Luke 5:1-12 (Daily Bread of 29/5/2018)

YOU WILL BE A FISHER OF MEN

Key verse 5: 10

Youth is the most important time for one's lifetime.  Often when we make bad commitments in our youth, this leads to an unfortunate outcome.  There is nothing more precious than the path according to the call.  Today, Jesus calls some disciples near the lake. 
 
1.  Advance into deep water and throw your nets.  (1-5)

The crowd rushed to the lake to hear the good news of the Kingdom of God.  Jesus taught them the word at length.  There are many things to enjoy in the world.  However, there is nothing more valiant than the kingdom of God. Jesus even once said that violence should be used to gain this country.  Given the enthusiasm of the crowd Jesus invested much time to teach them.  Yet Jesus had his goal clearly in his head: to raise up disciples.  Therefore, he quickly took Peter's boat and he built a relationship with him through his fishery though it seemed trivial, material and down to earth.  Jesus told Peter to go further into deep water.  Of course this is a necessary gesture when fishing, but it is also comparable to obeying the Word, and by obeying, we can always move forward.  Moreover just as they had a miraculous catch, there is also  abundant grace that can be experienced through obedience by faith.

2.  You will be a fisher of men (6-11)



Peter's eyes opened when he saw the impossibly large quantity of fish that appeared in spite of the situation.  First, he saw his spiritual condition  was an unforgivable sinner.  However, Jesus reassured him and said, "Fear not."  Then Jesus called him to follow him.  Jesus sent him on a mission to evangelize those who were dying because of sin.  The world of sin is truly like a pond of death.  Jesus sent Peter and his fellows to save these men from this lake of sin and death.  When Peter and his friends obeyed, all their fear departed from them.  They left their nets and followed Jesus.  Young people who follow God's call are like God's heralds.  Their act of faith will be blessed.

Luke 4:1-13 (Daily Bread of 27/5/2018)

JESUS WAS TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL

Verse Key 4: 2

At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus was led into the desert and tempted by the devil.  He was baptized by John, and after this he was tempted as a symbol of the starting of his ministry. 
 
1.  Man will not live by bread alone (1-4)

After his baptism, Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit.  It came down like a dove.  It was totally peaceful. The Holy Spirit also comes to put the power of God on him. John says that he is the consoler, but he is also God's powerful weapon who works with the Word of truth. God knew that He had to doubly strengthen John so that he could inaugurate his mission which is God's fight.  Jesus came to save sinful mankind from the hand of Satan who had tried in the beginning all the earth, stirring man's heart to rebellion and disobedience.  Then the devil tempted Jesus through the problem of bread.  Man is very weak before this first material need. Jesus clearly said the truth and this is that man cannot live by bread alone, but by the word of God that comes out of His mouth.

2.  You shall not tempt your God (5-13)



The second temptation is glory and wealth.  If Jesus bowed down and worshipped him, he would have given him all this. Jesus rejected it with these words: "It is written.  It is easy for us to fight the enemy Satan with our own intelligence, but if we fight him with our own strength, we are doomed to failure.  Like Jesus, let us use our words in battle.  The third temptation is the human desire to tempt God.  Man justifies his sin under the pretext of God's protection.  It's a very dangerous thing for a spiritual life.  We have to give it up. Jesus won over his temptation and gives anyone who confides in him victory over demons. Jesus defeated 2000 demons at a time to heal a man possessed by demons.  Jesus casted out 7 demons that were in Mary Magdalene.  Call at him, he will give you the power to cast out demons within you and others

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Psalm 56 (DB of 23/5/2018)

WHAT CAN MEN DO TO ME?

Verse Key 56: 5

The psalmist groans night and day because of his stalking enemies (1Sa 21:11-15). The Gathians waged war without cause, blaming him. However, at that time he placed his trust in the Lord and he praised the Word of God. It was his only refuge and valid remedy.

1. Give me a break. (1-7) David called for God's mercy (2). His enemy's throbbing weapon was their tongue. It was like a poison, a viper. They were unscrupulous by blaming the innocent. They were plotting to kill David. Nevertheless, he framed the confession of fear, which gradually gave way to trust (v.4-5). Human beings, weak both physically and morally, find help in God who is strong, has life and eternity. The psalmist made a perfect act of faith in the Word of God. His Word deserves praise (v. 5a). What's this "Word": it is the promise made by God to protect and defend his faithful, as Ps 119:41 recalls: "Let your graces come to me, O Lord, your salvation, according to your words". And 119:65: "You have done good to your servant, O LORD, according to your word. Deep in his anguish, the psalmist discovered that he who trusts in God has nothing to fear from human actions.

2. O God, I want to fulfill my vows (8-14) The psalmist cried, "O God. He really wanted to fulfill his vows before God (13). Help was needed for this (v.8-9), because the situation was really hostile. The psalmist expressed "his tears" as his human fragility, knowing that his misfortunes were taken into account. Since God's goodness was manifested in favour of the needy whom he certainly delivered, the psalmist would praise the divine word of salvation. The trials and sufferings had led the psalmist to the certainty of faith engendered his trust and led him to entrust himself entirely to God. In the face of danger and harassment by his enemies, the psalmist appealed to God, implored him, and being strengthened by the Word, he surrendered himself to the LORD. The petitioner glimpsed a prospect of victory and the collapse of evil, here called "the peoples" (v. 8b), then "death" (v. 14a) and pledged gratitude to God (v. 13b).

Luke 3: 1-14 (Thursday, May 24th 2018)

BEAR FRUIT OF REPENTANCE

key verse: 8

Thirty years after Jesus' birth, God began his work through John the Baptist. It was a dark time, but God's work is always begun by a forerunner. Let us each become one.

1. Baptism and repentance for the forgiveness of sins (1-6)

Under the cruel hand of Tiberius in Rome, Pontius Pilate in Judea, Herod in Galilee and others, the people suffered. Yet, for God it was the most favorable moment to begin his work. He sent John the Baptist, son of Zachariah. Isaiah describes him as the voice calling in the desert. Instrumental in the people's salvation, he was a humble and self-sacrificial man. In terms of repentance, there were none like him. He cried aloud, "Repent and be forgiven". It's not that he enjoyed speaking harshly. There was simply no other way for man to be saved. The Word works powerfully and twisted hearts become straight. If we obey and preach the message of repentance, God's powerful work will always be there. This is how we overcome our timidity. 

2. Bear fruit of repentance (7-14)

John's message was very heavy with the premonition of judgement. Its contents were about bearing the fruit of life for fear of the falling ax. When John baptised with water, many came to him in spite of his severe words. They each had a serious problem, but to each, John gave the best counsel, and he spoke to all on the problem of selfishness. It's the greatest evil among mortels. John's focus on repentance is invaluable. Repentance is expressed not only by the mouth but also by the results of one's life. Evil is born and grows in a man. The forerunner's role is difficult and delicate because he must attack the seeding and the harvesting of evil. If we do this labor, bad fruit transforms into good fruit for the glory of God.

1 Samuel 5: 1-12 (Daily Bread of 19/5/2018)

THE ARK OF ETERNAL BECAME THE SOURCE OF GREAT EVIL Key verse 5: 11b The Philistines took the Lord's ark . The Lord's ark was a symbol of power and protection. However, it was no longer powerful or protective, when God's people's fait became superstitious. He did not save them. This morning's Word describes how the ark became the source of great evil for man. 1. The Philistines (1-9) The Philistines were extremely idolatrous people. Their god was Dagon. It guaranteed the fertility of the earth. They rejected the God of Israel, even though they knew He was powerful enough to punish the Egyptians. Deliberate rejecting God is a great sin. For those who reject the God of Israel, and in the New Testament era, those who reject the Lordship of Jesus, judgment will come according to the condemnation of the Law. The presence of the Lord's ark is frightening, and it can bear a frightening prejudice to those who, like the closeness between God and Dagon in this passage, do not believe in spite of the knowledge they have of God's name. Many listening to God's name reject it. Their end will be dreadful. The Asdodians, then the Gathians, then the Ekronians suffered damage. God caused diseases provoqued by hemorrhoids. They shouted for the removal of the Lord's ark of the source of all their woes. 2. God's hand weighted heavily on them (10-12) The Ekronites were afraid, for the presence of the Lord's had already caused many deaths in Gath. They wanted to refuse it. The dilemma was that as long as the ark was there, someone or some tribe had to suffer the damage anyway. Hence their strong request to return the ark. They, who were strongly idolaters, interpreted that it happened to them because of the anger of a foreign god, because they had changed the place of his dwelling without his permission, hence his discontent. They demanded the ark be returned to where it was. The God of Israel will then leave them alone.