what eve didn't know

EVE.
She should not have answered the serpent.
Should have ignored, turned off the phone, not be alone, go help her husband take care of other trees.

She should not have exaggerated God’s severity and downplayed God’s warning.
"You shall not eat or touch it.” When God said, “You shall not eat.”
“Or you will die.” When God said, “You will surely die.”

She did not need  ONE MORE.
One more tree. One more choice.
She already had everything women for all ages to come would ask for.

She should not have taken the serpent’s advice.
Yes, true to his word, her eyes were “opened.”
But the first thing she saw was her “nakedness” and shame.
True to his word, she knew good and evil.
But mostly that God had been good, and the serpent was really evil.
She opened her package and found that it was nothing she saw on the screen.
Cheap imitation. Fake. And labelled:
“No exchange” policy.

Don't bother talking with the serpent.
He will smooth talk you into forfeiting everything you have and will have
By making you think about the one thing you can’t have.
Don’t fall for his free “trial.”  Nothing’s free.
Someone has to pay for it
Somehow, somewhere, sometime.
Don’t take his rides.
They make your heart pump.
But you are not really touching the sky.
Don’t let his photoshop and smart editing fool you.
You're not his match.
When he attacks, he makes you feel thankful.
He makes you think it's "fate."
Remember: it is never “just coffee.”
There is no “just this once.”

Play it safe.
Not sure “Has God said?” Ask. God.
Are you getting all you deserve?” Of. Course. Not.
Look at the Cross.
Look at His hands and side.

Walk with your Savior.
Don’t hide in the bushes.
Get busy and live your life.
Stop chit chatting with the Serpent.

FOUR QUESTIONS AFTER THE RESURRECTION

"Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" (John 18:15) were the first questions Jesus asked after He rose from the dead.
Why are you weeping? Why am I weeping? 
What makes us feel that we're lost, we haven't found it, life is empty and futile?
It depends on whom we seek, isn't it?
If it's the Lord, He is right here.

The next question Jesus asked was to the disciples after their night of fishing.
"Children, you do not have any fish do you?" (John 21:5)
Have you been working all night - all your life - and not have any fish?
The disciples were smart.
They didn't say, "Well, we'd not been fishing for awhile, takes some getting used to." 
They didn't rationalize, "Well, failure is the mother of success."
They answered, "No."  Simply.  Honestly. No "because . . . ", "perhaps . . . " "maybe . . . ."
And the Lord blessed them with all the fish they could ever dream of.

Question number three was asked three times - bam, bam, bam.
It was that important.
"Do you love Me?" (John 21:16-17)
Peter might have rehearsed over and over again in his mind why he failed, why he should be selected again, why he needed a second chance.
But the only question he got at the most important job interview of his life was:
"Do you love Me?"
Not, "Are you sorry?" for sorry doesn't cut it.
Not, "What promises can you make to this company?" for promises aren't important.
Not "Do you love Japan?"  "Do you love the poor?" "Do you love to build houses?" "Do you love tending sheep?"
Just, "Do you love Me?"

Finally, the last question, "What is that to you?" (John 21:22)
Don't look at John. "If I want him to remain till I come, what is that to you?"
Don't look at this problem, that church, those people.  "If I delay a little longer to deal with them, of if I didn't deal with them, what is that to you?"

"You follow Me." (John 21:22)

Going For Bangladeshi Party Tomorrow (Reflections from Luke 10: 25-47

Tomorrow our Sunday school is joining some Bangladeshi workers for a fun fair.

Why do this? What are we proving? Does it even matter?

The answer lies in an interesting conversation where two questions were asked:

Here, a lawyer asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”

And Jesus replied, "Wrong question - we should instead ask: Am I a neighbor?”

What is a "neighbor"?

Not the priest or Levite.

Like the lawyer, they had the "theology" and knowledge, but they didn’t care, didn't love, were too busy with their ordered lives.

It was the Samaritan.

He was probably not of the same race as the man in need. Might not have known a lot of Bible. But he interrupted his "journey", stopped and cared.

Who is my neighbor today? The one I can help. The one I could avoid and nobody would question. The one everyone is avoiding.

To love a neighbor, one has to be: Compassionate (v 33). Color blind (v 33). Cross culture (v 33). “Come” to the person (v34). Won’t be Convenient (v35). May Cost us (v 35). May not get Compensated (v 35).

Reflections From Luke 9 - What is Your reality?

There is the Transfiguration, there is also the coming down from the mountain (9:28-37).

There is the call – but it comes with challenges. There is the up-in-the-cloud experience, there will also be the down-to-earth reality.

The crowd marveled- “were amazed” - at the miracles of Jesus; but they also missed His message of the cross (9:38-45).

The disciples yearned for the glory of greatness; but they also stumbled over the simplicity of service (9:46-48).

James and John got it right and had power and gifting; but they got it all wrong when they had no love for people (9:49-56).

The people on the road declared, “Yes Lord I will follow you wherever you go”; but they also said, “Lord, please let me go first to . . . and then I will come.” (9:57-62)

Jesus wants us to choose Him every day; but He also cautions, “. . . but the son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

Our living comes with the dying.

The higher way has the harder roads.

You want the Master; don’t miss the mission.

You want the rewards; but do you know the reality?

LESSONS ON THE POTTER’S WHEEL

The clay is a shapeless, squishy, lumpy lump.

The potter is an artist, creator, planner, master designer.

The clay hardens quickly and when that happens, nothing could happen.

The potter labors speedily - keeping the clay moist tirelessly, making everything happen.

The clay does nothing on the wheel.

It says nothing and does nothing except to shut up and stay still.

The potter does everything on the wheel.

He designs, he drives, he directs – according to his perfect plan and will.

The clay is soft and gentle; it takes whatever form the potter chooses.

The potter is meek and tender; he exerts only enough pressure on the clay to mold, not to mar, to bend, not to break.

Lord, help me to remember that I am just the clay.

I don’t drive the wheel. I don’t decide my shape. I don’t determine my ways.

I don't say, "I only want to be this" or "I only want to do that."

Help me to remember, Lord, that you – and you alone – are the potter.

You step on the pedal. You press, you pull. You twist, you turn.

You say, "I only want the best for you" and "I love you."

So whenever I feel bored – “Why so long?”

Uncomfortable – “What? Another squeeze?”

Fearful – “More water on me? Will I drown?”

Lost – “I can’t see where you’re going!”

Help me to never forget:

"Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10).

“You have enclosed me behind and before,

And laid Your hand upon me” (Ps 139:5).

You are the Potter - the artist, creator, planner, master designer.

And I - shapeless, squishy, lumpy - I am just the clay.

Thoughts on my birthday

Miscarriages: two.

Serious cried-myself-to-sleep-heartbreaks I could remember: four.

Close encounter with cancer (and healed by the grace of God): once.

Age started full-time ministry: 21.

Countries visited for ministry: around 50.

Countries lived in overseas (and had a baby): three.

Distracted, discouraged, sinned, repented, forgiven: countless.

People who prayed for me: more than I know.

God's bountiful grace and blessings - past, present and future: above and beyond what I could fathom, imagine or dream of.

Loved by one faithful man: almost 40 years.

Blessed by one beautiful daughter: 25 years.

Entertained by two interesting cats: 16 years.

What a life!

Thank you Jesus.

I am not afraid

I must not be afraid of the lows and downs of my life.

For without giants, there are no heroes.

Without challenges, there are no challengers.

No Goliath, no David's one-stone win.

No Midanites, no Gideon and his 300 men.

In my life, I have met many moments of trials and traps.

But God turns them into tools to train me, and build my trust and tenacity.

I have faced my share of Pharaohs and Pharisees.

But God uses them to push me to my knees. And to pursue authenticity and pay attention to Him.

Yes, I must not be afraid of the lows and downs of my life.

Though I feel weak now, I shall be strong.

I see obstacles, but by His power I will overcome.

No giants, no heroes.

No challenges, no challengers.