Scriptural Reflections

James 1:22-25________________________ New
Hearing must lead to action…It is hearing that produces action that counts.  Hearing ofthe word is a good beginning.  But it is not meant to stop there.  Hearing of the word should lead to action lest it becomes self deceit.  The longer we dwell in the hearing world without action the deeper we are in the hole of self deceit.  There comes a time we no longer can respond to the hearing of the word.  It is like the parable Jesus told about the son who said yes but didn’t follow through.  Some hear without the intention of doing anything.  It may not be what they like to hear. We need to hear with the attitude of obedience and with every intention to act on it. -- September 25, 2007

James 1:19-20________________________ New
What a good advice!  Hearing is king!  Hearing beats talking.  We learn and understand best when we hear, not very much when we are engrossed in speaking.  We are more in control when we hear well.  We make others feel important when listen intently.  We understand the issues better and problem-solve when we hear well.  The bottom line is we don’t miscommunicate when we hear well.  Also, hearing well is a great antidote for anger as it slows down the anger process.  It gives us time to think about our anger.  After all, anger doesn’t get us anywhere in our spiritual journey.  -- Sep 18, 2007

p.s. “A wise old owl sat on an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard; Why aren't we like that wise old bird?” -- Anonymous

James 1:5-6__________________________ ____
We must believe what we’re asking of God.  Without faith, it is impossible to please the Lord. Earlier in his life, Solomon was wise to ask God for wisdom and God gave it to him liberally.  Before long his faith waned and he lost sight of God.  Consequently, he lived a “messy” life and the wisdom given him was nowhere in sight.  Pleasure became his focus and he was “tossed” by the wind from all directions.  Obviously he didn’t maintain the faith relationship with his Lord.  We ought to ask in faith and continue to receive it in faith. -- September 6, 2007

2 Peter 3:12___________________________ New
Can we really hasten the coming of the day of the Lord?  Yes, we can by doing the part the Lord has entrusted us – praying and witnessing.  God may have a range of days within which He has planned for His return.  We either stretch it out to the very end or we may actually hasten it toward the start of that period.  But again a thousand years is like a day to the Lord.  It could be a very wide range.  Nevertheless, our part is not to worry about when but what we can do to help hasten it.  -- August 14, 2007

2 Peter 3:8-9______________________________
The Lord is definitely in control and He has not neglected us.  In His infinite wisdom and seeing the end from the beginning, He is committed to doing what He sees best in saving everyone who is willing.  Relative to eternity, a thousand years is indeed a day to Him.  Some may mistaken His patience for negligence.  Nevertheless, His timing may not be our timing.  But surely He will keep His word and return for us in a remarkable manner.  He knows how long mankind would need to respond to His call to repentance.  There is no delay as prophetic events have been on target.  After all, no date has been set for His return.  We need to trust His judgment as He knows the end from the beginning. -- August 10, 2007

2 Peter 1:21______________________________
It was nothing from the will of man.  It was not God taking over man.  It was Divinity and humanity collaborating at its best.  Since it was not from the will of man, no prophecy should be interpreted according to human reasoning.  The Scripture should be the basis of all interpretation. How wonderful it would be if we speak as we are moved by the Holy Spirit.  Not only we know that we will be speaking for God, but also we will be communicating experiences that are positive and uplifting to all.  I imagine that is how we all will be communicating in heaven, basking in the moving experience of the Holy Spirit. – July 30, 2007

2 Cor 12:9________________________________
Yes, we are all weak.  But we can become strong in the Lord.  The true strength comes from trusting in Him.  His grace is what we need.  It will be more than sufficient to withstand the toughest challenge in life.  Time and again, the Lord has used the weak to confound the strong.  The weak seems to have a better sense of turning to the Lord for a lot of things.  And they have a greater capacity to let God work in and through them.

Weak we all are,
Help is at hand;
God is not far,
Grace shall expend.

-- posted July 25, 2007

2 Cor 8:9_________________________________
The riches of our Lord far exceed what this world has to offer.  He became the lowliest amongst us that we may become rich through His simple life of poverty.  He exemplified a life of outwardly poor but inwardly rich.  It really doesn’t matter what riches we have outwardly as we are always inwardly rich through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Riches don’t necessarily bring blessings.  It is how we use what the Lord has given us that determines if it is going to be a blessing to us or to others.  And we don’t necessarily understand true riches until we have experienced a simple life of poverty.  -- posted July 18, 2007

2 Cor 6:10________________________________
Paul was not rich in material things or wealthy by the world’s standards.  But he was rich and possessed all things in the eyes of God.  Seeing through the spiritual “eyeglasses”  we indeed possess all things, among them are many simple things in life that money cannot buy but we take for granted.  We would be content if we are more aware that we indeed possess all things though we don’t have a wide spectrum of material things.  After all, material things don’t bring joy and happiness.  Those who have experienced lasting joy and happiness know that they have reached beyond the material world. -- posted on July 5, 2007

2 Cor 6:14-16_________________________ ____
There are many things that believers don’t have in common with unbelievers.  Be it marriage, friendship, or business relationship, believers need to choose wisely so that their spiritual growth is not hindered by closely associating with those who don’t share the same vision and goals.  Two animals of burden with very different minds when yoked together don’t go very far in any direction.  Similarly, we don’t go very far in our heaven-bound journey if we are unequally yoked with unbelievers.  I don’t think here is saying that we should not associate with unbelievers.  The key is not to form a very close and dependent relationship with unbelievers.  Our life is to be a blessing to all while at the same not dependent on relationships with people who don’t share our spiritual commitments. -- July 03. 2007

2 Cor 5:15    __________________________ ___
If relationship is key to everything in life, living for ourselves is really not the way to go.  Yet, it is so easy to live for what we want rather than meeting the needs of others.  It is pretty clear that Mother Theresa lived a life for Christ and for others.  I don’t know if it was a real struggle for her from the beginning.  But it seems to be quite natural for her to live for Christ and others.  It looks like what she wanted in life was so intertwined with her mission that living for Christ and others was really her way of living out her dreams -- June 22, 2007

2 Cor 5:7    ___________________________ ___
What we see is usually pretty inadequate to make any precise judgment of anything.  After all, sight is only one of the five senses we use to evaluate the world around us.  Although sight is apparently the most important sense to many, it wasn’t that important to Helen Keller who felt that she could “see” much more than many who could see.  When we lose one or more of our senses, we tend to look for a “greater” sense.  Paul was absolutely right in reminding us to walk by faith, not by sight.  We need to walk by that “greater” sense, which we totally depend on whether we have all our senses or not.  Faith is that “greater” sense that will not fail us as it is the faith in the one and true God.  Besides, it is the only way to please God. 
(posted on June 20, 2007)

2 Cor 4:16-18  ___            ___________________
Everything we see is pretty fleeting.  It can go at any moment.  We often wonder what is really worth our while.  Thus, we can’t go by what we see outwardly. We need to measure life and success by focusing on things that are not seen and yet eternal. We are thankful that the Lord has prepared for us eternal things that we cannot now see. What the Lord has in store for us is way beyond what we can ever imagine based on what we now see -- June 19, 2007

2 Cor 9:6-8  ____    _         Posted April 16, 2007
Paul is asking us to take joy in our giving, just like anything else in our Christian journey.  What pleases the Lord is not the giving itself but the attitude that comes with it.  Since God will provide for us in all things, there is really no reason for giving reluctantly.  Besides, He will bless us with more as we give more.  After all, He can’t wait to give us more.

2 Cor 10:1-6 _____            Posted April 10, 2007
Since it is a spiritual warfare, the means to overcome the enemy should be a spiritual one as well.  No wonder many fail in defeating the enemy as they have been using the "carnal" weapons to fight the spiritual warfare.  What are some examples of spiritual weapons?  Prayer, fasting, meditating on the Word, praising God, giving thanks to God, sharing our faith, etc.

Mark 8:1-10                       Posted Feb 21, 2007
It’s amazing that the 4,000 were with Jesus for 3 days without eating anything.  They must have been so captivated by Jesus.  I wonder why Jesus didn’t feed them during those 3 days.  But He did have compassion for them when they had nothing to eat for 3 days.  He probably didn’t want them to become “rice” Christians following Him for mere material perks.  He did help when necessary.  God does want us to use the gifts and skills He has given us to live an abundant life.  He will come to our aid when needed.  And He will exceed our expectations!

Selected QT Quotes

"He that watereth shall be watered also himself."  Prov. 11: 25  "The only way to grow in grace is . . . to engage, to the extent of our ability, in helping and blessing those who need the help we can give them."  -- God's Amazing Grace

"For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." Ps. 84: 11.  We are to stand firmly for the principles of the Word of God, remembering that God is with us to give us strength to meet each new experience. Let us ever maintain the principles of righteousness in our lives, that in the name of the Lord we may go forward from strength to strength. --- God's Amazing Grace

"True humility is the evidence that we behold God and that we are in union with Jesus Christ. Unless we are meek and lowly we cannot claim that we have any true conception of the character of God."
-- That I May Know Him - p.122

"Meekness is a precious grace, willing to suffer silently, willing to endure trials. Meekness is patient and labors to be happy under all circumstances. Meekness is always thankful and makes its own songs of happiness, making melody in the heart of God. Meekness will suffer disappointment and wrong and will not retaliate.  A meek and quiet spirit will not be ever looking out for happiness for itself, but will seek for self-forgetfulness and find sweet content and true satisfaction in making others happy. It is not the seeking to climb to eminence that will make you great in God's sight, but it is the humble life of goodness, of fidelity that will make you the object of the heavenly angels' special guardianship." --My Life Today - p.56

"He has made provision that all may be holy and happy if they choose. Sufficient light has been given to this generation, that we may learn what our duties and privileges are and enjoy the precious and solemn truths in their simplicity and power.  We are accountable only for the light that shines upon us. The commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus are testing us. If we are faithful and obedient, God will delight in us, and bless us as His own chosen, peculiar people. When perfect faith and perfect love and obedience abound, working in the hearts of those who are Christ's followers, they will have a powerful influence. " --My Life Today - p. 42

"Christ has made every provision for us to be strong. He has given us His Holy Spirit, whose office is to bring to our remembrance all the promises that Christ has made, that we may have peace and a sweet sense of forgiveness. If we will but keep our eyes fixed on the Savior and trust in His power, we shall be filled with a sense of security; for the righteousness of Christ will become our righteousness." --My Life Today - p. 45

"Instead of looking forward to some future time when, through a special endowment of spiritual power, they will receive a miraculous fitting up for soul winning, they are yielding themselves daily to God, that He may make them vessels meet for His use. Daily they are improving the opportunities for service that lie within their reach. Daily they are witnessing for the Master wherever they may be, whether in some humble sphere of labor in the home or in a public field of usefulness."
--My Life Today, p. 60

How was Joseph enabled to make such a record of firmness of character, uprightness, and wisdom?--In his early years he had consulted duty rather than inclination; and the integrity, the simple trust, the noble nature, of the youth, bore fruit in the deeds of the man. Faithful attention to duty in every station, from the lowliest to the most exalted, had been training every power for its highest service. He who lives in accordance with the Creator's will is securing to himself the truest and noblest development of character." -- My Life Today, p. 66

"The mind must be firmly controlled to dwell upon subjects that will strengthen the moral powers. . . . The thoughts must be pure, the meditations of the heart must be clean, if the words of the mouth are to be words acceptable to Heaven and helpful to your associates....The youth who finds joy and happiness in reading the Word of God and in the hour of prayer is constantly refreshed by drafts from the Fountain of life. He will attain a height of moral excellence and a breadth of thought of which others cannot conceive. Communion with God encourages good thoughts, noble aspirations, clear perceptions of truth, and lofty purposes of action." -- My Life Today, p. 83

"By taking one step after another, the highest ascent may be climbed, and the summit of the mount may be reached at last. Do not become overwhelmed with the great amount of work you must do in your lifetime, for you are not required to do it all at once. Let every power of your being go to each day's work, improve each precious opportunity, appreciate the helps that God gives you, and make advancement up the ladder of progress step by step. Remember that you are to live but one day at a time, that God has given you one day, and heavenly records will show how you have valued its privileges and opportunities. May you so improve every day given you of God that at last you may hear the Master say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." -- My Life Today, p. 95

"We should not allow a day to pass without gaining an increase of knowledge in temporal and spiritual things. We are to plant no stakes that we are not willing to take up and plant further on, nearer the heights we hope to ascend. The highest education is to be found in training the mind to advance day by day. The close of each day should find us a day's march nearer the overcomer's reward.  Day by day our understanding is to ripen. Day by day we are to work out conclusions that will bring a rich reward in this life and in the life to come. Looking daily to Jesus, instead of to what we ourselves have done, we shall make decided advancement in temporal as well as spiritual knowledge"
-- My Life Today, p. 109

"Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Eph. 4:32   "Let the tenderness and mercy that Jesus has revealed in His own precious life be an example to us of the manner in which we should treat our fellow beings.... Many have fainted and become discouraged in the great struggle of life, whom one word of kindly cheer and courage would have strengthened to overcome.... We cannot tell how far reaching may be our tender words of kindness, our Christ-like efforts to lighten some burden. The erring can be restored in no other way than in the spirit of meekness, gentleness, and tender love...The grace of God leads men to place themselves in all their business transactions in the place of those with whom they are dealing. It leads men to look not only on their own things but also on the things of others. It leads them to reveal tenderness, sympathy, and kindness. Cherishing a right spirit, living a holy life--this is what being Christlike means"
--My Life Today, p. 235

"I have read of a man who, journeying on a winter's day through deep drifts of snow, became benumbed by the cold, which was almost imperceptibly freezing his vital powers. He was nearly chilled to death, and was about to give up the struggle for life, when he heard the moans of a fellow traveler who was also perishing with cold. His sympathy was aroused, and he determined to rescue him. He chafed the ice-cold limbs of the unfortunate man, and after considerable effort raised him to his feet. As the sufferer could not stand, he bore him in sympathizing arms through the very drifts he had thought he could never get through alone.   When he had carried his fellow traveler to a place of safety, the truth flashed home to him that in saving his neighbor he had also saved himself. His earnest efforts to help another had quickened the blood that was freezing in his own veins and sent a healthy warmth to the extremities of his body". --My Life Today, p. 234