teaching a willful sheep, He broke my leg and I came back to Him. I was sad at that time, but I think, it is all the for good. I can say I am a better person now, I have been developing a thankful heart, and I am growing in faith.

God has his ways to shape us and to bring us closer to Him. But what's wonderful about God is that He never breaks us and leaves us alone. Every time He teaches us a lesson, He is there to help us understand the situation, take care of us, and heal us so we can be back to normal. Our only responsibility is to stay focused on Him during trials and keep our hearts, and minds open so He can talk to us. We should keep our line with God open, just like a sheep with a broken leg, we should depend more on God and not ourselves.

Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Of all the arguments you can use to defend your faith, here's one no one can deny: "I believe the Bible because it accomplishes God's purpose in my life."

As we mature in our Christian life, it is inevitable that we share the Gospel to believers (who don't believe) and non-believers. It would be normal if they challenge us with a question of 'Why we believe the Bible?'. I think the answer from this article best describes the role the Bible should be playing in our lives.

We are children of God, and God put us in this foreign place called 'earth'. This place is more complicated than any other foreign countries you've been to so you need a map, a guide. The Bible is a map, it tells us what our Father in heaven wants us to do. It is a guide that helps us navigate and show us our real purpose in life. Ultimately, it is a guide on how we can get back to God, our Father.

I believe the Bible because it is God's word. It is the only way for God to talk to us. So, when we read the Bible, we build our relationship with God. We don't want 'long-distance' relationship with our girlfriends right? The same should apply to God, talk to Him everyday and read His Word.

1. Jesus goes to the Feast of Tabernacles
2. Jesus teaches at the Feast
• Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. He who speaks on his own does  so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. (John 7:16)
3. Is Jesus the Christ?
• Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, "Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, but I know him because I am from him and he sent me." (John 7:28)
• Jesus said, "I am with you for only a short time, and then I go to the one who sent me. You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.(John 7:33-34)
• On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him. By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given since Jesus had not yet been glorified." (John 7:37-39)
4. Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

What will happen if we believe in Jesus? We also believe in God, and we have eternal life. The Spirit will fill us, and since Jesus has already died for us, streams of living water will flow from us, saving us from condemnation and giving us eternal life.

Lee Kum Kee Black Pepper Sauce with ground pork, tomatoes, and hard-boiled eggs.

Exodus 16:4 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

Many wealthy countries are lands of manna. The plenty is a test. What is the purpose of the test of abundance? To "test" them, whether they will walk in the law or not." God is pinpointing an overwhelming tendency in human nature: We are far less likely to be obedient when we are not in need.

Necessity has a way of reordering our priorities doesn't it? If we belong to Jesus and find ourselves lacking something we think we need, sooner or later, we may begin evaluating whether we're living obedient lives that God can bless. Coming face to face with need is a very effective prompter toward obedience.

But what about a daily dose of plenty? I'm not referring to wealth -- just the absence of worry as to whether or not our family will eat each week. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, our greatest dilemma is how we'll cook and server our manna today, not whether we'll have the manna.

God is so faithful, so daily. He delights in obedience prompted from something deeply internal -- a heart of love and devotion. Ask Him today to help you become a child of His whose levels of obedience are less regulated by circumstances and more governed by love.

Why is it difficult to follow God when we have plenty? Why do I always remember God when I need something?

I almost lost my faith, and my religion, ever since I graduate high school. Everything in my life was going great; I got into a Ateneo de Manila University (a good school in the Philippines), I drive a car to school, I can eat on good restaurants, I am not stupid, I get good grades, eventually I got a good job in the corporate world. It seems like everything seems to be working perfectly. I assumed I don't need God and that I can do it on my own. I started coming back to God when I lose an important part of my life. As I was looking back, it was really unfair for God that my faith and my trust in Him was dictated by how much blessings I have. I realized that I was selfish before, assuming that I can do it on my own when I obviously can't. God has been there for me, he embraced me when I came back, he welcomed me back, listened to my prayers, and I am thankful that everything happened because I've grown spiritually in Him.

I think we should take "having plenty" as a test of how well we continue trusting God and having a thankful attitude. "Having plenty" is a test on whether we'll forget God and trust ourselves to provide for what we need. God will continue providing but do we continue to be faithful to Him?

The lesson I learned on "having plenty" is that worldly possessions, people, relationships, loved ones can come and go. They can change, and you might end up filling needy again. Put your faith, your trust, in God and His love is steadfast, He is everywhere, He never change, He is merciful, He is faithful to all His promises -- He will be your provider, healer, and savior, just to name a few.

As Peter Tanchi has been saying the past 2 weeks, Christianity is not difficult! It is impossible! So we really need the Spirit to dwell and fill up every day that we may we thankful to God during times of need, and times of plenty, that we may lead our lives like Jesus even if we're left with none.

Pray tonight, that the Spirit will give you power to do what's impossible. Pray, that you will be able to use what you know about having plenty and let the Spirit change how you treat God during abundance. Let the Spirit touch your heart, and give you wisdom to choose God in famine or abundance.

I think that this verse is really important for people to remember...

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  (Galatians 5:22-23)

Pastor Peter reminded me that it is easy to see these traits on a person when everything is going well, but you'll see the real fruits of the Spirit when a person is squeezed, and put into a situation he does not want to be in.

I want to be this kind of person during good times and bad times. I want to be consistently controlled by the Holy Spirit.

Today, I'll be praying that day by day, moment by moment, I'll be able to surrender and walk with the Spirit.

1 Peter 2:12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify the day of visitation.

Jesus is revealed in our loving, righteous acts.

No matter what people say about us or how they portray us, Peter instructed us to live in such a way that they can't avoid noticing the outcome of righteousness in our lives -- our good deeds. When the consequences of their sin leaves them broken and without hope, they will notice the stability and peace in our lives, which just may give us the opportunity to tell that it is Jesus who has made the difference.

Today's article, made me reflect on the following questions:

1. Is my life full of "good deeds"?
2. Do unbelievers notice? Why or why not?
3. How is God's goodness reflected in my relationships?

Good deeds are not required to be saved from eternal death because Jesus said, that who ever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). It is optional but as we come to know Jesus, He should become part of us, and we grow in like Him. My life has not been full of good deeds, but I think it is also time to do this. Why haven't I been doing good? First, I think I should treat myself good first before I treat others good. Selfish huh? But until when should I treat myself good? I think I should start now and trust God to do what's good for me.

My friend Franz introduced 'How I Met Your Mother' TV show to me a year ago, but I didn't have interest in watching it until I came here in Shanghai. Now, I would recommend it to everyone. It is really funny! It makes me laugh until 4am on weekends.

On the other hand... I find my life in the Philippines is better because I have friends and not a TV show to laugh with. Anyway, this TV show will definitely make you laugh!

1. Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
2. Jesus Walks on the Water
3. Jesus the Bread of Life
• Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." (John 6:26-27)
• Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." (John 6:29)
• Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:35-40)
• No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. (John 6:46)
• I am the bread of life. (John 6:48)
4. Many Disciples Desert Jesus
• The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. yet there are some of you who do not believe. (John 6:63-64)
• Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." (John 6:68-29)

In Chapter 6, Jesus has been comparing Himself to a bread that gives eternal life. He says that whoever believes in Him is like eating His flesh, making Him part of him, and thus, having eternal life. No one has ever seen God, but God sent His son to us to reveal Himself. It is only through Jesus, that we come to know God concretely.

John chapter 6 is still about reasons on why we should believe in Jesus. He is laying the foundations and logical reasons to explain to man, who God the Father is.

Ephesians 5:18-21 ...but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

In our life as Christians, we should always grow. As days pass, we should feel that we become closer to God, and we know Him more. Aside from that, we should begin transforming our knowledge about Him to being like Him. We should not only be Bible genius, Bible geeks but Christ-like people. In this article, the author, James MacDonald shows a curriculum to rate the level of our gratitude. I think I am on high school.. what about you?

1. Elementary school thanksgiving instructs us to "offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruits of lips that acknowledge his name" (Hebrews 13:15). In effect, we say to God, "You helped me, and I thank you for it. My obligation has been met." It's good that we're doing what's required at this level, but we shouldn't expect a lot of joy to flow from our perfunctory thankfulness.
2. High-school thanksgiving is better. "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18). In every situation, you and I can always make a decision to be thankful for something. yes, always. This gratitude does not produce joy-- as long as you're not going through anything difficult.
3. Graduate-school thanksgiving leads to real joy. "Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father. (Ephesians 5:20). This goes beyond the high-school course that seeks to find a good aspect in a challenging circumstance. This is thankfulness that trusts God and is even grateful for the things you would not choose. It's gratitude that promises victory in every circumstance.

Whatever our situation, by faith you and I need to get to the place where we allow the Lord to draw out genuine thankfulness from our hearts. This means true gratitude for everything He allows into our lives. That kind of thanksgiving delivers a depth of joy that cannot be experienced any other way.

Genuine gratitude produces great joy.

I lose a big part of my life last year. I can say that during that time I had everything I want. A job, my family, a special person. But I lose what's important because I changed. I became too focus on my work, my dreams, and myself. I am too selfish and I became someone I didn't want to become. That time, I did not ask God why it happened to me because I don't even believe that He exist. I doubt His existence, I doubt His presence, I don't need His love, why would I need it if I have everything?

But God has His ways of teaching His children a lesson. He took away an important part of my life. The part where my plans were anchored, the part where I invest what I am working for. I think He really knew that that part is not for me, because I am not yet ready for it. Luckily, my cousin was always around for me. She always invites me to church even if I don't want to go there. I go there to spend time with my cousin. Eventually, I like going to CCF, the messages in church especially those of Peter Tanchi's touched me. I think God spoke to me through Pastor Peter. I was afraid to admit that I am believing, and eating up everything I said about God is nothing.

God made me realize that He should be part of my life because without Him, I am nothing. I can do anything I want but without God I will never truly be happy. I prayed that He fix me. Before the year 2007 ended, I started hating my job. I feel that it is boring and I feel that it is no longer for me. So, I prayed that I can get a new one. Luckily, I got an interview for HP and another one for my current company in Shanghai. I got accepted in HP first, but I really wanted to wait for the result of my interview in Shanghai. I prayed to God again, asking Him to put me where I'll become a better person, a better son, a better husband in the future, and a better soldier of God. I think the answer is Shanghai. I like working in Shanghai but it is also difficult for me to leave my family, my friends, and all the people who mattered to me. But within my 3 months stay here in Shanghai, I think I am more independent, better in making decisions, and taking responsibilities, and closer to God.

Back in the Philippines, although I go to CCF every Sunday, I never read the Bible. I believe but I never grew in faith. I think now, I was given the time to become closer to Him. I am developing a habit of reading about God everyday and I hope I can do it for the rest of my life. God is wonderful, if you look at the bigger picture, I am really far better than who I was a year ago. I never stop improving until today, I learn about God everyday and I pray to be able to apply it to my life. God has been good to me, I did not get what I want, but He gave me what's good for me. If what I lose before is really for me, I know God will give it to me later. I'll just continue praying, trusting that He has what's good for me in His hands. For now, I'll try to always find joy in anything given to me.

God works, and He never stops on people who allow Him to work in them.

Matthew 27:41-42 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him."

Jesus' greatest miracle was His embracing the cross.

Behind the cross is the greatest of all miracles, and at this moment it is completely hidden. Hanging there it seems that Jesus has been emptied of of every drop of His miraculous power. he does just one more un-miraculous miracle when the cup of suffering is completely drained, He will dismiss His spirit.

In the course of His misunderstood life, this moment He is most misunderstood. The crowd still clamoring for miracles. But He did not come to give them miracles -- He came to gave them Himself. And on the cross he is doing precisely that.

The cross reveals to us that Jesus' greatest miracle was His refusal at that moment to perform any miracle at all.

People were engineered with a thinking that we should see to believe. We will never believe something if people or even God tell us that it is the right thing to believe in. Jesus chose to stay on the cross, and receive all the suffering to redeem us from being condemned eternally. He can perform miracles to prove to the people that He is powerful but He chose to receive pain, suffering, humility, and sacrifice to show us His love for us.

The miracles of Jesus was there to make us people believe. It is the only way that He could show who God is -- the healer, the provider, our Father, our shepherd, our teacher, and many more. But that is not the main mission, the main mission is to die in place of us for the sins we have and we will commit. If anyone sees and hears his miracles and believes that Jesus is God, prays on His Name, we are saved. All these are possible because of everything Jesus did when He was sent to stay with mankind. We were cruel to Him, we killed Him, but God loves us. great irony right?

The world is about proving what you can do by showing it to other people. The important thing for Jesus is the heart, and what we believe in.

Just some random pictures around the city...

John 10:4-5 When he has brought all all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of the strangers.

Jesus leads the way to life.

He calls us and we follow. It's so simple and yet so profound. May we follow Him with a passion that reveals our confidence in Him and our desire to submit to His will.

What should we be waiting for? The voice of our Master. "When he has brought all of all his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. (John 10:4) Where He leads us, by His loving voice, we must follow.

Keep your excitement burning and always looking forward to what's on the finish line. Today, I went out with a friend to look at some apartments that she will be transferring to. We were walking the whole afternoon, and then, she begun sharing about her thoughts when she is walking alone. She was telling me that once when she was walking home alone, she realized that walking is like the journey of our life.

When we're walking, you have a destination. Although, sometimes, you want to try a new route and you're uncertain on how far you are from it. She said, that it's like life, everyday is a new route, and we don't know if we're taking the path that would take us closer to our destination or further away from it, but keep focus, don't lose hope, it might be your destination is just a around the next corner.

I think today's article is similar to what my friend is talking about. We should keep the excitement, the joy, and the passion to learn and become closer to God in our life. We don't know when God will be calling us, but we are just waiting for His voice. We don't know where the end is, but it might just be around the corner. We know His voice, but we should keep our focus and not let other things distract us and bring us away from Him.

I think God just wants me to know more about Him everyday. I think what He's telling me is to read about Him more and strengthen my faith in Him. I would want to recognize His voice when He calls me so I have to know His voice.

1. The healing at the Pool
2. Life through the Son
• Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too, am working." (John 5:17)
• Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing because whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these." (John 5:19-20)
• I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. (John 5:24-25)
• By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear and my judgement is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. (John 5:30)
3. Testimonies about Jesus
• You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. (John 5:39-40)
• How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God? (John 5:44)

Jesus is telling us again and again, that God and He are one. He is emphasizing that what God can do, he can. Jesus is telling us that he came here to save us from the punishment of sin. He is the bridge from death to life(John 5:24). Believe in Jesus and you will have eternal life, simple. :)

I think it is simple to say I believe but truly believing and standing for what you believe in is a challenge. I have been facing this challenge everyday and I am still praying that I would become better in resisting temptations, and making wising and Christ-like decisions everyday.

I pray that my belief in Jesus Christ will strengthen my faith and will allow me to become like Him and show other people what God's love is like.

Psalm 51:15-17 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I will give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Sometimes God breaks our hearts. It maybe the loss of a children, a business, a marriage, a ministry, or our health. Through our losses, He can use us for greater purposes and bring Himself greater glory.

I admit that I am this kind of person, I was broken and seek for God's help. When I had everything, I almost did not believe that there is a God but God was there when I lose what's important for me. He made me realize that I missed Him in the process of getting what I want. Now, I will definitely walk with Him, pray about things to Him, and ask for His guidance. God made my lost a positive lost. He came back in my life; He renewed my soul.

Christians know that God is often described as a shepherd and we are the sheep. I think it is the most perfect analogy I've seen. First, I read that sheep are dumb, and I think people are dumb. We know what's right and wrong, but we choose to do what's wrong. God protects us. He is our shepherd, He finds us when we go astray, we never rejects us. And in today's article, it is described that the shepherd breaks the leg of a sheep that always go astray... why? Here is how he explain it..

Back in the fold the shepherd sets a splint for the shattered leg and, during the days that follow, he carries the crippled sheep close to his heart. As the leg begins to mend, the shepherd sets the sheep down by his side. To the crippled animal, the smallest stream looms like a giant river, the tiniest knoll rises like a mountain. The sheep depends completely on the shepherd to carry it across the terrain. After the leg has healed, the sheep has learned a lesson: It must stay close to the shepherd's side.

To break the leg of the poor defenseless sheep seems almost vicious -- unless you understand the shepherd's heart. Then you realize that what seems to be cruel is really kindness. The shepherd knows that the sheep must remain close to him if it is to be protected from danger. So he breaks the legs not to hurt it -- but to restore it.

We are like the sheep, we often lose our way, we often go astray. God might not punish us the first time we commit the sin, but if we do it continuously, we would break our leg, just like what the shepherd did to the sheep. We are dumb like the sheep, and we'll need God's guidance. We have to ask for power from the Holy Spirit, to overcome temptations and to have wisdom to decide and do what's right.

Pray that we'll be like the sheep that after God teaches us a lesson, we'll learn it in our hearts. Pray that once we learn it, we'll never forget it and go astray again. Ask Him to give you the power to remain close to Him and ask for His guidance, wisdom, patience, and power. Ask him to make your walk as close as you could get to Him just like the sheep with the broken leg. I don't want to be broken, but I want to follow God. I know that if I do, nothing can ever go wrong.

1. Jesus Talks with a Samaritan Woman
• Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. (John 4:10)
• Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:13-14)
• Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth. (John 4:21-24)
• Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he." (John 4:26)
2. The Disciples Rejoin Jesus
3. Many Samaritans Believe
• They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now, we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the World." (John 6:42)
4. Jesus Heals the Official's Son
• "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders", Jesus told him, "you will never believe. ( John 4:48)

God is so persistent. Jesus mission is to let God's love be known to us. It is His way to reveal who He is, and how much He loves us. Imagine a God who is not bossy but persistent in proving that He came from heaven just for us to understand His love, His mercy, and His faithfulness to us sinners. Imagine, a God who talks to different types of people, traveling from one place to another proclaiming His love.

But we are too proud, and too logical. We don't believe what we don't see. We want proof to everything. We became so impure that we can't recognize what's true and what's what's not. We always doubt Him. I doubt of His existence, His reality, His presence.

Tonight, pray for wisdom, faith, and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that you won't be like the people who Jesus met in the Bible. They did not believe in Him until there are proof that Jesus is God. Pray that everyday, your faith will be stronger. Ask God to remove your doubts by revealing Himself more as you study the Bible. Ask God to come to you as you open yourself to the Holy Spirit. Pray all of these in Jesus' name.... Amen.

Psalm 23:5-6 You prepare a table me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever

The topic of the article today is... "Where does that overflow come from and why isn't my cup full?"

Too often we look at life from our capacity. You've got ten things to do today, three people to see, and no time for this and that. We measure it out by our capacity.

But God says, "I don't want you to live for me out of your capacity. Serve me out of your overflow. Focus on me again and you won't have to worry about how to measure out what you give. I'll keep pouring into your life and you can live off the overflow.

Notice the contrast between what we're saying and what God wants for us. We want to live at our capacity and serve God out of our capacity. But God sees and wants to give us more than our capacity. So, if God promises to give us more? Why are we afraid that we'll end up with nothing?

Not many of us think our lack of abundance as sin, but that's why our cups do not quickly overflow again. Where sin is admitted and confessed, the blood of Jesus cleanses from all unrighteousness. Where His blood cleanses, His Spirit always witnesses in us and the cup runs over again. His blood, however doesn't cleanse excuses.

When you find yourself holding back for fear of an empty tank, do these two things:

• Ask the Lord to reveal to you what is blocking the abundance in you life and confess it as sin.
• Increase your time in God's word and in prayer.

I think the point of today's article is that living a life that walks with God, spending time with Him and doing what He wants, results to abundance. Trust in Him and you will never go astray. He will always make sure that your life overflows with abundance. It might not be in material things but with happiness, joy, peace, things that money cannot buy.

So, I joined Will's Gym and used my English name... my name is Erwin Dewey Lee which was spelled as Enwin Deweg Lee. Cool huh? Either my handwriting is that unrecognizable or they're really having troubles with English. I don't actually care as long as they let me use the facility. haha!

The way going to my house, it's spring and weather looks good. :)

I went to Jing-An during the Spring Festival, I wanted to take a picture of the billboard but I didn't have camera back then. So when I went back last Saturday, I brought my camera but the billboard was changed... well..... took a picture of it anyway!

A few weekends ago, I tried cooking fried pork chops, ground pork, and hmm.... beef caldereta again.! Yummy.