EVERY

Recently, I have devotion using Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 4:23-25
23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them. 25 Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.

ONE word that caught my attention is:

EVERY.

...and healing EVERY disease and sickness among the people. (Verse 23)

How many times I quenched Holy Spirit's little prompting to share His love? How many times I withheld a burning compassion to love my neighbors? How many times I, due to my little faith, were unwilling to extend my hand to pray for the person who is needy and sick just in front of me?

Jesus never give up on EVERY one of us. Jesus healed EVERY one of us. Jesus has compassion on EVERY one of us. Jesus loves EVERY one of us.

Why should I be otherwise?

The old is better?

Luke 5:39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’

This is another revelation I've received just yesterday.

Most of us know about the "Parable of New Garment & Parable of New Wineskins", right? (You can read it later on, it's in Luke 5:36-39)

However, I am always confused about what does it means of "And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’". Is it about the taste of the old wine is better?

Finally, I realized why.

Old wine means "Comfort Zone".

We say "the old is better" because deep down inside us, many of us don't really want revivals.

We want blessings. We want to live comfortably. We want more and more blessings, financial blessings, relationship blessings, success, glory, joy, cars, houses, fame, etc. and etc. We don't want to lose control. We don't want a revival to happen because it will screw things up. We want to remain in our "Comfort Zone"

However, more often than not, revival will surely screw things up.

Everyone wants revival. Do you know why they want revival? To fill up the vacant pews. Many revivals empty the church before it fills it. God wounds before He heals. (Leonard Ravenhill)

During a revival, we have no choice but to step out from our "Comfort Zone". It will be unpredictable. It is going to be like taking care of a newborn babe. your live will become having a lot of unknowns. However, it will be glorious, in Father's eyes. you will not regret it in the end.

So, do you still want revival? Or do you want to remain in your "Comfort Zone", and say "the old is better, the old is better".

Do you still want revival? Are you sure?

Who is my neighbor? (Second part of Great Commandment)

Yesterday during devotional time, I read through the Gospel of Luke. There was a story about a man asked Jesus what must he do in order to inherit eternal life. As the conversation goes on, the Great Commandment is brought out:

"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.’"

However, that man wanted to justify himself so he said to Jesus: "And who is my neighbor?"

Then, Jesus replied him with the parable of "Good Samaritan".

Luke 10:30-37. (You can read it later on.)

I realized one thing. The second part of the Great Commandment means ACTION!

Yes! ACTION!

How we treat all those people we saw besides the street that is hungry.and needy.

How we treat that brother from another cell group that have been through a long day and needs encouragement, or that sister from another denomination that have just lost a job.

How we treat that random stranger that is almost giving up on his life, and all he needs is just an embrace, thus his life will be spared.

This is the second part of Great Commandment, and it means ACTION!

God bless you all.