~ John 14.28-31 NLT

"The ruler of this world" is not Jesus, but "he has no power over [Jesus]", thus Jesus can "do what the Father requires of [him]".

Fast forward to today. I cannot say the ruler of this world has no power over me, no I cannot. But he still has no power over Jesus. And Jesus has asked the Father to send the Holy Spirit (John 14.16).

I know the Holy Spirit is with me to be my liaison with the Father. And to help me do what the Father requires of me, because I love the Father.

See: The Helper

Many people maximise their efforts on worldly gains while some dedicate their lives to do God's will. God's will does not exclude disciples from worldly comfort, but the objective is his will, in the here and now, and his way not my way.

It is a different mindset. Do I choose mammon or God? This is something I need to be conscious in my daily thoughts and decisions. What does it mean to choose God for X, Y, and Z?

And I ought to think beyond today. My decisions today will influence future decisions. I ought to choose wisely.

"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 mammon [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord]."

~ Matthew 6.24 AMP

See: Every choice leads to another choice

As I get older, my life feels a bit better as I stop over-worrying small stuff. When something does not meet my expectation, is it small stuff or big stuff? If small stuff, is it consequential or just annoying? If inconsequential, I ought not make a fuss.

This way, I annoy others less and I get upset less. Win win. And when I get upset less frequently, life is more enjoyable.

I ought to make the small stuff enjoyable as best I can, without insisting perfection on others. I do not always succeed, but I try.

And when the big thing comes, I will be better prepared to trust him and surrender it to him.

See: A process steadily maintained

~ John 14.16-17 AMP

By "born again", a disciple is born again in the Spirit, not physically. The mark of a born-again disciple is the ability to "see" or know the Holy Spirit.

It is very difficult for the world to understand why disciples do what disciples do, because they have not experienced the Holy Spirit in their lives.

Lord, help me help others experience the Holy Spirit through my life.

~

Related: I want to see you

~ John 14.15 NLT

Some Christians trust Jesus, but do not love him - as proven by their life of disobedience to Jesus' commandments.

I ought not be like that. I trust Jesus and I love him and I choose to obey him.

See: Trust vs obey

~ John 14.6-7 AMP

What is God's will for me?

Study what Jesus taught and reflect on it; that is how I can know God the Father's will. His will is clear - what did Jesus teach?

Most of the time, God's will by way of Jesus' teaching is easy to understand. Not necessarily easy to obey due to my own selfishness and what not.

~ John 14.1 NLT

Can I trust Jesus, if I do not trust God?

Jesus came from God. If I do not trust God, how can I trust Jesus?

And Jesus speaks only what the Father speaks. If I do not trust Jesus' words, then I do not trust God's words.

Trusting God the Father goes "hand in hand" to trusting Jesus.

~ John 13.37 AMP

Hypothetically, I ought to say the same: "I will lay down my life for Jesus." Hypothetically.

If a life-threatening circumstance were to arise, am I confident I will? Hard to say.

Dear God the Father,
please keep it away from me
so I would never face it,
but if it is thy will,
please give me divine strength
not just to live for you,
but also to die for you

"The greatest gift you’ll ever receive is who you eventually become."

"Happiness is only found by pursuing something else."

"You only find what matters by giving up what doesn't."

~ David Gipson, "Seven Surprises"

David Gipson wrote about a different topic, but his words remind me of this.

Pursue Jesus for his sake only, not for what I gain through him; not happiness, nor riches, nor glory, and - dare I say - not salvation either. If I only care about the salvation that I gain from him, then I risk of seeing Jesus as a "tool" for my benefit. And it must not be.

I am drawn by Jesus. And that is reason alone for me to pursue him. If God sees me worthy of salvation, amen to that, then I am saved.

"Saved" without pursuing Jesus is a contradiction. Does Jesus draw your heart to him? If not, pursue Jesus and have a personal relationship with him.

They think the extra effort can improve their odds.

Many Christians also think that way. But the Bible is clear on this: without the Cross, no amount of effort will ever be enough. Jesus is the only assurance there is.

When one is not confident in Jesus' sufficiency, he / she will make his / her own effort to compensate it in his / her life. And it shows.

But when I am confident in Jesus' sufficiency - that he is the only assurance I need, I will live according to his words.

See: Heart close to him

And this morning, a few years into the project, I reflected on how my faith has grown through doing this project. And it hit me.

In ministering others, God has been ministering me.

Amen to that.

On the other hand, what is the real impetus to get into the labour pool earlier? Most likely is the need or the desire to get into paying job. And do it well to advance in the career and earn more pay.

At the same time, as Christians, we trust in God's provisions and ought to live a lifestyle that serve God, not money. There is no need to rush through life stages. Our final destination is guaranteed in Jesus.

Lord,
help me to "not worry about tomorrow"
and may I not rush through life
so I do not miss your blessings today

See: Why rush?

~ John 13.21-22 NLT

I am blessed that I live in a place where I can worship Jesus without persecution. I pray I never will end up in such a challenging situation. However, if God wills me to go serve him somewhere difficult and a dangerous situation arise, I pray he will give me the strength to stay loyal no matter the consequence.

Jesus already died for me on the cross.

"Though none go with me, still I will follow. No turning back, no turning back." (Old hymn: "I have decided to follow Jesus")

See: The cross before me

~ John 13.20 AMP

The point of receiving Jesus is to receive God the Father and all that implies: for God to rule in every aspect of my life.

Jesus is "the way" to the Father; he is not the destination, God the Father is.

"Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. If you had [really] known Me, you would also have known My Father. From now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”"

~ John 14.6-7 AMP

Imperfection is the sign of existence. As long as I exist, I am imperfect -- a work in progress. The keyword is "progress". I ought to keep progressing toward perfection. One day at a time. And painfully, others are imperfect too. Accept them. Jesus accepts them as much as he accepts me, imperfect and all. I do not need to be perfect for Jesus to love me. So I ought to love others, too, with their imperfections.

"To err is human." Mistakes happen. Do not dwell on it, reflect on it, learn from it, and do not repeat it. When others make mistakes, focus on facts and be positive: do not make the mistake more painful that it already caused, but correct lovingly.

Move on. Do not stand still. Change to be like Jesus, step by step.

Be responsible with spending, but enjoy life. Do not accumulate money just for the sake of having more. Money is a tool to accomplish God's purpose and life's objectives.

Dear Holy Spirit
please remind me always
to treat others as Jesus would
and to decide as Jesus would
so that my life would
serve the Holy Father's purpose

~ John 13.13-15 NLT

Ego gets in the way. Self-interest takes priority over others' - fellow believers or not.

The world can become a much better place, if Christians everywhere would follow this command.

See:
Do what I have done
Deserving notwithstanding

Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”"

~ John 13.4-7 NLT

Jesus washed my feet. Not physically, but figuratively. He washed the feet of all his disciples then and now; and I am his disciple, too.

When and in what circumstance, I honestly do not recall. And I think it is for me to reflect and, hopefully someday, "understand what he is doing".

But I am certain he washed my feet.

See:
Wash my feet?
Wash their feet?

~ John 12.42-43

It sounds odd to put the approval of God lower than men. After-life is eternal and men is just years or decades. God controls every aspect of my life and men can only influence a few things. God satisfies through and through; men only on the surface and temporarily at that.

And yet in real life, small decisions happen without deep thought whether it is for the approval of men or God. Truthfully, I do not think much of it, if at all. I need to slow down and reorient my intents, desires, and habits. As much as possible, stop and think: is this for the approval of God or not?

Related: Promised rest (2)

~ John 12.26 AMP

To follow Jesus, I must conform to his example and hold steadfastly to him.

Many people say they follow Jesus, but they do not wholeheartedly want to conform to his example. They accept "salvation" and reject conformance to Jesus at the same time.

Okay, 100% conformance to Jesus 100% of the time for human might be out of reach. But the heart of the matter is the heart: the sincere intent and effort to hold steadfastly to Jesus and not to my own fleshly desire.

I fail from time to time, but with all my heart, I sincerely try to conform to Jesus all the time.

Dear God
please help

~ John 12.9-11 NLT

Some people will not be happy when many believe in Jesus. And if I am the cause of that, then they will not be happy with me either.

But far greater is my joy, if because of me many deserted their sins and believe in Jesus, because that is what the Lord rejoice in, i.e. when the lost sheep is found.

Lord,
may my life be impactful
so others may believe
because of me

~ John 12.4-6 AMP

Judas' end came abruptly. So I speculate there was not much interactions with the other disciples to reveal anything new about his behaviour, aside from selling out Jesus. So the other disciples, or at least John (the author and also one of the twelve) knew that Judas used to pilfer from the money box.

The disciples knew, but did not raise this up to Jesus (or at least it seemed not). Why?

In my daily life as a disciple, if I see misconduct in the ministry or in the church, it is important that I reflect on the potential consequences and investigate the truth in humility and lovingly. It is better to prayerfully address it, before it gets worse and drag the ministry or the church down in the future.

I ought not be nosy and gossipy. But if I happen to know, then I need to ask the Spirit for guidance.

Jesus knew about Judas, of course. And God knows about all misconducts in the ministry or church that I am involved in. And if I know of one, then I can be God's instrument of peace to lovingly mitigate it.

“What are we going to do?” they asked each other. “This man certainly performs many miraculous signs. If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.”"

~ John 11.45-48 NLT

Looking at the condition of people's hearts, it is conceivable that the same argument can repeat. If "everyone will believe in him", it will destroy some group's profitable way of life and they will do everything in their power to counter that. Their self-preservation takes priority over God's commission.

Satan gets blamed all the time, but in reality he works through willing hearts - through people who think of their interests as more important than God's interests. Even here and now.

Not so with me, Lord
please make me your faithful instrument
to serve your purpose

"Jesus came and told his disciples, 'I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations ...'"

~ Matthew 28.18-19 NLT

~ John 11.41-42 NLT

God works in ways that are different than how I would do things. Frequently uncomfortably different, but his ways are always better than mine.

Always, he does it for my sake, so my faith would grow.

When Jesus saw her weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.”

Then Jesus wept.

The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!” But some said, “This man healed a blind man. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?”

Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them."

~ John 11.32-39 NLT

"A deep anger welled up" - why was Jesus angry?

His arrival at the scene was planned and timed by himself. He knew Martha and Mary would be sad, so he was not angry because Mary was weeping. He also wept with her.

Jesus was angered by "the other people wailing with [Mary]". Possibly, these are also those who remarked "Couldn't he have kept Lazarus from dying?" Reading further down, I wonder if these are the same people as the stone-hearted unbelievers.

"Many of the people who were with Mary believed in Jesus when they saw this happen. But some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done."

~ John 11.45-46 NLT

Why were they so jealous and so insecure?

Do not be like them. God loves and forgives. Love him and love others.

~ John 11.8-16 NLT

"One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”"

~ John 20.24-25 NLT

Thomas wanted to know from first-person experience: "unless I see and put my fingers". Prior to the cross, although the Gospel does not tell the story, Thomas already had his first-person experience with Jesus. That was why he could say: "Let's go, too - and die with Jesus."

One does not choose to go and die with Jesus out of "doubt". Once Thomas committed, he went all the way with Jesus. To the point of his death telling others about Jesus in faraway land (India).

~ John 10.1-3 NLT

Lazarus was Jesus' "dear friend". How did they meet and how did their friendship develop?

If I fall ill, others would pray for my healing, but would they pray: "Jesus, your dear friend is ill"?

Dear Jesus
please help me change
so others can say
that I am your "dear friend"

See:
As a friend (2)
As a friend

~ John 9.32-33 NLT

There are many souls who are spiritually born blind. They have never known God's grace. Only his Spirit can "open their eyes".

And I am his instrument.

Dear God
may my life serve your purpose
and help others see you

Sabbath is special in the lives of the Israelites, although in modern days, appreciation of Sabbath is a bit diluted with so many worldly distractions compared to when Jesus was on earth. Back then, life around Sabbath was more culturally focused on God. And this permeates all aspects of the their lives.

They knew as a society, they "fellowship" with God on Sabbath. They were more aware of God's presence on Sabbath.

In other words, they were more ready for the miracles.

Hearts that are not ready, do not experience miracle. Remember Nazareth: "And so [Jesus] did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief." (Matthew 13.58 NLT)

And likewise with me. God would bring me through experiences and circumstances (difficult as they may be) to prepare my heart, so my heart would be ready for his miracle. And when I am ready, I can see the miracle clearer.

See:
Shape of miracle
Size of miracle

Then they took the man who had been blind to the Pharisees, because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them."

~ John 9.8-16 NLT

Much has been said about the Prarisees, but not enough about the instigators - "his neighbours and others who knew him as a blind beggar".

Instead of rejoicing with the healed blind beggar, the "neighbours" made a big deal out of a little mud. Instead of loving and accepting this beggar, they sought out justification to continue to discriminate him.

They did not love the healed beggar as their "neighbour". No, they were envious of God's miracle for him!

Do not be like them.

"You will be doing the thing if you obey the law of the Kingdom, which is found in the scripture, “Love your neighbour as you love yourself.” But if you treat people according to their outward appearance, you are guilty of sin, and the Law condemns you as a lawbreaker."

~ James 2.8-9 GNB

See:
My neighbour (3)
My neighbour

~ John 9.6-7 NLT

Jesus did not need to use his saliva and mud to heal this man who was born blind. His word would be enough and, not content with that, Jesus told the blind man to go wash in the pool of Siloam.

The blind man had to trust Jesus and had to make the trip. Many people knew of this blind man and they could see there was mud on his eyes as he made the trip. He was blind and so he could not speed up the trip. Possibly, there was a friend who helped him make the trip. The blind man had to exercise his faith to get his sight.

At times, Jesus also uses "mud" on my eyes. So my faith gets stronger and my "vision" is aligned with his.

See: He used mud

~ John 9.4 NLT

God does not always give specific details, but when he imparts in my heart to do something at a given time, I ought not delay doing it and I ought not tarry.

Of course I would often debate the details. Does he mean this or that? Does he mean "now" now, or as soon as the condition is right? Am I the right person for this?

I will never know everything, but all he asks is for me to trust him. Trust that leads to complete obedience to "quickly carry out the tasks he assigns to me".

~ John 8.56-58 AMP

Did it mean Abraham witness Jesus' birth in Betlehem? How did it work? And how will I experience after-life? Will I be able to observe the happenings on earth after my death? Or is that a priviledge reserved only for the likes of Abraham? Cross-referencing the story of Lazarus and the rich man, the rich man asked Abraham to warn his family.

My take on this is that, I will experience "time" after my death. I will not die and wake up in the future time after Jesus' coming. I will continue to "be" through my death and after-life. Death is just a door where I pass through to a new stage of my experience with God - where I experience him without this physical body but fully in spirit.

If so, how should this understanding change my life here and now?

I am not here on my own, but he sent me. Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me?

Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”

~ John 8.42-47 NLT

Do I belong to God? Do I listen gladly to his words? Do I tell the truth like Jesus?

Be wary of the deceipts from the "father of lies".

Follow Jesus. Tell the truth. Listen / read his words gladly every day. Belong to God.

~ John 8.34-36 NLT

Obedience to God seems restrictive from the outside, but inside, Jesus sets me truly free. Whereas disobedience enslaves me to sin, regardless how "fun" it seems from the outside. What I can perceive from the outside about others' lifestyles can mislead.

In Jesus I have true freedom, inner peace, and joy.

See:
Freedom
Freedom (2)

~ John 8.31-32 NLT

Discipleship is a mindset. I am Jesus' disciple as long a I "remain faithful to his teachings". If I do not, then I am not truly his disciple. Discipleship is a continuous process for as long as I live. And faithfulness is revealed by the daily decisions that I make: to remain faithful or to follow the world. Every single decision.

And when I fall down, I get back up to follow his teachings. To look forward and onward, instead of getting dragged down by the past mistakes.

Oh Holy Spirit
please give me strength to be faithful
every day

See: To be his disciple

~ John 8.16 NLT

Believing leads to experiencing the Father. Experience leads to conviction which leads to commitment. Commitment is the start of obedience and through obedience, the experience with the Father becomes more vivid.

They come as a package. One without the other makes it incomplete.

The confidence to say "the Father is with me" comes from experiencing his presence then and there. Not a vision or a dream, but pragmatic daily involvements. It is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that needs maintaining. "Working the faith", so to speak.

Oh Holy Spirit
please help me daily

~ John 7.40-43 NLT

"The crowd was divided" then and they are still divided now about who Jesus truly is. Societies have evolved and news / communication technologies have advanced, but the matter of personal faith has not become resolved. Many have come to follow Jesus and many have chosen to ignore him.

It all comes down to personal decision. And what say you about Jesus?

God came through, of course, and the project evolved as he engineered the circumstances around me. The project survives not because of me - it is his doing.

As I look back, I know that this project ministers to me a great deal. My faith grows in unexpected ways. I am the one being ministered by God.

Thank you God.

Related: Ministry

~ John 7.37-38 NLT

I can try to accumulate wealth, fame, and glory in this world, but they cannot satisfy. Only Jesus can satisfy my soul's thirst for contentment and inner peace.

Jesus is the living water.

Related: Living water

Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”

~ John 7.19-24 NLT

Hypocrisy and self-righteousness is a nasty combination that often goes undetected by myself. I need to humbly listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and not drown it with my own inner voice.

Sometimes the Lord sends someone; like when he sent Nathan to David. But frequently he speaks softly to warn me. Either way, I need to listen and be true to his leading.

~ John 7.14-15 NLT

In modern times, there are ways to self-train on various topics. One ought to be careful to select good and trustworthy sources of learning. And most importantly, to pray much and to inquire guidance from God. God is the source of knowledge.

I want to open myself up to keep learning.

~ John 7.12 AMP

Doing God's work can be misunderstood by others and that is discouraging. It is important to be introspective and be sure: am I really doing this for God and according to his leading?

If yes, then I ought to keep at it.

~ Matthew 6.3-4 NLT

Give in private and do not draw attention to myself. The gifts are always from God, of which I am only a courier whom he assigns to bring the gifts to the person in need.

To God be all the glory.

At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.”"

~ John 6.59-69 NLT

The twelve disciples (minus Judas) knew well why they followed Jesus and why that mattered more than everything the have left behind to follow Jesus. It did not mean they never had lapses of judgment nor fear. They were human after all.

But they always turned back to Jesus and committed their lives for him, even to their deaths.

Dear God,
please steady my faith
to follow you wherever your Spirit leads
and to do your works

See: The cross before me

~ Author unknown

Extending this further, "without God" - in this case - means "without God in charge" or without God in the proper place. And the proper place for him is to be the ruler of my life and my everything.

"Godlessness" is not just about other people doing things "Christians" morally object to. It also applies to me putting my self in the place where only belongs to God.

The times when I am being selfish and put myself before God - these are the times of godlessness. For God is holy and he alone is God. There can be no other.

That is not from God. Jesus never taught that. Jesus himself did not seek his happiness.

I must not confuse "pleasing God" with "making God happy" (in the same way as making someone happy). God does not seek "happiness". He is above that in ways I do not and can never understand. "Pleasing God" is obeying him. "Making God happy" misses the point of following him.

Whatever I do, I cannot make God "happy nor unhappy". God does not need anything or anyone to make him "happy".

How would this change my mindset and my relationship with God?

See: To be happy

Why?

What if God need not fix "it"?

Who am I to say that the world ought to conform to my way? What if "it" happens because "it" is not broken, but by God's design?

It is me who needs fixing. And I am accountable to fix myself.

~ Matthew 16.24 AMP

It is very difficult to deny my self for Jesus. Very difficult.

And it is even more difficult to deny my self for others. But for Jesus' sake, this is the implication of following him.

Maybe I can start with those I love and work my way from there. May God help me.

Going unnoticed by people ought not change that.

To be in God's will is enough.

Problems come when your opinion is incorrect. And worse, you also convey your opinion in unloving ways. And even worse, when presented with the opposing facts you still think your incorrect opinion holds more weight than the verified facts.

Some people are like that.

And I am to love them anyway.

Jesus did not say 'love your sweet neighbours'. He said 'love your neighbours' and this includes all my neighbours. All.

It is easy to be forgiven of my sins and receive salvation, but following Jesus is not that easy.

~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon

A bit harsh, but probably very true. A church without the Spirit of God is not really God's church. A building or group of people that pretend to be "a chruch" dishonours God.

Today, it is unthinkable what life is without some sort of calendar system. Different cultures have different calendar system and their own holidays and we all adjust our lives accordingly.

In heaven, what will the calendar system look like?

In heaven, everyday is a day to worship God.

What about now on earth?

Everyday can be / ought to be a day to worship God, too, right? If so, how would that change how I live out today? And everyday?

~ John 6.44-45 NLT

Not all who the Father draws will follow Jesus. Free will means one can reject his call. Those who listens to the Father and follow Jesus, has access to "be taught by God".

The Holy Spirit helps us understand his teachings when I seek him. And the response the Father asks is my obedience.

Thank you God
and please help me
understand accurately
and obey

~ John 6.35 NLT

Logic does not explain everything all the time. Some things cannot be explained with logic. Aside from your physical needs, do you hunger and thirst for something more in your life?

Come to Jesus and believe him.

I once went on a trip to a place without running water. I managed. I knew ahead of time and prepared for it mentally.

But to not have clean running water at home - that messed up my headspace a bit. Clean running water is an integral facility that I use daily without thinking. So when that service was degraded significantly and then restored: wow! So nice. I appreciate it a lot.

Enjoying life is about enjoying God's blessings daily, which are plenty around me. I just have to notice them more.

Related: Content

Lately I have been thoughtful and deliberate in how I spend money. But yesterday I bought something without much thinking. I was being a bit impulsive and wreckless. That was my pride in action.

Thank God the result was not too destructive, but it left quite a hole in my "wallet" nonetheless. 😳

"Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall."

~ Proverbs 16.18 NLT

Money and pride combination is quite a force that hide in subtle nuances. Undetected until I see the trail it leaves behind.

Dear God
please help me be cautious
of pride
everyday
and in everything

~ John 6.28-29 NLT

God only asks one thing! Only one.

And if I truly believe, the rest will follow: obedience, changed heart and mind, love for others. If I truly believe, I will seek first the kingdom of God.

One thing leads to others. This one thing is the secret to lasting change.

I make decisions based on my limited perception at any given time. I have to keep reminding myself on the big picture and on the long term implications. Years from now, will I look back to this moment and still agree? Would I give it the same importance and urgency?

If I would not, then how would I do differently?

Oh Holy Spirit
please grant me patience and courage
to choose what you regard to be more important