John 8

Jesus says in John chapter 8, let anyone who is without sin, cast the first stone. I read this verse as, let anyone who is without sin make judgements on this woman. I am guilty of this.... I know I don't have the right to judge my brothers and sisters but because of my sin, I continue to cast stones at those who Jesus has redeemed. This passage reminds me that Jesus does not categorize the degree of our sin. He does not say, let anyone who has not committed adultery or murder--Sin is sin and God does not tolerate it.

The theme of the rest of this chapter is that Jesus reveal himself as the light, the son of God, the savior of the world, but he people will not believe him. To this Jesus answers in verse 47, "Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you care not of God." In our life, sometimes we don't see God moving in mighty ways and his faithfulness in all aspects of our life. We don't hear the words of God, and produce good fruit. Sometimes we just need to be still and listen to his voice.


God, I pray for ears to listen to your word and a heart that does not judge. I pray for wisdom and purity  to do your will without sin in our hearts. But when we do sin (which we will, unfortunately :( ), I pray that we may be able to come to you like a child in true repentance.


Prayer requests:

• For my brother.. he is interviewing for a job at Qualcomm... (I hope it's in God's will for him to get the job!)
• My relationship with Zubin.. We're trying hard to be intentionally in walking and sharing about our God together

I'm so thankful for you Mich! Even though we fail all the time, I'm so glad the we are able to take these baby steps together!!!!! Love you <3

what I was gonna send last night and forgot!

I went to Redeemer's evening service (east side) for the last two weeks because I couldn't make it to RWC.  And in spite of my near narcoleptic tendencies and distracted mind, God really spoke to me through both of the sermons so I wanted to share with you guys!

I've been looking for a new place to move into for about a month now, and during the past week it's all I've been thinking about.  Seriously, just totally consumed, idolizing that perfect living situation, placing my hope in getting calls back for certain listings.  I didn't take any time out to just pray about it or about much of anything because, duh, this is urgent stuff, right?  God will wait, but available apartments won't...

So when the opportunity came up to view a couple of listings on Sunday morning, I immediately said I could make it and decided I'd go to Redeemer's evening service again.  Long story short...nine hours, lots of phone calls, and several subway rides later, I didn't get to see any apartment.  LITERALLY four different agents cancelled/flaked on me throughout the day.  Four!!

By the last cancellation, around 8pm, it was so ridiculous that I actually laughed.  I found it kind of hilarious that after all this time, seeking solutions to my problems was more important to me than seeking God - as if God didn't know what I needed.

Psalm 62 was the passage used in yesterday's sermon ("Resting in God Alone") and it rocked me:

For God alone my soul waits in silence;
    from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,    my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

3 How long will all of you attack a man    to batter him,
    like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?
4 They only plan to thrust him down from his high position.    They take pleasure in falsehood.
They bless with their mouths,
    but inwardly they curse. Selah

5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,    for my hope is from him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation,    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my salvation and my glory;    my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people;    pour out your heart before him;
    God is a refuge for us. Selah

9 Those of low estate are but a breath;    those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
    they are together lighter than a breath.
10 Put no trust in extortion;    set no vain hopes on robbery;
    if riches increase, set not your heart on them.

11 Once God has spoken;    twice have I heard this:
that power belongs to God,
12 and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love.
For you will render to a man
    according to his work.

As I was reflecting on this psalm afterwards, there were a few things I mulled over - 

• What is my soul waiting for?  Does it wait for something, anything other than "God alone"?  What does it mean/look like for my soul to wait for something?  
• "God is a refuge for us" - he's literally our safe place, our shelter.  I guess this especially stuck out to me because of the apartment hunt that has been consuming my time/heart.  Then as I was praying over this, I imagined a house on a shore next to roaring waves, with frames and decorations in it.  When God himself is our fortress, when he makes up our walls, it doesn't matter whether or not we have pretty things on those walls - bare walls will still protect.  But when our walls are made up of other things, of relationships and status and material riches and careers and family, and those walls come crashing down, even a hundred picture frames of God won't save us.  We will be overcome for certain.  It made me realize how much I've been surrounding myself with a fortress of things other than God, and my failure to keep them all standing.  I also thought, for God to become my fortress, he needs to break down the one I have now. Build from the ground up.  Total renovation.
• "Trust in him at all times" - not just when provision/answer is easily visible. Trust because He has always shown to be worthy of that trust.  And man has he been giving me enough evidence - most recently through a roommate and a full-time paid internship that'll start right after graduation (!).  Yet in any area of my life still shadowed by uncertainty, trusting in God becomes my last resort.  Which actually means I have to do it eventually, haha.  But many times, not out of choice.  
• Even David reminds his soul to wait for God alone (v.5-7), right after acknowledging nearly the same thing in v.1-2.  In fact, after talking about the attack he's under (v.3-4), he mentions the same points from v.1-2 even MORE strongly, declaring who God is over his life.  This was probably the most enlightening part of the psalm for me.  In times where we feel threatened, and the enemy is trying to shake us, let's DECLARE again and again who God is over our lives - that he is our rock, salvation, glory, refuge, fortress.  And the perfect apartment, spouse, job, test score, school, family, etc...is NOT any of those things.  So let's keep reminding ourselves/each other - "for God alone, O , my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him."

This is already really long so I'll refrain from sharing about last week's (which was about praise) - but I hope this encourages you. 

John 6

In John we have already seen CRAZYY miracles from turning water into wine and healing the sick. Each miracle is very signifcant and Jesus uses it to bring people to God's kingdom. In John 6, Jesus performs two miracles. First Jesus feeds the five thousand with 5 loaves of bread and two fish. As I read this section I tried to think of why Jesus would perform this miracle. There was many questions that came to mind... Was Jesus trying to show off this power? Why didn't he just make the bread appear out of thin air? Why not solve world hunger? I think that the point of this miracles wasn't just to show off his power but was an sign that Jesus is the bread of life. He wasn't just feeding on five thousand another meal, they were hungry for food and HE provided.

The second miracle in the chapter is Jesus walking on water. Once again, this was not a way for Jesus to show off but to show his disciples and the people of Galilee that he has control over the whole earth, not just its people.

After these two miracles Jesus tells his followers that he IS the bread of life and that no one can go to the father, except through him. But that's not all, many of his followers leave him after hearing this, and only the twelve are left. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!? After seeing Jesus feed the five thousand AND walk on water! This is crazy... But we can't see these miracles from Jesus in our everyday life, but that's why he gives us faith, a gift greater than just seeing miracles. We see here that even after seeing Jesus' miracles people don't have faith in Jesus, but we know that by our faith we will have eternal life with our father in heaven.

Today, I am just thankful for my faith and I pray that it may grow so it can move mountains and produce fruit of the spirit!

john 5

Summary:
Jesus heals an invalid at the pool on the Sabbath.  The Pharisees get mad about this.  Jesus declares his identity and authority as the son of God.  Says that John the Baptist's testimony was only pointing to him, and that he is greater than John because God is greater than John.  Rebukes the Pharisees for not believing in him even though Moses wrote about him.

Reflection:
In v. 1-9, Jesus heals an invalid of 38 years.  It seemed like this man didn't even believe that healing was possible - when Jesus asks if he wants it, he doesn't even say yes but only mentions his "obvious" limitations (that there is no way he can get into the pool to be healed).  At that moment, when this man doesn't even say he believes in Jesus' power, or even just a "yes, I want to be healed," Jesus heals him.  This man's opinion about the state he is in has no bearing on Jesus' raw power and uncontainable love.  Even before we ask, he knows, and even before we ask, he has decided to answer.  There is nothing too big for Jesus to heal, nowhere too far for him to go to love us.

The more we read into John, the more I re-realize just how radical Jesus was - in his time and in ours.  There is literally no way anyone can read the gospels and just objectively decide that Jesus is a nice, likeable guy.  He's way too offensive!  And all the people he's addressing, the self-righteous, the majority of society, the in-crowd, the people who think logically and think Jesus is crazy for talking about resurrection of the dead...are really similar to the kind of world we live in today.  Especially in the second half of the chapter, Jesus is making a really serious point - that he is the one we've all been waiting for.  He is God.  And there's no time to wait in choosing who to follow.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who send me has eternal life.  He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." v. 24

Sorry I've been so MIA!!!  I feel like I have a lot to update you on since we last talked.  But for now my prayer requests are:
- truly receive my help from the Lord in times when I feel weak (when thinking about Dianna/Amos)
- choose God in the little decisions
- be a light in my classroom and do my best to represent Christ.  Even when classmates are frustrating...
- also please pray for my back! It's been killing meeee and I think I may be getting sick ~

love you~

John 4

btw.. we should really start a blog.. haha <3 
that way we can edit! I think you may be better with the blog stuff but I can help!

John 4 
In verse 14, Jesus tell us that whoever drinks of the water that he gives, will never thirst again. This makes me wonder if I have not tasted the true living water. I am always thirsty looking for things rather than Jesus who can satisfy me. Jesus is telling us that he completes us and we don't need to turn to any other Gods but him. He also says earlier in the chapter that we need only ask for it. When the woman asks for this water, Jesus instead asks about her husband and reveals to her that he is prophet. This gives her faith to believe in Jesus which will lead to eternal life, the living water.


They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." (verse 42)
This verse reminds me that we can't live our christian faith alone. When we first learn about God as a baby Christian, we see faith that leads to work through pastors and our brothers/sisters. Then, though we still don't fully understand Christ, we see for ourselves and start to take ownership of our faith and walk with Christ, our true teacher. (if ONLY we could live during that time and see Jesus!) Luckily, God gives us his word and we can hear for ourselves and "know that Jesus really is the Savior of the world". 

Also, if you still have a lot to say about ch. 4, you are welcome to add comments! 

I am so thankful for this time of reflection and connection with God and with YOU! Please pray that we continue to be diligent in our work/school and with our time with God. 

Please also pray that what we learn from His word and we see fruit in our lives. That we may use our words to encourage others rather than bring them down. But most of all the we may first love our God with all our heart soul and strength, and love our neighbors as ourselves.

LOVE YOU TOOO bbyGURLLLL

 -carobarofaro

John 1 and 2

Hmm... I was trying to think of a clever/efficient way to share and keep track of our devos.... but idk

Maybe private blog?

Well anyway, here I go.....!

John 1 

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

This verse reminds me that I need to make a conscious effort to set myself apart from the world because that is how God created me. Recently, the spirit convicted me of my worldly idols. I am struggling with beauty and judging others' beauty instead of seeing them in the eyes of God. It's so ugly to judge others' appearance and I've recently caught myself doing it too frequently. I know this is something that only God can heal and want to lift it up to Him. 

John 2

10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

Picture of heaven! God has given us so much blessing now but He has promised us eternal life in heaven(the best of all)! Let's always try to look at the big picture and set our treasures in heaven. 

Heavenly father, We thank you for your goodness and the promise of eternal life. I pray that we may be set apart from the world. That we may not idolize worldly possession and shallow beauty but see the world in your eyes. Help us to discern your will in our life and give us wisdom to speaks words that are kind and uplifting! We love you!

Prayer requests:  

1. Desire to spend time with our father (and actually put that into action, QT, prayer)

2. try not judge people's appearance.... with my eyes...(see them all as beautiful as God would...)