Luke 12:35-48

³⁵ “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; ³⁶ and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. ³⁷ Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. ³⁸ And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. ³⁹ But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. ⁴⁰ Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” 
⁴¹ Then Peter said to Him, “Lord, do You speak this parable only to us, or to all people?” 
⁴² And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? ⁴³ Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.⁴⁴ Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. ⁴⁵ But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, ⁴⁶ the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. ⁴⁷ And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. ⁴⁸ But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more. - Luke 12:35-48


Lessons Learnt: We must be ready for the master's (Christ) returning. If we are not ready, then there is no point. As servant's it is our duty to not slack and be always ready to serve the master. We who are given much grace, much are required from us.


Prayer: Our LORD in Heaven, Search my heart LORD, show me what I have been missing out on, show me the joy and happiness of being your servant, relight that fire in my heart. LORD I don't know but you know, I am blind but you can see through my heart, LORD show me the truth of my heart. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Jer 29:13

 ¹⁰ For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. ¹¹ For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. ¹² Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive. - Jer 29:13, NKJV


Paraphrase: The LORD said, after seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and show you my promises, and restore you. For my thoughts towards you are of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will hear you, and you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will rescue you and restore you from all the places that I have driven you, and I will bring you to where you fell.


Lessons Learnt: This is a wonderful promise of God that says that God will restore us to our 'checkpoint' when we fall, as long as we are willing to answer to God's call. God promised that if we call upon Him and pray to Him, He will hear us, and that if we search for him, we will find him, as long as we search with all our heart.


Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, you know that I'm still searching for you LORD. Maybe I'm not searching in the way that I'm supposed to, maybe I'm not seeing you in the way I'm supposed to but in the way I want to. LORD, search my heart and reveal to me why I'm feeling this way LORD. Amen.

³⁴ But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. ³⁵ Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 
³⁷ Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” -Matt 22:34-40


Paraphrase: When the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered and one of the lawyer ask Him to test Him, saying "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus answered " 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."


Lessons Learnt: After reading Pastor Mark Finley's book, then I realized that first loving God and then loving others basically sums up the Ten commandments. The first 4 being in relation to God and the last 6 being in relation with our fellow men. So Jesus is basically asking us to remember the Law, And Love is the greatest command.


Prayer: LORD, thank you that you have shown me the great commandment, to love the LORD my God and in order to do that LORD I need to read the Word. So LORD, help me to read the Word daily as it is with me, and guide me to walk the way where I should walk. Help me to remember thy Law and may I not trespass it. I thank you LORD for listening to my prayer. Amen.

Numbers 21:8

⁸ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”

-Numbers 21:8

Lesson Learnt: When the Israelites complained yet again about God leading them out to die. God sent fiery serpent and they bit them. When the Israelites repent, God asked Moses to make a bronze snake that those who look to the bronze snake will be healed.

This is to point forward to Christ, as the bronze snake, as long as we look to Jesus, we will be cleanse from our sins. We only have to Look and Live, quote from Faith's Checkbook Mobile Devotion says "True, you are swelling with the venom, and you see no hope, True, also there is no hope in this one. But when there is no doubtful cure - "Everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.""

No matter what the bite of sin has turn us into, we have a Saviour who died on the cross for us, to redeem us, and as long as we look to him we shall live.

Prayer: O Heavenly Father, I thank you that you have died for us, to redeem us from eternal death. LORD teach me to look on you as my only source of salvation, as I run this Christian race. Amen.

James 3:13-18

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. ¹⁵ This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. ¹⁷ But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. ¹⁸ Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. -James 3:13-18


Paraphrase: Let him who claims to be wise and understanding prove by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. If you have envy and are proud, do not deceive yourselves for this wisdom is earthly and demonic. Wherever there is envy and pride, there is also confusion and every evil thing.


Wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing, full of mercy and good fruits, not biased and not fake. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.


Lessons Learnt: 
-There are 2 types of wisdom, Righteous and Demonic.
-As long as we have envy and pride, it is demonic wisdom.
-Righteous wisdom is pure and peaceful and are found in those that make peace.


Prayer: O LORD my God, I thank you for this daily bread. I pray that LORD you guide me that if I were to share my thoughts and opinion on a certain topic that my words be of righteous wisdom, that I share with a genuine heart to shed light on the topic and not with a heart to gain pride or with an envious heart. I thank you for sustaining my life till now LORD. Amen.

James 3:1-12

 ¹ My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. ²For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. ³ Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. ⁴ Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. ⁵ Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.
See how great a forest a little fire kindles! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. ⁸ But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. ¹⁰Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.


Paraphrase: Brothers, let not many of you become teachers, or we will have stricter judgement. For we are all prone to stumble. If anyone don't stumble in speech, he is mature, able to also control the whole body. We place bridle on horses mouth and control their whole body. Even large ships can be controlled by a small rudder. The tongue likewise, boast great things. How great a forest a little fire kindles. The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue defiles the body and destroy the pattern of nature, and it is set on fire by hell. Every beast is tamed but no one can tame the tongue for it is unruly evil. We bless our God and Father with it and we curse men with it, who have been made from the image of God. Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and curse, this is not to be. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.


Lessons Learnt: The tongue although small, is not to be underestimated. I'm thinking that James told them not many should be teacher because some might not be the right person and they might use their tongue and send the wrong message. 
We cannot bless and curse with the same mouth as it would make no sense. Although directly it is not cursing God. But if we curse man, who are made in the image of God, aren't we too cursing God in an indirect manner? Or aren't we directly cursing His creations?


Prayer: O LORD in Heaven, I thank you for the Word written in James. I thank you that we had the discussion about this particular text in our CARE group the other time, may your blessing continue to be with us, and I pray that you may provide the harvest for us once the workers are ready. LORD I also pray that I may learn to control my tongue LORD, as you know LORD I have a sharp tongue that reacts quicker than my brain, I often speak before I think, LORD please help me reverse that order. I know it is not going to be instant, but I pray that you guide me LORD. Amen.

James 2:14-26

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
²⁵ Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sentthem out another way?
²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. -James 2:14-26


Paraphrase: What good does it make if someone says they have faith but not works, can faith alone save him? If a brother or sister is naked and hungry, and you say to them, "have peace, be warm and full" but does not do anything to help them, is it good? and hence, faith by itself is dead without works. Someone will say "You have faith and I have works" Show me your faith without works and I will show you my faith by works. You believe there is one God, even demons believe and tremble. But do you know that faith without works is dead? Wasn't Abraham justified by his works when he offered Isaac on the altar? Faith and Works was working hand in hand and by works faith was made perfect. And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” and he was called the friend of God. Hence a man is justified by works and not by faith only. Likewise, Rahab was justified by works when she help the messengers escape. For as the body with the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead too.

Lessons Learnt: FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD. Faith must be accompanied by works. If not, all out faith will be broken easily, like words in the wind. If we say that we have faith, our actions should show it, if not, where is the prove?


Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, I thank you that you have shown me that our faith must be accompanied by our works. I pray that you guide me to show my faith by my works as I continue to work in your ministry. LORD, help me as I continue to walk in you, that I may not lose faith as I show my works. May my faith and works always walk side by side and not one over another. Amen.

James 2:8-13

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said,“Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. -James 2:8-13


Paraphrase: If you really obey the law as it is written, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself", you have done well. But if you show favourtism, you commit sin, and are condemned as transgressors. If you keep the law, yet stumble at one point, he is guilty of breaking all the law. Because He who said "Do not commit adultery" also said "Do not murder". So if you don't commit adultery but you murder, you are a lawbreaker. So speak and do as those under the law. Because judgement is without mercy to those who has no mercy, mercy overrules judgement.


Lessons Learnt: Show favourtism is like breaking the law of loving our neighbour as ourselves because we would not be treating the other the same way as we ought to. In keeping the law, we are to keep it fully. If not it defeats the purpose of the law. By breaking the law, eg. murder, we are not showing mercy to the victim or the family of the victim, and judgement will be dealt without mercy to those that have not mercy. But if we were to have mercy and not break the law, mercy shall be shown to us, as it is written in Matthew 7:12, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.".


Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, I thank you that you have shown me mercy, that I learn about the law, and LORD I pray that you gave me the strength to continue keeping your laws.  We know LORD that Satan is always trying to make us lose our robe of righteousness but LORD, I claim it by your grace LORD, I know that it is given by you and through faith is was given. May my works be pleasing in your eyes LORD that it may bring glory to your kingdom. Amen.

Ephesians 2:1-10

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it isthe gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. -Ephesians 2:1-10


Paraphrase: we who are once dead in sin are now made alive by Him, we once walk in the standards of this world, by Satan who tempt us to lust and desires, and were by nature children of wrath
But God is merciful and loving and made us who were once dead in sins alive together with Christ, and raised us up and made us sit with Christ in the heavenly place, so that we may see his glory and grace in Christ. For we are save by grace through faith and not by works that anyone can boast. We are God's creation and are created in Christ to do good works.


Lessons Learnt: God's Grace is amazing! He is willing to forgive us of all our trespasses and make us like Christ, as long as we have faith.
Many abused this text to say that they can do away with the law as we are save by grace. According to Pastor Mark Finley in his book "When God said Remember", he says that we obey God's law not because we are trying to earn His favor but it is a response of our love for Him, Jesus said "If you love me, keep my commandment"
God's law is what helps us to realize our sins, like a mirror for dirt on our faces.
If we do away with the law, we do away with the sin, then is there still a need for grace? 
Like Paul said in Romans 7:7, What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said,“You shall not covet.”
He has known sin through the law!


Prayer: O LORD, I thank you for this mirror that you have placed in the Bible for us, that we may be able to see our sinful nature and avoid it, that we might clean ourselves with your love and your grace. I thank you for forgiving a sinner like me, who have been so lost in the world, so dead in the world, till you found me and picked me up. I pray that You will write the laws in my heart that I will never forget them and never trespass them. Amen.