I don’t know about you but I want to follow Jesus. It should be straightforward, right? But somehow we have made it complicated. Following Jesus means we want to become like him. So being more Christlike is our goal. But how do we put all our efforts into becoming the better version of ourselves instead of becoming more like him? Well, my friend. That’s the question. In the words of Bob Goff “Our problem with following Jesus is we’re trying…
Are you a follower of Jesus? Good for you. It means you are striving to become more like him, right? Our calling and goal are to be more like Christ and act more like Jesus. But what does it mean exactly? How can we go about it? The best way is to get to know him personally and we can do that by reading the Bible. The gospel of John declares Jesus was full of grace and truth. So should…
Lately, I’ve been pondering on two stories Jesus told according to the Gospel of Luke. The first one is the parable of two builders and the second one is the parable of the sower. They’re both perfect for Lenten reflection. Jesus is asking “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? (Luke 6:46, NIV, emphasis added,*) You see, faith requires heads, hearts, and hands. Faith is not just a belief system we embrace, right? It…
Singing Hosanna on the first Advent Sunday is a must. This year, due to Covid-19, I did so at home while virtually attending the service. Nonetheless, it is a powerful experience. It is good to cry for help with the body of Christ. Especially this year, don’t you think? We do need help. Hence our expectations for Jesus are high. Hosanna could be translated as “Please, save us” or “Please, help us”. The crowd welcoming Jesus to Jerusalem was enthusiastic,…
We are called to follow Jesus but how does it look like in everyday life? What does it mean to follow Jesus and how could we do it in the midst of everything? Following Jesus all day long is our goal but how to do it, right? Let’s see what we can come up with. And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross daily [expressing…
I’ve always marveled God’s willingness to wait for us to get ready to do his will. Willingness in faith is not self-evident, it’s a choice. God does not force us against our will. It’s called love. Yet we so often abuse that love. But when we finally are ready to accept it, we are amazed by its sweet power. I’ve come to understand God’s will for us is the ultimate best. Yet we rebel. We are not willing to surrender…
Sometimes people ask me why I’m so driven to share the Gospel and advance the Kingdom of God any way I can. My answer is very simple. It’s all because of God’s love and his amazing grace. You see, I’ve been so cherished and loved by God that I can’t help but love God in return. And that we do by obeying him, following him, serving him by sharing his love and grace with others. God’s amazing grace has profoundly…
Oftentimes Christians seem strange. And I wholeheartedly agree. Anyone who pledges faithfulness to an invisible force must be nuts, right? But when you experience the touch of Jesus yourself, everything suddenly becomes clearer and the Bible finally makes sense. The way of Jesus is not a secret yet it is hard to understand without taking a risk and plunging in. I highly recommend it. In my experience, nothing compares to it. Call me crazy but just a drop of Jesus…
Do you want to grow in your faith? I think that is what we all want. But we might not want what it takes to make it happen. We’d like to get the benefits of a mature faith but we’re not willing to sacrifice for it. Or we’re not ready to wait for years while obediently keeping on doing what’s required. Craving instant gratification is an enemy of spiritual growth for sure. So is pampering yourself in comfort. Unsuspected enemies…
There is one verse in the Bible that erases worries powerfully. It is not probably what you think. But it is powerful nonetheless. It reminds us who is in control and whose we are. And if we do remember that, there’s no reason to worry, right? Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:16, NIV, emphasis added) The whole psalm139 is a…
