Daily Encouragement

January 25, 2009 - The Chastisement For Our Peace

Meditation on Mark 15

Mark continued to describe the horrible suffering of Jesus in this chapter. He was betrayed, arrested and now bounded to face the trial in front of Pilate, the Roman governor. Even though Pilate found Jesus innocent, the crowd was stirred up by the religious leaders to condemn Jesus. They preferred to release a violent criminal, Barabbas in stead of Jesus when the Governor offered them a choice. They yelled out to have Jesus crucified.

Then Jesus was first scourged by the Romans soldiers. If you have a chance to see the DVD, "The Passion of Christ", you will see the bloody and most terrible condition of whipping. As the blow continued, they cut into the subcutaneous tissues, the veins and the arteries. The skins were torn into unrecognizable pieces. Some victims would have died. The pain was certainly excruciating and unbearable.

Then the whole garrison of Roman soldiers came together to mock Jesus with cruelty. They clothed him with a purple (royal color) robe and twisted a crown of thorns to force it on his head. They struck him and spat on Him and hailed him as king in jest. Then they took the robe off him which would cost tremendous pain because of his bloody body. Then they nailed his hands and feet on a wooden cross. When the cross was raised up, the body weight of Jesus would cost tearing on his flesh. Jesus was crucified as a shameful criminal between two other criminals.

The soldiers cast lot to see who would take the garment of Jesus probably it was a very nicely knitted garment by Jesus' own mother. The crowd continued to mock and blasphemed him. Jesus hanged on the cross from 9 AM to 3 PM. Before he died, he cried, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" (v. 34 NKJV)

The Scriptures tell us that Jesus was wounded for our transgression. He was bruised for our iniquities. Why did he have to suffer so much? It was because He bore our sins and the punishment of our sins. Sins would cause us to have sorrow, griefs and wounds in our souls. Not only He died for us to take away our penalty of eternal death, Isaiah said that "Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; ...The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4-5) Yes, He even took away our guilt and gives us peace in our hearts because we are reconciled with God and with men too. We can be spiritually healed!

Have you accepted Jesus' death and suffering on you behalf yet? If not, tell Him now and thank Him.

January 26, 2009 - Who Will Roll Away The Stone?

Meditation on Mark 16

Very early in the morning on the first day of the week, three women went to the tomb where Jesus laid after His crucifixion to anoint His body. As they were going, they were wondering "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" (v. 3 NKJV)

Mark said that the stone was very large. It was used to block the entrance of the tomb. At least the three women would not have the strength to roll it away. But when they got there they discovered that the stone had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, God used a young man (angel) to tell them that Jesus was risen.

Who rolled away the stone for them? Matthew told us that an angel of the Lord came to roll it away from the tomb. (Matthew 28:2) In other word, God did it, not men.

Also the resurrected body of Jesus did not need the stone to be rolled away in order to get out. The huge stone was rolled away for the women and disciples to see that the tomb was empty so they may believe. Praise Him.

Today someone's heart may have a stone which blocks him or her from believing the resurrected Christ. Let this person learn from those three women who were the first to know the resurrection of Jesus. Let him or her go to honor Jesus on the first day of the week. As you worship and adore him, the stone of your hearts will be removed. And you will see the resurrected Christ in our midst.

January 27. 2009 - The Persons Used By God

Meditation on Luke 1

Luke, the physician told us in the introduction that he wrote this Gospel in an orderly record after careful investigating everything he wrote from the beginning as well as obtaining eye witnesses' account. He told the truth. We should trust everything he said.

This lengthy chapter contains tremendous truth with powerful lessons for us. Each story itself should be studied very carefully. God will speak to you as you take time to meditate it because they are God's inspired Words.

Today let us approach this passage with just one focus: What were the qualities of those persons whom God used to accomplish His work in this world?

In the life of Zechariah, the priest, the Scriptures says that he was upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly. (v. 6) Though his faith was lacking, God still used him but taught him a lesson by making him speechless till his son, John the Baptist was born. (v. 20, 64)

In the case of Mary, the mother of Jesus, she was obedient and submissive to God's will even though she knew that she would not be accepted by the standard of the world and be misunderstood by the country folks around her that she would carry a child before she joined with her husband, Joseph. She consented to the angel who announced to her the birth of the Savior through her, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said." (v. 38 NIV)

Then for John the Baptist, God told his father that John would never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. (v. 15) John the Baptist would be the prophet of the Most High, for he would go before the Lord to prepare the way for Him. (v. 76)

The qualities from these three individuals in this chapter are worthy of our reverent consideration. Apply them to your life; you will be God's powerful instrument.

January 28, 2009 - The Strength Of Mary

Meditation on Luke 2

The emphasis of this chapter is on Jesus' birth and childhood. We usually studied the baby Jesus in the manger, the announcement of the angels to the shepherds who subsequently looked for Jesus in Bethlehem, the dedication of Jesus in the temple, the prophecies by Simeon and Anna concerning Jesus and His study with the scholars in Jerusalem when He was twelve.

Today let us look at Mary, His mother. What an amazing woman she was. She and her husband were poor. They could not afford to offer a bull or lamb as offering for Jesus except a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons. (v. 24) She and Joseph kept all the laws that were required by the Old Testament. She had heard incredible announcements concerning the future of her child but at the same time she heard prophecy that "...a sword will pierce through your own soul also...." because of the child. (v. 35 NKJV) She later had to accept the fact that Jesus stayed in the temple for three days to study God's Words and then simply told her that "Why is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" (v. 49)

From Mark 6:3, we know that she had raised at least another six children after Jesus. But she still cared very much about Jesus and what He was doing that she spent time to look for Him while He was too busy to be with her. (Matthew 12:46)

She was well aware of Jesus' hardship and sufferings. She was beneath the cross when Jesus was hanging on it. She saw everything that Jesus had to endure. Where did she get all her strength from?

Of course, her strength came from God. However I believe that her faith in and her pondering of God's Word and work is the key. Luke 2:19 says, "But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart." Verse 51 in the same chapter also says, "... but His mother kept all these things in her heart." A constant meditation of what God's Word says and what God is doing in your life will give you strength to do His will.

January 29, 2009 - Repentance Prepares The Way

Meditation on Luke 3

From Luke's record, we can see how careful he was to document the time and life of John the Baptist and Jesus. He told us exactly the period John began his ministry as well as the genealogy of Jesus Christ in this passage. (v. 1-2, 23-38)

John the Baptist was the one prophesied by Isaiah to be the voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord Jesus.

His main message was repentance. He conducted the baptism of repentance for those who accepted his message. But he emphasized that Baptism was not enough. The converts must bear fruit worthy of repentance. He taught them what kind of actions would show their true repentance. Then they could look forward to the salvation of Jesus. John was preparing for "...all flesh shall see the salvation of God." (v. 6 NKJV)

Today, we know that we must receive Jesus as our personal Savior for becoming the children of God. (John 1:12) Our mouth must confess the Lord Jesus and our hearts must believe that God has raised Him from the dead, and then we will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

However, the willingness to repent as John proclaimed is the preparation of the above step. Without repentance of the heart, our salvation will not be genuine. There are many church people today who claim that they have asked Jesus to come into their hearts. But their lives have never shown the repentance that John the Baptist talked about. No wonder their Christian lives are still not awakened. May we all heed the words of the messenger who prepared the way of the Lord. Though it is not by work that we are saved and receive eternal life but when we receive Jesus, we must have the willingness to repent of our unbelief and sins. After we become a Christian we should show the fruit of repentance in our Christian living. The power of Christ will strengthen us from within to do that.

(Now concerning Jesus’ genealogy, you will notice that many names are different from the genealogy recorded in Matthew. The reason is that Luke recorded Mary's ancestors who were also the descendant of David and Abraham. Heli then was the father in law of Joseph. (v. 23) Probably Heli had no son either. Joseph was his son by marriage.)

January 30, 2009 - The Authority Of God's Word

Meditation on Luke 4

It is easy to observe that God's Word is powerful and authoritative in this account by Luke. Jesus was under severe temptation by Satan. But those three attacks by Satan were defeated through the Word of the Old Testament by Jesus. The followers of Jesus should learn from this winning tactic against temptation.

Jesus' Word was also gracious. Luke recorded this: "So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth." (v. 22 NKJV) However, His home town folks looked down upon Him and rejected Him. When Jesus pointed out the faithlessness of their fathers, they could not stand it and wanted to destroy Him.

Then Jesus continued to demonstrate His authority in casting out demons so that the people said among themselves, "What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." (v. 36)

Later in healing the mother-in-law of Peter, He rebuked the fever, and it left her. But he left town to engage in preaching of the kingdom in other areas rather than just majoring in healing ministry.

Today, Jesus' Word is still with us through the Bible. It is alive and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, "piercing even to the division of soul and spirit ...” (Hebrews 4:12) Let us read, listen, study, memorize and meditate upon it. Most of all let us apply it in our own life.

January 31, 2009 - Obedience To God's Word

Meditation on Luke 5

Luke told us in this passage how Jesus called four of His disciples, cleansed a leper, forgave and healed a paralytic, called another disciple, Matthew and ate with His friends who were also tax collectors and sinners, and made a clear distinction between His new teaching and the old tradition in answer to the question of fasting.

Each of the account demonstrated that He was the son of God who came to call sinners to repentance. Does His Word and work speak to you personally as you meditate upon them?

At least, we all can be fascinated by the miracle He performed for the four professional fishermen. Jesus told them to launch out to the deep and let down their nets for a catch. (v. 4) Peter was reluctant because they had worked all night long and caught no fish. But he obeyed Jesus' word nevertheless. From that obedience, he and his companions caught two full loads of fish to the point that the boats almost sank.

As a result, Peter recognized that he was a sinner and worship Jesus. Eventually, all four fishermen followed Jesus immediately.

This sequence of events all began with an act of obedience to God's Word.

Are you today willing to obey God's Word? If you do, then you will experience His abundant blessings in you life which causes you to admit that you had been a sinner because of your faithlessness. Finally you will be happy to be His disciple.