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SCRIPTURE:
"They discussed this with
one another and said, "It is because we have no bread.
Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them:
"Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or
understand? (Mark 8:16-17, NIV)
OBSERVATION:
On Thursday morning, I had asked myself what was Jesus' reaction to the
disciples internal discussion of having no bread without involving Him?
Aware of their
discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about having no
bread?
OBSERVATION:
Today, I asked myself what is the second reaction
Jesus has to the disciple's discussion?
Jesus reacts with a question to the the disciples,
"Do you still not see or understand?"
INTERPRETATION:
I asked myself why does Jesus react with this
question?
I believe it is because the disciples just were not getting it.
When Jesus had warned them to be careful and watch out for the
'yeast of King Herod and of the Pharisees', they
thought he was addressing them with this warning because they forgot to
bring bread and had no bread. But, Jesus was not concerned about them
not bringing bread but the state of their heart and what could happen to
it if they were not alert and careful.
It must have grieved Jesus to
be aware of what they were discussing because not only did they not see
but they did not understand. When
Jesus asked the question, "Do
you still not see or understand?", Jesus wanted them to see that
He was with them and He could have taken care of the bread situation if
He needed to, like He did when He fed the 5000 and 4000 in front of
them. They also did not understand what Jesus was concerned more about
because they were so preoccupied and worried about what they did not
have instead of who they had with them.
Emphasizing on the word 'STILL'
also shows me Jesus' patience. Jesus has been with them and has done a
lot of miracles in front of them including bread miracles. They still
don't see or understand so Jesus calls them on that.
IMPLICATIONS:
I saw important implications for my own life! That question about
'Do you still not see or understand?" is as
much a question for me as it is for the disciples. There have been many
times I have forgotten what Jesus has done for me. More than that
sometimes I have
seemed to see past the fact that Jesus is still with me even through the situations
I am going through.
Instead of looking to Jesus and calling upon the Lord in the situations
I have been in, many times I would discuss the problem with others first
when I should have first taken it to the Lord in prayer.
This verse also reminds me of what
the Israelites did during the time of Moses which I relearned about when
I looked at Psalm 78 one day. Looking at Psalm 78 and looking
at how patient Jesus has been with the disciples touched me so much.
Both passages also deal with the issue of bread. Both passages deal with
people forgetting the miracles of God.
HOW GOSPEL GIVES ME TESTIMONY
REGARDING S.T.I.L.L:
On a practical level, I am STILL no different from the
Israelites who walked through the wilderness for 40 years and the
disciples who were with Jesus because no matter what Jesus has already
done in their life and what He continued to do in their lives, they
STILL did not see or understand who can take care of them. In my life,
there have been days that I just STILL did not see or understand the
REPLACEMENT that is best for me. Like many of the Israelites
in the wilderness, many times I have been COMPLAINING, COVETING,
CRITICIZING, DOUBTING, and REBELLIOUS.
This
is because I have focused on SELF and the things I see as a problem and rushed to
discuss with others my situations instead of discussing it first with
Jesus who can make a difference.
When I spend time with Jesus, Jesus
shows me that He is STILL the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. His
expectations for the disciples and Israelites are the same expectations
He has for me. The consequences can be the same to in a general way. The
Israelites STILL did not get it so they WANDERED IN THE WILDERNESS FOR
40 YEARS as CONSEQUENCES.
I know Jesus does not want that for
me so Jesus introduced me to a book that my mom asked me to check out
called "Lord, change my attitude, before it's too late" by Pastor James
McDonald. My mom wanted to read it but little did I know that book would
address the issues I have faced time after time.
It was like Jesus telling me, Ramesh,
you STILL don't see or understand! You STILL don't get it. Until you get
it, you will be stuck in the WILDERNESS but I don't want that for you
when I am in your life. I am your Lord and Personal Savior who not only
saved you but I want to be Lord of your life. Now I will help you
REPLACE the COMPLAINING ATTITUDE with THANKFUL ATTITUDE, COVETOUS
ATTITUDE with CONTENTMENT, CRITICAL ATTITUDE with LOVING ATTITUDE,
DOUBTFUL ATTITUDE with TRUSTING ATTITUDE, and REBELLIOUS ATTITUDE with a
SUBMISSIVE ATTITUDE but IT STARTS WITH ME AND NOT YOU!
Wow! The amazing thing about Jesus
is even when we go our own way and do our own thing, Jesus in His MERCY
and GRACE does not abandon us to our ways just as Jesus did not abandon the
disciples to their ways.
Jesus used what they were
discussing with each other to teach the disciples a lesson and Jesus has
done that for me too when I was discussing with Edwin yesterday for
about 3 hrs about my ATTITUDES and what they have cost me with missed
opportunities. I know I cannot change my attitude on my own the way the
world teaches because Satan and sin are so powerful BUT thanks be to GOD
that when I am dependent on Christ and Christ alone, He will continue to
work in me and through me.
Jesus spoke to me from Proverbs 29
regarding HUMILITY and COURAGE:
"Whoever
stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond
recovery." (Proverbs 29:21, NLT)
"Pride ends
in humiliation, while humility brings honor." (Proverbs 29:23, NLT)
"Fearing
people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord
means safety." (Proverbs 29:25, NLT)
Also, after discussing with Edwin
and spending time in the Word, Jesus helped me remember what He taught
me yesterday regarding, "What is Jesus A.W.A.R.E in your life?"
I am so thankful to Jesus that He
is STILL with me no matter how much I have messed up. More than that I
am so THANKFUL that even though I am a sinner who commits the same
things over and over and ROMANS 7:14-25 can STILL describe aspects of my
life, Jesus has not ABANDONED ME but CORRECTED ME LOVINGLY through HIS
WORD, HIS SPIRIT, using my mommy, Pastor Hugo, Edwin, etc.
"While I was
STILL a sinner, Jesus died for me!" (Romans 5)
Thank you Jesus! Because of my SIN,
the CONSEQUENCES have been a SPIRITUAL WILDERNESS at times but THANKS BE
TO GOD, I DO NOT HAVE TO REMAIN IN THAT WILDERNESS and Jesus wants to
get me out.
It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ
that STILL to this day changes lives forever. Even in our sin, the
GOSPEL is what can TRANSFORM US when we yield to Jesus as our Lord and
Personal Savior. I see that happening in my life even though it is a
process and not instantaneous. Of course, I love INSTANTANEOUS CHANGE
but JESUS DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK THAT WAY. Even in Jesus' healing, I have
learned that it can be a process so Jesus can teach lessons along the
way for me reminding me STILL that Romans 8 applies even now in my life
especially the verses following Romans 7:14-25. Praise the Lord!
This same Gospel of Jesus Christ
can STILL change lives including yours right now. Yes, it can friend!
I ask you now
dear friend, what do you S.T.I.L.L miss to see in life?
Dear friend, you will STILL miss to see a lot of things in life when you are
self-focused and not others focused especially if you are not Jesus
focused. Being focused on Jesus will make J.O.Y a reality: Jesus first,
Others seconds, yourself last! The path to true JOY rests in Jesus! It
is a Fruit of the Spirit.
When we STILL continue on the path
that Jesus does not want for us just as Jesus warned the disciples to
beware of the YEAST of King Herod and Pharisees, Jesus warns us the
dangers of STILL MISSING TO SEE IN LIFE who Jesus is and what He wants
for our lives.
The disciples did not have JOY in the boat because they were too concerned about not having bread
when Jesus had all along given them bread when they needed it. They did
not still see or understand who Jesus was when He was with them and why
He came.
We can miss to see in life who
Jesus is and understand why Jesus came, if we become self-focused. I
have been guilty of that and have seen where it has led at times and
don't want that for you.
Sometimes even when we are others focused more
than being Christ-focused, we will miss to see in life what Jesus wants
us to see too. When we become self-focused and others focused more than
Christ, than we give room for the 'yeast of the Pharisees and Herod'. We
will want to succumb to the teachings of others than what Christ taught
us because we want to fit in and be accepted.
Jesus took the disciples away from
the Pharisees because Jesus did not want them to get corrupted by their
teachings. This is not to say we should not be with unbelievers because
after Jesus trained the disciples, He sent them back. Jesus gave the
disciples the Great Commission and has given it to us too.
Jesus reminded me this morning when
He let me come across a bookmark with an "Acts 1:8 Weekly Prayer
Pattern" that I got some years ago from the Allegheny Center Alliance
Church. It has a prayer pattern based on ACTS 1:8.
"You will
RECEIVE POWER when the HOLY SPIRIT COMES on YOU; and YOU will be MY
WITNESSES in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ENDS OF
THE EARTH!"
This is so exciting to know
especially when we try to do things in our own strength and fail
miserably because now we can be confident that knowing when we are
believers in Christ and follow Him, we will have the POWER OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT to work in us and through us because Jesus will give it to us.
We can be more confident because of
HIS SAVING GRACE and LIVING GRACE imparted in our lives, even when we
STILL DO NOT GET IT because we decide to go our own way, Jesus will not
ABANDON HIS SPIRIT'S work in our lives, just as Jesus did not abandon
the disciples. Praise the Lord!
Jesus wants us to see Him in life
that He is the One that can take care of our needs and transform us.
More than anything, if you miss
anything, don't STILL miss to see the work Jesus is doing in your life
already. Jesus loves you so much and has sent people your way to show
you His love.
Jesus paid the price for your redemption on the cross of
Calvary to set you free from the bondage of sin and death. Jesus shed
His precious cleansing blood for you so that you can have the antidote
to clean you of the deadly virus known as sin.
Jesus is not just for the poor but
for the rich, for the smart intellectuals, for the weak, for the strong,
for the emotional, etc. Jesus is for everybody and you should not STILL miss
to see that.
When we become self-focused we
STILL miss
too why Jesus came. Jesus came to redeem the entire human race because
when sin marred it and separated us from God creating a huge chasm, that only
Christ could become the bridge to give us access to God. Jesus
came to give that access to all those who believed in His Name and what
He came to do. Jesus came to save all of us who realize all our good
works are like filthy rags to the Lord and all our education, wealth,
intellectualism, etc means nothing when it comes to the state of our
soul.
"For what
does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul!"
The soul is precious and so
precious that it cost Jesus excruciating pain and all His BLOOD to
redeem us by His grace.
Friend, Jesus Christ is not just
for the poor or weak or uneducated, etc. That is a misconception.
I have degrees in Psychology with a
3.12 average, Administration of Justice with a 3.85 average, major in
Legal Studies with a 4.0 average, minors in Computer Science and Math
with a 3.0 average, and a minor in Business with a 3.93 average, with
coursework also in Nutrition and Dietetics with a 4.0 average.
I share that with you because in
all my years of ministry, I have come across many INTELLECTUALS who have
told me that Jesus is for the weak and Christianity is a crutch to hold
on to for the weak and the poor. I beg to differ. JESUS IS FOR EVERYBODY
for those who EXCEL in ACADEMICS, those who AVERAGE in ACADEMICS, MALE,
FEMALE, POOR, RICH, etc. I think you get it.
I am very INTELLECTUAL and
ANALYTICAL to the point that Pastor Ed tells me that a lot of times what
I am doing is SPLITTING HAIRS. The point being is even though I am
INTELLECTUAL, I THANK JESUS that HE STILL did not let me miss to see who Jesus is and why He came.
He STILL chose me and I was able to come to Him as a Hindu.
One of my favorite verses among
many is from Luke 10 and I have included STILL because I think that's
what Jesus is talking about.
"Her sister,
Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha
was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus
and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just
[STILL] sits here while I [STILL] do all the work? Tell her to
come and help me.” But the Lord said to her,
“My dear Martha, you are worried and upset
[STILL] over all these details! There is
only one thing [STILL] worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered
it, and it [STILL] will not be taken away from her.” (Mark 10:39-42, NLT)
Don't STILL miss to see Jesus in your
life! There is a reason true joy comes only with
Christ first in our lives with everything else secondary. Remember JOY:
Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself third!
My friends Cathy Cheng from Potter's Clay
cell group, Bryan Baird from Living Acts cell group, and Daniel Spector from Adoye
cell group did not miss to see Jesus in their lives. They with six
others got baptized a year ago at the joint Pittsburgh Chinese
Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship worship service. It was an
exciting time for them and also for many of us who have seen them grow
in the Lord daily and walking with Him. They are STILL walking with him
and have made an impact in my life too.
Friend, Jesus loves you so much and
wants to be part of your life. You STILL can come to the Lord Jesus as
you are. When Jesus went to the cross to die for the sins of the world,
Jesus went to the cross to die for you shedding His precious BLOOD to
redeem you. Jesus STILL reaches out to you and wants to SAVE YOU. Yes,
He does friend and that can be exciting to know. We all need to be SAVED
from sin. Sin has affected all humanity and Jesus has given us a way
out. In our human condition we will STILL mess up time after time but we
are STILL being daily SANCTIFIED BY HIS GRACE because of His love for
us. You can have that too in your life no matter who you are. Come as
you are and let Jesus work in your life. Don't think you have to master
this area and that area before Jesus will accept you. HOGWASH. Jesus
will accept you in your sin when you choose to make Him the Lord and
Savior of your life. That means you are willing to let Him change and
transform you instead of wanting to do that yourself. This can be so
freeing and so helpful! Praise the Lord!
Whether you or I believe in Jesus
or not will not STILL change the fact that Savior totally is
loving Lord! He deserves all our worship, praise, and submission to Him
and Him alone! Amen!
When I read through the Bible in 33 days, Jesus gave me this
verse which I STILL should reflect on whatever I do:
"But life is
worth nothing unless I use it to do the work assigned my by the Lord
Jesus, the work of telling others about God's mighty goodness and love!"
(Acts 20:24, NIV)
"Savior
Totally Is Loving Lord! (S.T.I.LL)"/"What do you STILL miss to see in life?"
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much that you can use even one verse in
its context to teach mighty lessons. Oh Lord, thank you for teaching me
that I can STILL miss to see you and what you have already done in my life,
are STILL doing in my life, and will continue to do in my life when I take my
focus of you and focus on others or myself more. Forgive me for that for
I have been guilty. Oh thank you Lord how patient you have been with the
Israelites and especially with your disciples and us when we STILL just don't
get it many times. We fail to see and understand. Though we STILL face
consequences for our actions, you are there for us. Oh Lord, more than
anything I want to thank you for loving us so much that you died for our
sin cleansing us with your precious cleansing blood, was buried, and
came back to life to save us. You did that just for us to save us by
your grace. There is nothing we can do on our own to receive your favor
but you in your mercy came to redeem us. I thank you for that Jesus that
our souls mean so much to you that you paid the price to become our
bridge to reach God no matter what our status is. Oh Lord, I pray for
the ones right now who believe 'that you are for the ignorant and not
for smart people, etc' that you would make them see that you are for
them too and for ALL WALKS OF LIFE. I pray they will not miss to see who you are and why you came.
Lord please reign in us and in all our dreams. Thank you for the power
of your love. Thank you for hearing us and answering us! In Your Name I
Pray Jesus! Amen!!!
May you experience the POWER OF
CHRIST'S RESURRECTION this day, and give Him the LOCKED areas of your
life too so you can experience His PEACE as you become an ACTOR in the
film called LIFE being directed by your DIRECTOR, JESUS CHRIST who comes
to give JOY and PEACE.
You
don't have to be locked away anymore for Christ is here to free you and
give you peace to live out your actions.
How do you look at GODISNOWHERE?
One
of my pastors, Pastor Hugo shared this example this past Sunday at the
RESURRECTION DAY SERVICE in the combined worship service of Pittsburgh
Chinese Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship:
If
you look at it as GOD IS NO WHERE, you will still be lost in your sin
and be in bondage locked away in your sins and problems finding no
peace.
But
as my pastor spoke to the congregation and spoke to me, I am here to
tell you that GOD IS NOW HERE.
Yes,
friend God is alive and wants to bring a transformation in your life
through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ for He paid the penalty on
the cross to rescue you and me and came back to life to save us and live
with us.
Yes,
friend that is exciting to know that we can experience HIS SAVING GRACE
& LIVING GRACE.
When
we mess up, we can go to Jesus with our shortcomings and He will forgive
us and restore us to Him and we will find peace in Him.
"Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has
come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ
and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the
world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he
has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore
Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.
We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him
who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God." (Colossians 5:17-21, NIV)
"For the wages
of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the
light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his
Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive
ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all
unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9, NIV)
Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our
sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge
so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the
finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.
"For it is by grace you have been saved,
through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not
by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)
May
you come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Savior becoming
His offspring so you can spend Eternity with Him. He is waiting for you.
Come as you are. Please do not reject the gift of God.
If you would like to
invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your
life, you can this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim
God's promises for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your
eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time
to come to the Lord. You can come right now as you pray this prayer,
meaning it in your heart and finding your new identity in Christ Jesus.
Make this your prayer. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking
you need all the answers before coming to Christ. Let me just assure you
though you may not have all the answers right now before coming to
Jesus, He will answer them slowly. Yes, He will for I know our Redeemer
will! Amen!
Make this your prayer. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking
you need all the answers before coming to Christ. Let me just assure you
though you may not have all the answers right now before coming to
Jesus, He will answer them slowly. Yes, He will for I know our Redeemer
will! Amen!
Prayer:
Jesus, I thank you for being the Bread of Life. You are the Living Bread
of my life. Thank you for coming from Heaven and giving your life for
the life of the world. You sacrificed yourself for humanity. Thank you
Lord when we eat of you symbolically making you part of our life,
digesting what you teach us by following you, we can be living
Eternally, and the fruit that comes will reflect and resemble your life.
I want that Father God. I want that Lord Jesus! I want that Holy Spirit!
I know of a lot of people who partake of Holy Communion where the bread
represents your body broken for their sin and the juice represents your
blood shed for their sin. When we partake of Holy Communion, we are
reminded that we are remembering you. I want to remember you always Lord
Jesus. But for me to remember you always, I need to know you and
acknowledge everything you said you are. So right now I acknowledge that
you are my Lord and Personal Savior who died and rose again to give me
life from sin. So right now, I come to you and say how sorry I am for my
sin and living a life on my own. I repent of my sin and ask you to
forgive me of my sin with your cleansing blood which I accept. Wash me
and I will be clean from this infection of sin. Come Lord Jesus and
please become part of my life as you live in me and I will live for you.
I thank you Jesus for coming into my heart and making my heart your
home. Thank you for living in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve
you the rest of the days of my life. I do need your Spirit to reside in
me and work in me and through me so I surrender all that I am and will
be to you. Whatever your will is for me, please give me the strength and
willingness to bear it and rejoice in you. Thank you so much Jesus. I
thank you Jesus for becoming my Lord and Personal Savior. I thank you
Jesus you have heard my prayer and have answered me. I thank you that I
am your child Oh God. I thank you for becoming my only Way to Eternal
Life. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
