Compromise

There are just some people you don't get along with right? With all the conflicting personalities and interests, there is no way that I can get along with that person. Roommates begin as friends will end up hating each other; friends, who you thought you were cool with, begin to talk behind your back. There is a countless number possibilities of what one person can do to hurt another. I've been hearing so many roommate stories that its starting to get old. It is not that I don't care about the lack of compromise, but because I am sad that there is a lack of consideration and realization of Luke 10:27.

"He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

I am a hypocrite for writing this blog because I have [a] unsettled relationship[s]. Luke points it out very clearly to love the Lord AND your neighbor. Not one or the other; I believe that God would want his followers to obey His commands to love others as yourself rather than to hate others and just love Him only. I love God and this is why I will always attempt to love other people regardless of the situation. The basis of my love for you is because of who you are. The continuance and forgiveness of my love for you is because God tells me to never stop loving you when things go wrong. To forgive, let go, and to continue on encouraging one another in light of His's promises.

I believe that there is no such thing as no compromise. Although this is easier said than done, let God's will be done in that His love, in us and through us, shall endure forever.

Amen.

Messenger

I couldn't find a specific verse, but I just wanted to write. I shared a passage on Wednesday for Cornerstone's weekly prayer meetings. The message was about sinful habits based off of Hebrews 10:26. This passage was on my heart for the past week and I really wanted to share it with Cornerstone. Throughout the first two songs, I kept my eyes on the door hoping more people would come. As I finished up and dismissed everyone to go out and pray, that is when everyone started to walk through the door. As I was about to pray, a friend of mine saw me punching the wall and gave me a weird look. I sighed with disappointment and spoke with God for the alloted time.

I don't want to sound like all is well between me and God, but I wanted to share something that deeply convicted me; something that was also definitely applicable to Cornerstone. Despite the fact that I missed a few of my main points and my presentation was bleh, I was angry that there were so many late comers.

As we were about to close, my friend sat next to me and told me, "The people who needed to hear that message definitely missed out tonight. Don't be so hard on yourself. You are only God's messenger. Just let God and the Holy Spirit work their way into their hearts."

And that was it. I am just a messenger that relied a little too much on myself that day. I hope I realize that and really pray that I will continue to seek the Lord for assistance. I also pray that this messengers will get other opportunities to be a light for my Savior.

Amen..!

Pearly Whites

"He must increase, but I must decrease."

John 3:30

"How do you stay so happy all the time?"

I had to laugh a little when I was asked this. It is usually interesting how a non-Christian or a new believer views me. They tell me about life and complains about its hardship, yet they look at me. Am I an idiot? Has the world pushed me so far that I don't care anymore?

No!

When I was a young Christian, I had a group of guys that I always hung out with. I have to say that these guys were something else! They were funny, never uttered a single curse word, happy, optimistic, and just gung ho about everything. I thought that they were just a bunch of those closet angry people or something is missing in their heads, but no, something was definitely up.

.. and that was the love of Christ. As I was trying to comfort a friend, I explained, "I believe because I have seen; I have seen enough to know.. that God exists. I worship Him because He gave everything; gave and gave until He died. Likewise, I am trying to do the same because I know of this true Love. I am cheerful because I have the greatest Love in the world in my life!"

The response I got was something along the lines of, "Haha I should talk to you more often!"

Happiness isn't hard to come by. As a matter of fact, its usually right under your nose :)

Amen.

Prayer

For tonight's Cornerstone Large Group discussion, we talked about prayer. Prayer in the context of a sure "thing" that we have in our lives. Many of the responses that I got from my group was similar to things I have heard in the past before; this applies to me as well.

Our Prayers: selfish, only when we want something, only when we are happy, only when we
have time, easily forget to pray throughout our lives, non-existent prayer life.

It's time to stop fooling ourselves. When we say that God has been distant in our lives, who do you think is the one moving away? It sure as heck is not God that is running away from us.

Our lives revolve around so many things that it just pushes God to the back of our minds. We forget; but when we do remember, we are too busy and caught up with life to bring Him back.

I put it in this context: If you really cared for someone, what would be the one thing that you want them to have in their lives? God.

With God in your life, everything is bright and you should be able to taste the victory. Pray to your Lord and Savior because He is the most important thing in our lives; not because of what He does, but because of who He is.

Amen

Humble Hearts

For this is what the high and lofty One says--he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite."

Isaiah 57:15

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

James 4:10

God humbled me in terms of my abilities and what I can handle. I've heard stories from Purdue Alumni and how Cornerstone was run back in the past and I have to say, "WHOA!"

Having my heart and mind set, I thought that I had everything ready to be a small group leader. I was acting all high and mighty knowing that I had a direct influence on these people; I could actually save a life?? That gave me balls of steel.

But God gave me a wake up call. These abilities, emotions, wisdom, the knowledge, the leadership qualities, the laughter, the love was not of my own. I have been given provisions all my life and I've realized that I have not been giving enough credit to the One who gave it all. To humble myself to the One who is up in Heaven, knowing that this opportunity was given to me because of love for me.

Yes. A man who had everything came down to Earth to die for nothing worthwhile, but to choose to reside in this humbled heart of mine. Here I stand in humbleness and I am glad.

Amen.

And Naturally . . .

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:33

"O you of little faith?" Yep thats me. Holding a leadership position in Cornerstone, been walking with the Lord for so long, yet. . .

Like a pagan, I run towards things that I want. Oh man there are just somethings that I want with all my heart. I cannot disclose them for you, but considering the world, I long to conform. I considered God's provisions for me and for my future, but I am still wavering.

On my drive back to Woodfield today waiting on traffic, I prayed a loud prayer. "God that you would just continually change me from the inside out; so that I will seek you with all my heart. Things of this earth will not please me or love me like you do. Oh Lord, with all my brokenness, I come to you and lay my transgressions at your feet. God, I am an idiot."

Amen.

Profit and Salvation

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ...

Philippians 3:7-8

As a business major, the only word that sparks in my mind and everyone else around me is profit. A positive return on investments will make the world go around.

We look at the life of Jesus Christ. He came down from Heaven from the right hand side of God and made himself nothing. Nothing was to be gained in a worthwhile sense that would benefit God in anyway. Yet Christ died on the Cross to save all of our lives.

Now in the business world, Jesus would get fired for sure.

When I was a wee little Freshman, I was asked by my leader Tim Chou if I was interested in leading for Cornerstone during my Sophomore year. The opportunity seeker that I am, accepted immediately. At that point, all I wanted was the status that could be put on paper, you know, like my Resume. But by the grace of God, I soon realized that the reasons that I was serving were all wrong. My entire Sophomore year resulted in my own spiritual growth rather than me attempting to lead others to Christ.

And what a ride it has been! God has been so good to me through the people that He has allowed into my life and the things that He has shown me. There are ups and downs and downs and downs, but I will praise my Father in Heaven nonetheless.

I will probably take another perspective on this verse tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Amen.

Heart Failure

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:26

I am weak at heart. Scary movies, live performances, skits, singing in front of a crowd, COM 114 speeches, calling people up, you name it, I can't do it. I get the butterflies almost instantaneously as if I was actually a mutant butterfly man myself.

Just recently, an aura of dread and hopelessness has come upon me. It was very hard to see the light of things. I prayed for comfort and wisdom, but God did not deliver.

He did not deliver the one thing I wanted, but gave me something else instead: His Love.

I've recently realized how much I cannot do without depending on the Lord. My God, provider, portion, and redeemer. The Love that is the only one worthy to be considered true love.

So listen.



Through Him leading me through, I can lead Bible studies, I can pray in front of an entire church, I can share my testimony shamelessly, I can dance and sing, I can act a fool.. and a fool for God I can be!

Lord take this brokenness and piece it back together so that I can become more for you again.

Amen.

Scary

My Fear is this verse:

"... But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'"

Luke 13:25

This verse is from a passage titled "The Narrow Door" in Luke 13:22-30.

Many believe that they are saved. In America, numbers of people professing as Christians reach up to 80-90% yet how many of us really know Christ. Facebook profiles tell me that you're a Christian, but I do not see any fruits growing on your branches. Why this passage scares me so much is because "many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to".

This narrow path is Jesus Christ. We must realize that association with Christ will not bring us salvation, but identification with Him. Eating and drinking is not enough to maintain a solid foundational relationship with someone. We have to do more than that.

Relationships can never be one sided for it to work. This passage may infer that we need to do deeds/work in order to receive salvation, but is this not true? We need to run after God just as He sent His Son down to us.

Hearing "... But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'" sends a chill down my soul. Let us repent and trust in the Lord.

Amen.

Repentance is First

This is what the Sovereign Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, says "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it."

Isaiah 30:15

Living according to this verse goes against all human nature. We live to run and succeed. Society elects only those worthy of status and ability. And that is why the second part of this verse say, "but you would have none of it." We are innately fixed on solving problems by ourselves. You should look to no one because that is only a sign of weakness, which disproves your own ability.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Matthew 11:28-29

God wants us to rest in Him, not to be burdened over and over again with sin. Our salvation is not borne from a list of good deeds, but from out dependence on Him. With that we need to repent; to free ourselves from the burdens of this world, which drags us away from our Savior.

This week tore me apart. Exams, studying, misc. I was stressing out to the max. But I need to learn to take up the yoke that will give me rest, not the heavy yoke that I think I can carry by myself. The Lord calls us to rest on his gentle and humble yoke. And to do this, we need to repent.

When we repent, we are in agreement with God. And there is nothing else but rest when we are in unity with our Lord.

Amen.