QTs

Near the Broken-hearted

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“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and
saves the crushed in spirit.”‭‭Psalm‬ ‭34:18‬ ‭ESV‬

I think we hear l or we know in our minds that God is near but Reading it today, that he is near the broken-hearted ready to save is so renewing. He wants to give us comfort and hope and all simply altering calling to Him he provides his affections.

Lord I pray for the broken-hearted to sense your presence. Many times we feel as though we have been abandoned when trouble comes our way but remind us again that you are closer than ever when we are broken and crushed in spirit. I pray that it would encourage brothers and sisters to more willing to depend on your spirit. I love you lord, thank you for this morning, in Jesus name, Amen. 

Joel 2:12-17 | Matthew 6:16-21. Your Heart

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(Following Devotions for Lent from Holy Bible: Mosaic from the YouVersion Bible app)

Joel 2:13
and rend your hearts and not your garments.”

Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

The beginning of Joel, it’s revealed to me that our God is not just all Love, Peace, and gentleness; he is an “Awesome” God as in not our day to day lingo of awesome but the actual definition (extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or fear.) So great in power it can be considered fearful and yet God calls us in the midst of that to come to him, to change our hearts and not our garments. To not just look like we belong to him but for our heart and core to call to him. I just thought that verse was really powerful. We try to hard to look christian sometimes that we forget to check our hearts and see if what we have on the outside reflects our insides.

Second, in Matthew, God talks about fasting, giving, praying “in secret” and it’s all about doing it for yourself and not for others. Not only does it relate back to Joel 2:13 on doing it not to look like your christian on the outside but to do it in secret so that the and I think I realized why my Christian life was so hard. I was splitting my two worlds, Christian girl and Fashion girl, hence my two instagrams, two twitter accounts but ultimately I found peace when I got rid of one and decided that the fashion girl is supported with believing in Christ.

Father God thank you for allowing me to come to realize that you are a part of everything and that you make all things possible in my life. Thank you for bringing me peace, making me one in the same and allowing my heart to find peace. Lord I pray that I will not forget you are an awesome and mighty God that desires our hearts and that we’d hold our faith sacred so that we may not get lost in boasting but to do you will from a genuine source of love for you and not for our own glory. I love you God, In Jesus name, Amen.

Genesis 38. Story for the Broken

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heartbroken

Genesis – the beginning. And you think that the Bible would be a sparkly introduction to the Christian faith but it’s not.

The past few chapters that I read while doing Quiet Time/Bible Study, I realized all the sexual immorality involved and how messed up some of these stories are. Example, Genesis 38 with Judah and his daughter-in-law, his sons dying and for first time readers that don’t believe in the Christian faith might read this and be like… LOL What?

But I remember my Pastor at church talking about the Genealogy of Jesus and how a messy line it is with the conclusion that Christian faith is for the broken. I think a lot of people think that Christians are these happy perfect people living in a Christian bubble of hope and it’s almost becoming a weird thing in our liberal culture to follow religion. But I’m reminded again in this chapter that this faith is not for the perfects and the well-offs but for people who are not perfect and the bible (from the beginning) reflects that.

Father God, no matter how things may seem “okay” at times, this world is broken and I’m not trying to rebuke myself for feeling joy because that’s what you want for us but I just thank you for doing something so beautiful for the broken and imperfects. God you have so much mercy and love over us and I thank you for this day that you’ve given and to be able to face it with you. I pray that you’d soften the hearts of anyone who has any misconceptions on your truth and that you’d be able be even more alive in this generation. Protect us to not fall into temptations of this world reminding ourselves that we belong to you alone. I love you. In Jesus name, Amen. 

Genesis 37. Sh*t Happens

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grumpy_cat_funny_pets

Poor Joseph, hated by his brother’s by jealousy sold off into Egypt. I think in our Christian life, things don’t always go so smoothly either, we get into fights and feel bitterness towards our brothers and sisters, family and with our family in Christ. Excuse the roughness of this phrase but, “Sh*t Happens.”

But knowing the story of Joseph in the end, he was not only able to help his family but save Egypt from going hungry for 7 years. If Joseph had not gone through those things, he might have died of starvation with his family. Maybe now some of you are going through a bitter time where nothing around you seems to be going right and it feels as if God has neglected you but sometimes, rough times are necessary for a bigger purpose. So although it may be hard to see the light at the end of the road, pray for steadfastness and peace for God has already won victorious and will walk with you step by step to that victory.

God, sometimes life seems so unfair but I pray that you’d protect our hearts from feeling bitter towards others and towards you for you only want what’s best for us. I pray that you’d provide us with peace with the assurance that you are near us and that your closeness is only a call away. Provide strength in us to trust in you, to be filled by you, and to love you the way you love us. In Jesus name, Amen. 

Romans 6

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So recently I’ve read Romans 5 & 6 and I’m sure I read it before or maybe small verses at a time but can I just say Romans is amazing (just wanted to get that out there).

Romans 6 takes you through the process of Jesus’s death and I never really thought of my baptism process from the crucifixion to rising from the grave.

v4. We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

With Christ, I died and was buried and raised from death in order to have this new life. Really meditating on that process is a transformation, and all so that I, someone who will still make mistakes again is given this new life and that God will continue to love and accept me with all my flaws… it really makes a person want to strive after his kingdom even more.

God time and time again I question the greatness of your love. Not what it is but why it is. Why is it so big and so abundant? Why do you love us when we are really not worth all the trouble to send your son so die for us all so that we can live a new life. Well either way, thank you God for loving us and giving us a chance to seek after your eternal kingdom. I pray for courage that I may be spiritually steadfast and unafraid to declare that you are my King, that I am a spiritual person and be unafraid of the judgement of this world. Thank you for this morning and I pray for me to seek this new life everyday. In Jesus name, Amen. 

John 21. 153 fishes

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In the first passage, Simon Peter and other disciples go out at night for fishing, doesn’t catch anything, Jesus comes (disciples unaware it’s him) and tells them to throw it on the right, and after catching fish they eat together.

I remember my Pastor from High School (P.Matt) further explained this chapter by stress how tired and disappointed the disciples would have been after trying all night to catch fish and yet didn’t catch a single one. But Jesus simply asks them to throw it to the right and (with I’m sure with a lot of disbelief) they did it and caught 153 fishes. It’s amazing how following God is so simple and all set; like he’s basically giving you all the answers to ace the test. I think there are many times when I lack faith when Jesus asks me to do something and at those moments, I fail to obey because of fear and other things. I think it’s a matter of trust and willingness to follow God’s word and believing that he already has given you the answers to the test.

Also I found the scene where Peter jumps out of the boat finally realizing it’s Jesus and swimming to him so beautiful and amazing. He just caught so much fish after a whole night of not catching a single one but yet after he knows it’s Jesus, he doesn’t stay in the amazement of the fishes caught but ‘swims’ after Jesus to be with Him (I’m like picturing the videos when kid’s see they’re dad back from military service and just drops everything in their hands to go hug him).

I pray that when the moment comes to listen and obey God, that we would lack the moment to fear and have complete faith in Him knowing that he has everything in his hands and that even when the best comes to us, we would alway run back to God to thank him, glorify him, and to just be with the Father of peace that our hearts thirst for.

John 20 ‘Peace be with you’

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Goooood Morning Jesus! (currently listening to ‘Pieces’ by Amanda Cook)

First thing Jesus says to his disciples is, “Peace be with you.” (v. 19 and v. 26)

It’s been a while since I’ve had a morning to myself to spend unrestricted time with him (mainly because I’m not working today and it’s not crucial for me to get anywhere). This morning, is such a good morning because I’m able to go to him first. Okay, honestly, second because I got distracted by my new iPhone this morning. But still being able to give him time this early feels good.

After reading this passage, I can hear God clearly say, “peace be with you,” this morning and every morning, and to start the day with peace… from all the ‘today’ that’s coming forth… is a great feeling.

Father God thank you for this beautiful morning where I’m able to find peace in you before I start my day. God I pray that today would be productive and that also you would heal my brother’s ankle and watch over it so that everything would go well. I love you God. Your joy gives me so much joy so I pray I keep seeking to satisfy your soul and do righteous things or even just rest in you to have you smile and call it good. In Jesus name, Amen.

Zechariah 5 – God’s Wrath

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In Zechariah 5, God sends two ‘visions’ to Zechariah. One of a flying scroll that curses the house of every thief and to anyone who swears falsely by God’s name, and another of a woman in a basket, which represented wickedness, to be brought back to Babylonia.
To be honest I was confused after rereading the passage, so after many summary readings, I started questioning Where does God’s wrath go?

Zechariah 5:4 The LordAlmighty declares, ‘I will send it out, and it will enter the house of the thief and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name. It will remain in that house and destroy it completely, both its timbers and its stones.’ ”

The bible talks many time about God’s wrath, that God will uphold justice and destroy houses…and if our God is the same God through all of time, that God never changes than why do we only talk about his love? Thankfully I did some further researching and found this.

The wrath of God is His eternal detestation of all unrighteousness. It is the displeasure and indignation of Divine equity against evil. It is the holiness of God stirred into activity against sin.

(I remember discussing this during Apprenticeship training) God’s wrath isn’t towards the people who commit sin; his anger doesn’t go to the person but to the sin itself. I think about all the times I was bitter or held anger against someone for doing me wrong and I always thought, God why do you want me to love this person, UGH NO, I just don’t want to. And I realize now that it’s their sin that I should be bitter towards. God loves them and God wants to bring out the best of them for them but ‘they do not know what they’ve done’ because of the blindness from sin (And this is probably where Jesus comes into the picture to save us from God destroying sin by destroying us).

Wow does God have all the answers or does God have all the answers?

God, thank you for opening up my eyes today to see and understand a little more of you. Lord I pray that whenever people do me wrong and find it difficult to love and easier to find anger, that you would lead that anger toward sin and not the person themselves. I pray for more of your heart for my brothers and sisters and that I too would be jealous for your heart God so that I may be jealous for my brothers and sisters. God I thank you for your protection whenever I have big questions and thank you for Jesus because it all seems to go back to Him always. God you are so good, help me to share this goodness to the people around me and fill me with a desire to always seek your spirit. Overwhelm my soul Lord God everyday of your glory. I pray all these things in your sons name, Amen. 

Zephaniah 2

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Under Moab and Ammon, it seems they have insulted and made threats against God’s people so God replies by saying how he’ll leave the cities in ruins like Sodom and Gomorrah and the remnant of (his) people will plunder them; the survivors of (his) nation will inherit their land. (v.9)

10This is what they will get in return for their pride,
for insulting and mocking
the people of the LordAlmighty.
11The Lord will be awesome to them
when he destroys all the gods of the earth.
Distant nations will bow down to him,
all of them in their own lands.

When I read this section of this chapter I was so hyped. I’m sure there are people you’ve faced that mocked God and have maybe even thrown you off by using God’s name in vain. (I feel that way all the time when my brother says it). But God is the King of Justice and we are his precious children. He’s like a parent that will not stand up for people who mock his children, his family, his name and he’ll protects us, open up people’s eyes in away where they are terrified of him and see him in awe. God is so good and so great and the best part is is that he is by our side and he is Ours.

Father God, thank you for loving us and thank you for awing us as well in all the glory of who you are. I pray that your presence will be so near this week, that our spirits will be lifted knowing that you are besides us and loving us and protecting us from any injustice we face. God we lift our burdens to you knowing that you will keep them in your hands. Thank you for being ‘our’ God. In Jesus name, Amen. 

And I will call upon your name
and keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in your embrace
For I am yours and you are mine

-Oceans by Hillsong United

Lamentation 5 – God Forsake His People?

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Jeremiah speaks of the state of God’s people how everything basically sucks and at the end writes,
v.19 – 22 You, Lord, reign forever;
your throne endures from generation to generation.
Why do you always forget us?
Why do you forsake us so long?
Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return;
renew our days as of old
unless you have utterly rejected us
and are angry with us beyond measure.
I remember Paster Ulysses speaking in apprenticeship training how our God is the same God throughout the bible and that he isn’t an angry God in the Old Testament and a loving, baby lamb holding God in the New Testament. So when I come to read things like “Why do you forsake us?” I would initially think, did Old Testament God forsake his people? But further thinking upon it, I think it’s natural for Jeremiah to think that God has forsaken them. That he left them in the rut to just rot away and have everything suck. Just as we think God has left us when times are rough.
When I think back to my first encounters with God, when I first came back to church in about two and half years ago, I remember being filled with bitterness and confusion. Why is my family going through this hard time? Why isn’t he fixing anything and why is he ‘letting’ this happen? Whenever I felt such bitterness, my family group leader (Jon Gong) would always say, “Doris, God is good.” Tears would run down my face because I wanted to except that fact so badly but the circumstances didn’t allow my heart to fully realize it.
God has never left my side and God’s timing is beyond our measure. So even now when I pray constantly for God to shed his light on my mom and see no change, I think to myself God, please HEAR my prayer because it feels like nothings happening. I come back to remind myself that God is working and it’s just a matter of MY faith and patience in Him.
Father God, you have been with me through everything, and I know you will always be with me through everything. So God, I pray, keep me strong, when waters get deep and my faith is tested, Lord let me be so strong in that you have faith in me. I think my faith is being tested everyday living in a household of non-believers but God, you are greater than my problems here in this temporary home. God you are able and you love is overly abundant so thank you so much for bringing me this far. Thank you for revealing your truths, pouring your grace and mercy, for carrying my burdens, and for lightening the weight on my heart by filling it with your spirit. God I pray for your strength to reside in me whenever my knees feel weak. Help me to be bold and so unafraid of this world. I love you, In Jesus name. Amen.