SCRIPTURE:
^"He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."(Mark 9:36-37, NIV)

OBSERVATIONS:
I asked myself what words or phrases are repeated more than 3  times?
Welcomes

INTERPRETATION:
I asked myself the significance of Jesus mentioning 'welcomes' in its context?
Jesus had just exhorted the disciples not to think 'who is the greatest' among them but instead to have an attitude of being a servant to all.  Now Jesus goes a step further and uses the acceptance of a child as an example of what it means to welcome Him. The significance lies in the fact that children do not usually have much to offer in terms of leadership and other areas but Jesus is letting the disciples know the importance of  welcoming those who do not have much to offer. It is an example of what it means to be a servant to all lived out. The promise is that when they welcome those that do not have much to offer and become their servant, they are actually welcoming Christ and when they welcome Christ, they are welcoming God. Whoa! What powerful promises here!

IMPLICATIONS:
I saw important implications for my own life here. Jesus wants me to welcome those who do not have much to offer and not just those who have something to offer. Being a servant to a child or those who have the characteristics of a child shows my own humility when I welcome them. That's what Jesus wanted for the disciples and wants for me. This reminded me of a story from Mark 2 where Jesus' guests really did not have anything to offer because of their status which was different from the children in a worst way. But, it also reminded me of an experience I had in the past.

HOW GOSPEL GIVES ME TESTIMONY REGARDING W.E.L.C.O.M.E.S:
Years ago, when I was fired from a particular ministry, there was a lot of shame involved and I did not feel welcome but an outcast. It was very painful and for years, I had given up on church, Bible studies, reading Christian books, etc until Pastor Hugo Cheng, of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland and Oakland International Fellowship emailed me out of the blue and wanted to meet with me.  He knew me from being a guest speaker at that ministry. I was not even going to the Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland  or OIF but he felt in his heart to meet with me.  I met with him weekly and the Lord Jesus used Pastor Hugo to bring a lot of healing into my life from the scars I carried because of being terminated from a ministry that I loved to do and felt called to do. I started meeting with him 3 years later in 2005.

He encouraged me so much and built me up in the Lord so much that as I look back, it is his love in my life as he welcomed me in my shame and guilt that prompted me to join the church that God blessed him to pastor.

When Pastor Hugo welcomed me when I had nothing to offer especially since I was terminated in ministry, it is as if I was the scum that Jesus welcomed in Mark 2. By welcoming me, he was welcoming Christ, and Christ was welcoming me in all my sins, battles, debts, laws that I was succumbed to. I saw Jesus welcoming me by His sacrifice on the cross to take all my shame and burden.

Pastor Hugo gave me a chance in ministry and I later became a Sunday School Teacher for Adults. Later, Pastor Ed, the assistant pastor asked me to become a cell group leader for almost 1/3 of the members. So, I was able to lead Living Acts cell group. No matter what weaknesses I was facing and going through both Pastor Hugo and Pastor Ed worked with me. I eventually resigned from cell group because of personal issues which would have hurt the members.

But Pastor Hugo made sure that I felt welcomed at the the church and cell group without feeling the shame, guilt, and torment that I had felt 7 years ago. I still to this day attend by God's grace, the cell group that I resigned from. By God's grace, I help out occasionally whenever they need help.

Even in my shortcomings, to this day, I have seen God's grace work in my life and exhibited through Pastor Hugo. I still meet with him twice every month. Pastor Hugo knew what I had caused 7 years ago and wanted to make sure that does not repeat again so he and the core team/Elders asked Edwin to mentor me which he has been doing since the beginning of this year.

I did not feel like an outcast filled with shame because of how Jesus used Pastor Hugo, Calvin, Edwin, and Marie mostly in my life at the church. But mostly because I know that Jesus accepts me even when I see myself as a scum without nothing to offer just as Jesus accepted those who came to dine with him in Mark 2. Jesus will accept you to as you are no matter what you are facing or going through.

Jesus gave me a ministry to reach thousands each month with http://www.pittsburghstandard.com, my friends at http://www.facebook.com, and at Market Central Dining Services which the Lord Jesus blessed me to be part of as one of its managers.

I am blessed to be managing their library right now too, to which the link is on the left side bar. At church, I was touched to be asked to be a Bible game leader for kids to teach them Bible verses through games. It is such a blessing. It all happened because Christ accepted in my sin and redeemed me, being justified by faith and being daily sanctified. We see the love of Christ and experience it through others and the Lord used Pastor Hugo as that vessel in my life. You too will be welcomed by someone in life because Jesus will send them your way. This is only one experience of how the Lord used a pastor in my life.

I ask you now dear friend, who welcomes you in life?
At Cedar Campus, which is InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's Summer Training Camp, years ago our EXEC team comprised of Becky, Sara, and Brad played a game called Landlord or Scum that we used to play through the night at Pitt, at Harvest, and Mannafest. It is this game that bonded all of us so much that we still keep in touch even now occasionally. We all bonded as a leadership team. It is through this game, they also met Paul, who gave us lots of fun playing with us. After playing numerous games with Paul, we wanted Paul to become our staff worker at Pitt. I am so excited that InterVarsity Christian Fellowship remains strong a Pitt and we now have Pitt-Asian InterVarsity staffed by Andrea and Jason which the students I talk to love :)

I share this story regarding the game with you because we would always have someone become the King and someone become the SCUM depending on how they played the game and what cards they got. Anytime someone became the SCUM, they would have to read a Bible verse from Mark 2:16: "But when some of the Jewish religious leaders saw him eating with these men of ill repute, they said to his disciples, "How can He stand to eat with such SCUM?"

Yet, it is those that Jesus attracted and welcomed to eat with him. Jesus did not turn them away as the religious leaders of the day did. Instead, He welcomed them with open arms. But when He welcomed them, He did not welcome them into their sin but so that He could deliver them out of their sin. They were so sinful that they did not have anything to offer so the religious leaders rejected them. But Jesus did not reject them in their bankruptcy. That's what they were because of their sin. Yet, Jesus wanted to spend time with them and gave them a welcome at the table. Jesus heard what the religious leaders were talking to the disciples about so Jesus said, "Sick people need the doctor, not healthy ones! I haven't come to tell good people to repent, but the bad ones." (Mark 2:17)

Another way this can be put is that Jesus came to welcome those who did not have it all together instead of those who thought they had it together. The religious leaders thought they had it together when they did not. The scum Jesus was eating with did not have it together so in their brokenness, Jesus welcomes them. I was so impacted by reading this story which is in the devotional archives and how Jesus used a child as an example in Mark 9.

Jesus is there to welcome all who see themselves as the bad ones and who don't have it together. It is for those that Jesus had come to save. So, when I saw myself as utterly helpless and bad, it is then that Jesus was also able to work in my life and begin His transformation by His grace. When I realized my sin and what a scum I was as I saw myself in light of an awesome Holy God, Jesus did not let me remain a scum but made me a saint in Him as I confessed all my sins to Him and asked Him to cleanse me by His precious cleansing blood to give me a new life in Christ. Now because of His grace, He made a way that I am welcomed by God not because of anything I have to offer but because of His sacrificial love paid for me at the cross of Calvary. Thank you Jesus. Praise the Lord!

You too can be welcomed by Jesus no matter what you have done or where you have been. Think about it: The word scum describes the lowest of the lowest who do not have a good reputation in society. It is for their sake that Jesus came. You and I fall in that category without Jesus Christ in our lives because that is what sin makes us into.

But because of Jesus' love, we can experience compassion, forgiveness, and the kindness of a Savior, the hope of all nations. He is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior who can move mountains and He is our God who is Mighty to Save. Jesus will take us as He finds us in all our fears and failures and fill our life with His presence when we surrender our life to Him just as we are. We cannot save ourselves but our God is Mighty to Save and wants to save you as the song, "Mighty to Save' emphasizes. It is one of my favorites among many.

By welcoming those in hardship, it is welcoming Jesus Christ. But we cannot do that unless we ourselves have Jesus as our Lord and Savior. I have Jesus as my Lord and Savior because He died for my sin and came back to life on the third day to save which I have accepted. You too can. When you do that, He will take your pride and let you have a heart for all people who are in need of a Savior! Praise the Lord! Jesus welcomes you as you are so come as you are friend and receive the help, hope, and healing He has for you.

Jesus does not want you to live in shame! Shame, guilt, rejection are all from the enemy to keep you in bondage. Jesus wants to free you. Yes, friend, I am talking to you. If you are reading this and are in bondage to anything, let Jesus' love free you. He can for I know He can! I have experienced it and continue to experience it. With everlasting love, Christ offers multitudes Eternal Salvation. This includes you friend and with Salvation also comes Abundant Living for you. Don't live in the past but be thankful for what Christ offers you in the present for it is a gift for you to use. May you be blessed by the Lord. I am praying for you friend! Rest in the Lord!

"With Everlasting Love, Christ Offers Multitudes Eternal Salvation!" (W.E.L.C.O.M.E.S)/"Who W.E.L.C.O.M.E.S you in life?"

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, I want to thank you so much for taking my shame, my guilt, and my rejection and nailing it to the cross. When I let them cloud your love for me, You in your grace have not abandoned me but have put people in my life to bring restoration my way. Thank you so much Jesus. I praise you Lord for all that you do especially in light of what scum we are without you Oh Lord. You take us as we are in our sin and welcome us to your table to give us your Salvation. You paid the price so we can have an invitation at your table. I thank you so much for that Lord because you paid my price with your blood. This is something I can never repay Oh Lord but I want to love you more and more each day. Please help me Lord. Thank you for welcoming me in my sin and help me to welcome others in their sin to bring restoration that comes from you and you alone. Thank you so much Jesus. Thank you Lord that you are Mighty to Save and we rest in your love. Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering me. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

Lord Jesus, You are my all in all. You are my Prince of Peace, Rock, Savior, and Friend. You are my Holy Father guiding me through to live a life of righteousness, holy righteousness. Oh God, I need you more than ever. I need to feel your hands around me holding me tight. I need your love to surround me so that you can glow in my life. Help me please Jesus. I desire in your presence. Thank you for guiding me to live a life of righteousness. Oh God you love me more than ever. You hear my voice when I cry out to you. When I seek your face, you fill me up. You are my all in all. Thank you Jesus so much for your help no matter what I face, your grace is available and you take my case. Thank you for hearing us and answering us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! AMEN! (Most of the prayer is from a vineyard song called “All in All”)

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 one 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.

^"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)

Come to Jesus as you are and pray this prayer to accept Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior. He will transform your life around! Praise the Lord! You don't have to have all the answers! You can come as you are!

If you want to be a soldier in the Lord's army, you can become it right now. Now is the time of Salvation! You do not have to wait but can pray this prayer and give your life to Christ to serve Him daily! There is no draft but coming to Christ is voluntary. He loves you so much and wants you to come to Him! He will take care of you, guiding you and leading you!

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, I love you. Thank you for loving me so much and thank you for choosing the cross to die for me. You became the Son of Man and lived here on earth. Then you humbled yourself and became obedient to death-even death on the cross. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. You died on the cross so that I can be covered in your blood and cleansed by your blood as I acknowledge that I need you and cannot enter Heaven without you being my pathway. So, Jesus I confess all my sins to you and all the ways I have tried to get into Heaven when you already provided the means and the Way. Thank you for all that you have done for me. "The cross is the place, a wonderful place where accused and condemned find mercy and grace. Thank you Jesus, it is at the cross where the wrongs we have done and the wrongs done to us were nailed at the cross. Thank you Jesus, at the cross you died for our sins and at the cross you gave your life for us." I thank you for that and thank you for coming back to life to save us. Thank you Jesus for being there for me! Thank you for loving me. I love you Jesus! Please take me as I am and make my life into something that you will be proud of. I surrender my life to you and need your help to live for you. I am forever grateful for what you have done for me and I can never repay you. I want to live for you and need your help. Help me Jesus please. I thank you Jesus for saving me! Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering me. Whatever your will give me the willingness and strength to bear it. Thank you Jesus! I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior! In Your Name I Pray precious Jesus! Amen!