Tithes and Offering

 

I used to be hesitant about tithing 10%, but one day I looked at my paycheck and saw that I gave the government more than 10%. It occurred to me that... hey, if I can give the government that much, and honestly, it wasn't as big of an amount as I thought it was, then why can I give God that much? 

A lot of times, when we hear 10%, it sounds big, but when we look at the actual amount, it isn't as big as we think, and we can have the confidence to give it to God... because we should.

My friend encouraged me to tithe and gave me this Bible verse, which I still reflect on whenever I hesitate to tithe:

Malachi 3:10
10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

This is the only place where God asks us to test Him... and we should! I hope this encourages someone to tithe, too :)

The Blind Leading the Blind

In the Bible it is written:

He also told them this parable: "Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? - Luke 6:39

Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit." - Matthew 15:14

As an English Instructor in Japan, I am constantly on the alert to check my student's English and to correct them accordingly.

Today, a student was telling me how his English teacher in junior high school taught him to say a word (which was the absolutely incorrect way to say it)... and when he told me proudly, I felt heartless to break it to him that he was taught incorrectly.... When I told him, he was very surprised... and insisted that she was a junior high school certified teacher, she is Japanese though. After some convincing and going as far as taking out an online dictionary to prove that what I'm saying is correct, he finally gave in and admitted that she was wrong.

This leads me to think back during my devotions that when I am associated with "Christians" who would tell me exactly what is right or wrong... and it makes me feel... how can you tell me when you aren't 100% sure yourself?

(this was sitting at the bottom of my drafts so I decided it was time to take it out)

a month till Christmas!

Wounds

It is true when they say you hurt those when you are hurt inside.

It saddens me to realize how much I have hurt those around me and it is because I am broken and wounded.

After reflecting and having a conversation with a very good friend of mine, I realize how most of what I think and feel are actually all in my head.

I am broken and this is why I need Jesus, I need God, I want to be healed.

I am wounded. We live in a sinful world and during the conversation with my friend, I realized how a lot of what I perceived was due to bad experiences.

My wounds speak louder than my heart. Everything I do is driven by my wounds to protect me from being hurt again... what I didn't know what how I ended up hurting my friend... what I thought I was going to protect myself ended up hurting my friend just like how I was wounded/hurt in the past.

I now understand the bible verse

"Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it."
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

When I was young, I did not guard my heart and ended up allowing the wrong people in it. Whenever I experience a similar feeling or occasion, I assume the worst, I pick up on similarities... what I thought was protecting myself ended up hurting the people around me.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I thank you for showing me what is in my heart and why certain patterns appear in my life. I want to change that and break the chain. I want to be healed from the wounds of rejection and anything else that has caused me pain and I don't want to be broken. I know how I feel is not normal and not who you made me to be. Please fix me.

I pray for those I have hurt, May their hearts be healed and if You are willing, may our relationships be healed.

I pray this in Jesus' name, amen.

Sarcasm

Ephesians 4:29 says:
Don't say anything that would hurt [another person]. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you.

My whole life I thought sarcasm was fun, a joke, something to spice up a conversation, and even a way to show others that I'm fluent and "cool".

I never understood how it affected me or others until today. I hurt a friend through sarcasm today and I finally learned the hard way how it can be damaging. Right after the words left my mouth, I wanted to take them all back, chew on them and swallow them so that they can never be heard again.

Matthew 12:34-37 says: 

 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Here are a few points I drew from this experience:

• Sarcasm is damaging because it hurts others as an expense to make you feel superior
• It hurts even if you aren't on the receiving end.
• It confuses people.
• It does not tell the receiver your real intentions (lying)
• It is evil because it hurts people, belittled them and takes away joy... in other words, sarcasm steals and destroys.
• It is rude
• It can ruin someone's reputation

John 10:10 says:
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

And this is what sarcasm does...


Sent from my iPhone

midnight thoughts

Isaiah 41:10

so, I've started doodling (ahem... art work)

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. - Isaiah 41;10

What assuring words from our Lord, the creator of heaven and earth, the most powerful and the most loving God, the King of Kings.

I have recently been struggling with cabin fever (struggling might be too strong a word) and I have been reflecting on burdens I left behind in Toronto and burdens which continue to haunt me from Tokyo,

My Father gave me such a reassuring verse, so I was inspired to make this simple drawing as a reminder to never forget. He helps me, He loves me, He cares... He is my hope.

food for thought

I am living by this

Thank You Jesus for the reminder

God vs the enemy

For those who need to hear this:

No matter how you sin against, hurt or disappoint God, He will continue to love you, protect you and give you the best.

No matter how you please the devil or sin, the devil will always aim to destroy you, hurt you, kill you and steal from you.

So... shouldn't it be obvious whose side you want to be on?

Fear

Fear is real. It determines what we will do, it steers us into a path of mistakes and wrong decisions.

When someone is living in fear, you can tell what their next steps will become. They are not only predictable, but they also dig their own grave.

One of my struggles is fending off my fears. I sometimes let my emotions get to me, so I am unable to see a clearer picture and end up making the wrong decisions.

My mid-year challenge for myself is to not be driven by fear, not be controlled by fear.

sun and clouds

So... how do I do this? Easy, speak to God more, let Him be my first resource, read the Bible and let His truths sink into me so I am deeply rooted. As the Bible says in Psalms 1:3 "He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water. Which yields its fruit in its seasons And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers" also in Jeremiah 17:8 "He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit."

Does Being a Christian Make You a Loser?

No. Being a Christian doesn't make you more or less of a loser. If you are a loser when you are a Christian, you aren't going to suddenly be cool... Christianity doesn't make you less cool... being cool really depends on who you are and where you are.

I have seen a lot of Christian friends fall away from Christ because they felt it would be cooler. They took the route of being "cool", they started using God's name in Vain, but when you look at their lives... they are a complete mess.

Without the discipline of Christian values to actually keep the loser grounded, they are wrecks: Friends with people who aren't "friends", going into relationships which leads them nowhere, "enjoying" freedom without any purpose, no growth (knowledge, wisdom), and giving lies and excuses after each lie and excuse and wasting away life, completely hopeless. Not attracting the right kinds of friends (when you didn't have good friends as a Christian, what makes you think you can attract them when you aren't? People are attracted by your personality, NOT by your religion or lack thereof)

So if you ask me, if being a Christian makes you a loser? no... at least you are a loser with God, at least you have hope, at least you know what is right from wrong... you aren't afraid because you have Him¹, at least you are going somewhere, but without Him, you don't even have that.


________________________________________
¹ "... for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." - 1 John 4:4

a good reminder

I'm going to take this to the challenge...

I saw this on Feb. 2nd.

This will be published on the 13th.

These are the prayers I will pray:

1. for a relationship to go through, that God takes our good and our bad, that this relationship will work, be reconciled.
2. for the situation at work to be fixed.

Angry Conversations with God

I revisited this book after having read it 4-5 years ago.

Over the past few years, I have read tons of books similar to this one and I came to a conclusion that while they are a good reminder that we all struggle, they don't help us in other ways. Each and every relationship with God is unique and the way He speaks to us is different.

We are all uniquely and wonderfully made in Him,

Books like these cannot guide us if we pray like this or if we do exactly what this person did, God will do this. There is simply no formula. When we read the bible, there are various ways people approach problems and God answers in different ways.

Back in 2014, I remember struggling to talk to God and people will use their experience, bible experiences and even books like these to help me... but none of them worked. I would get upset because I couldn't understand why when I follow exactly what people did, read exactly what they read, had the exact mentality and yet God didn't seem to respond to me. I come to the conclusion that my experiences are unique, my wounds are unique, I am unique; so God had a different way to handle me and shape me. Even the way we communicate is different.

Each and every journey with God is unique... and I'm still discovering mine's.

If you are struggling with your relationship with God, just ask Him, while others can share with you their journey, at the end of the day, it is between you and God.

fellowship

plate called Joy

it is always such joy to pray, worship and eat together :D

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.
Matthew 18:20 (NIV)

I don't know where to begin to say just how true this verse is. The older I am, the more I feel this... when I gather with fellow brothers and sisters, I feel the Holy Spirit working within us, reminding us and enabling us to love each other.

How does God love?

heart shaped leaf

While going Fall Colours touring in Gunma, I came across this leaf, it was heart shaped. Immediately, my emotions rushed to my heart... it was as if God was saying "I love you". 

If you had asked me a year ago, I would have considered you ridiculous to even think that such a mere coincidence could be God's doing. But after all the bible studies, the small groups and sermons I can confidently say God REALLY REALLY loves us. He doesn't expect much from us. Only asks us to believe and trust in Him. (Believe me... this is MUCH easier said than done...)

A few weeks ago, I came across a question at BSF which asks: How does the Old Testament show the righteousness God gives is apart from the law? (referring to Romans 3:21-23)

Genesis 15:6 

6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

all we have to do is believe... and He will count it as us being righteous. Isn't that just beautiful and generous of God? We don't have to do anything and we can be righteous. It is not done by our works but by our trust and belief in Him.

Jeremiah 31:33-34

33 

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel

after that time,” declares the Lord.

“I will put my law in their minds

and write it on their hearts.

I will be their God,

and they will be my people.

34 No longer will they teach their neighbor,

or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’

because they will all know me,

from the least of them to the greatest,”

declares the Lord.

“For I will forgive their wickedness

and will remember their sins no more.”

isn't it beautiful how after all we have done to Him: breaking the laws He specified we MUST keep, hurting Him, disobeying Him... etc He forgives us and calls us HIS people and puts Himself as our God? 

we don't deserve it... yet... He loves us THIS much...

Ezekiel 36:26-27

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
God can make miracles happen... He can restore our hearts so that we can be right with Him. He would perform miracles on us when we fail so that we can keep His laws...

New Testament:

After all that... we still fail, we continue to sin. So God decided to give us His own son, Jesus. He allowed Jesus to die, to be punished so we can be saved. It might not sound like much... but consider this: if you told a lie and someone took the blame for it. How would you feel?

And... this isn't just a lie... it is all the bad things we thought of and even did... He took it all... on that cross. It might not sound like much... you say? yes... other criminals were crucified... but what He did and what others cannot do is... He took God's wrath... the amount of hatred that God has for sin... He took it all (so we won't have to)... and all He asks of us is to believe in Him and all of this will be given to us... if we believe, we will be protected by Jesus... and won't be punished for all the wrong we have said, done and thought of.

If He can loves us THIS much... why can't He give us a heart shaped leaf to say "I love you"?

Needy bride of Christ?

disagreement

Am I a needy "wife"?

Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father walked out on me just 2 months into our spiritual marriage and never came back... The last word I heard from them was I was too needy... I have to be more independent...

But... This is me... He knows it... He created me... He knows I need HIM! Or else... Why do I need this marriage... This baptism?

Fast forward to 8 years later, I continue to seek... Yet I do not find... I knock but the door does not open... I had a miserable time without the presence of Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father... I feel tricked into baptism... if I wasn't baptized yet... maybe I would still have a good relationship with Him. 

Sigh... I just want to talk to Him like I used to... I just want our relationship to grow... I miss the relationship and moments we shared... The time we had before my baptism... Before I declared I was His and He was mine's...

Why did He leave? Why is He not responding to me!??!?!?! Why can't He just show His face?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!

Earthly relationships Parallel heavenly relationships

relationships

I managed to make a connection with my relationships with men. I don't care whether He is my spiritual husband (Jesus Christ) or whether he is an earthly potential (Mr. K).... They are all the same... Once they know they have you... They will abandon you...

Why are all men the same? Is that why the bible says "So God created mankind in his own image..." Genesis 1:27

man and woman

God, Jesus Christ... men... (specifically men I like) are all the same... when they want to pursue you... they will do ANYTHING... but when they know you are hooked... then they take you for granted...

Before I got baptized, Jesus, God... it was so obvious they tried to hard to pursue me... to love me and to always be in my presence and make it known they are there... but after my baptism... they just drifted off...

Mr. K is the same... before I started liking Mr. K he would always message me and get my attention... but once I started to be more responsive... he started to drift off...

WHY ARE MEN SO FRUSTRATING!?!??!

Paper marriage license

marriage certificate

*please note that Baptism is the Christian allegory of "getting married" to Christ.

Recently I came to realize just how superficial my marriage (baptism) with Christ is.

We don't interact like we used to. We don't even talk... I try to talk to Him but He only wants to be a secret admirer... Sometimes I feel Him helping me from behind the scenes, like someone who just wants to let you guess who is it... and never reveal themselves... except the problem is... we are married... committed... why does He do this? 

... I do not see Him... I try to talk to Him but He ignores me... He listens but He doesn't respond..  I ask for "intimacy"... But He doesn't give... He just shuts me out... 

I ask Him what's wrong? But He doesn't tell me... I am confused... Why is He acting like this?... I have tried everything I could think of... all advice I could get my hands on... but our relationship is still the same...

It hurts me to not be able to talk to my husband... We are married... Committed... But He is not making this marriage any easier... why did we get married if He does this? Shouldn't our relationship grow?... 

God's Timing

photo credits: http://www.tansleymethodist.com/

What's God's timing? Waiting on the Lord!!!!

This couldn't have come at a better time, God really listens to prayers!!!! While doing devotions today, I came across this note: http://bible.com/n/lLSF. I encourage if you are struggling with a major decision, please read this note, it answers a lot of questions.

Lately I have been struggling to waiting for God... I have constantly asked myself this question: 'How can I know for sure whether I'm hearing from God or just making things up?' I was going though a very hard time... on one side, I really wanted to trust God... but I couldn't trust based on what I "heard" during prayer time with God.

I was frustrated because I wasn't sure if I was making the right decision in choosing a path that seems impossible to wait for.

I think by coming across this note is definitely a first step, though I have many uncertainties ahead of me, I will learn to trust in Him.

I will learn to pray this prayer every day... Lord, I don't want to get so caught up in the heat of the moment that I make a decision I regret. Remind me to daily wait on You. It might be difficult, but receiving Your wisdom and knowledge is worth it.

Please pray with and for me!