Weekly Reflection

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Have you seen the old cartoons where there are two figures on each shoulder of a character trying to convince them the right actions or path to go? One is depicted as an angel, and the other as a devil.  This visual picture is a daily battle for every human being in this world. It is easy to say that we believe in God. The question is, do we believe in God or know of God?  What does it mean to profess that God through Jesus Christ is our only source of life?  I would like you to think about this passage, “Thou believes that there is one God; though doest well:  the devils also believe and tremble (James 2:19- KJV).  

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore, we are always confident and know that as lo ng as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight.

Have you reflected on how fragile and unpredictable your life is? We all have some knowledge about the cycle of life. We are born and we will die. Yes, this life cycle is inevitable, and it does not discriminate against race, age or socioeconomic. There are some people, before they get to the end of their lives, who will struggle with enormous physical and mental pain. Apostle Paul pleaded with God to remove a thorn that he encountered as a servant of the living God and gave every living soul a vision that is worth fighting for while we are living in this earthly body (2 Corinthians 12:8).

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!

There are many passages where the Bible tells us the importance of our body. We can study different topics relating to our body from scriptures. I believe the most important mystery in our newfound birth in Jesus Christ is becoming a new creation. In Galatians 2:20-21, apostle Paul reminded us we have been crucified with Christ; Jesus lives in us. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  For the purpose of this reflection, I am compelled to focus on the visible outer appearance transformation that should take place in our lives when we said Jesus is Lord. "You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ" (Romans 8:9). Your body is the temple of the living God where his Spirit lives if we have declared Jesus is lord. The passage above talked about not using our body for prostitution and in verse thirteen of the same chapter it explains “The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” I believe there are different ways that we can defile our bodies without engaging in sexually immoral acts. Let me share a story with you. Growing up my parents always said the way you carry yourself as a young woman is how society will judge you. My parents made sure we had clothes and dressed nicely according to what our peer group wore at the time. However, there were rules, we were not allowed to wear shorts that showed our thighs and buttocks, nor clothes that exposed our breasts or belly buttons. In addition, our skirt/dresses had to be no shorter than knee high and my mother would always say it's proper for women to wear tights under their dresses and skirts because you never knew when you had to run or when the wind would suddenly blow and lift up your dress or skirt. Then I became a teenager. Should I say more? I rebelled and decided I only wanted to wear everything that my parents said was not allowed. My styles were Poom poom shorts, tight jeans, short clothing, etc. I enjoyed all the attention and praise of everyone around me.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

On the morning that I read this passage, throughout the day the Spirit kept asking me, what does it means to set my “mind on things above, not earthly things?”  As I tried to process what it meant when I proclaimed to have died and raised to a new life in Christ and I am hidden with Christ in God, I became overwhelmed. During my evening prayer walk, I prayed the same prayer repeatedly asking God to help me learn how to set my mind on things above not earthly things and teaching me how to live a life hidden in him. Since we have a new life and we are hidden in Christ, why do I/we often let earthly things affect our walk in Christ as a yoyo? This question led me to another question, if I/we believe that Christ is seated somewhere that is worth fighting for, why do some of us allow trials and tribulations to dictate our mood and decision to trust God? If I/we believe Jesus has gone to heaven to prepare a place for us, why do I/we let earthly things in this world steal our joy, peace, character, values, integrity and so on? Even worst, why do we easily fall for Satan’s scheme that he can give us “all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor to make us happy? “All this I will give you” he said, “if you bow down and worship me” (Mathew 4:8-9). Satan is continuing to use the same manipulative methods he attempted to lure Jesus against God’s will to draw mankind as his pawn to hurt God.  Jesus warns us that wickedness will increase, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:12-14).

For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. 

This passage brought me to the story in Luke 16:19-31 about the Rich Man and Lazarus. As we are cruising in this world, living our lives, which side of the Chasm or in simple terms the great void is your permanent home?  You can avoid the fact that there is an end for each of us on this earth, but that does not erase the fact that your soul has a destination according to the personal choices that you make while living on this earth. Jesus says the day will come, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Matthew 24:36). You see, even the demons know there is an appointed time that will involve torture (Matthew 8:28-29). When that day comes, which road will you be entering?  Right now, you are traveling along a road in your life. You still have time today to pause and reflect, if it’s worth it to gain the things in this world and lose your soul to eternal fire (Mark 8:36; 2, Peter 2:6)? It’s not too late for you to turn around from the road of destruction and join Jesus on the road to eternal life (Mathew 7:13-14). If you have already decided to join Jesus on the road to eternal life, do not become proud and allow the enemy to knock you off your path (Galatians 5:7).  Let us allow Jesus to be our Shepherd as we walk toward the new Jerusalem where He will be amongst us, forever and ever! (Revelation 21:22-27).

Weekly Scripture Hebrews 13:14-15- NLT

He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

While I was driving, a thought came to my mind. God rescued me while I deserved to be cast out to hell. I said aloud, “I know!” I then said, “why would God rescue me or any of us yet to throw us away?” Then the voice inside of me said exactly, that is what the enemy wants you to believe. The verse above was written as part of a song David sung to praise God from saving him from his enemies. Do you believe that God is delighted in you? Do not look at the trials in your life to answer this question. Believing in someone takes faith. It is also to have the confidence no matter what the outcome of your circumstances might be, knowing without any doubt, our God, through the blood of Jesus Christ loves us and will complete what he has promised (Hebrews 11:1).