Give to Caesar whats Caesars, and God what is Gods.

The title of what im writing about is part of another section in Mark Chapter twelve but it is the same concept.  Its about the parable of the tenants and it comes from verse 1-7 and its about our sinful nature.

the scripture says,  A man planted a vineyard.  He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winpress and built a watchtower.  Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.  At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.  But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty handed.  The he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully.  He sent still another, and that one they killed.  He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.  He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved.  He sent him last of all, saying, They will respect my son.  "But the tenants said to one another, 'this is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'

Thats where this devotion starts.  Where it says come, lets kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.  The farmers attitude isnt far from mine i guess.  Somewhere along the way or maybe the whole way ive lost sight of who owns what.  My sinful nature covers my eyes to make me believe that i have the authority of my life, whether i die today or tomorrow is seen to me as my choice.  But Gods ultimate plan for me does not include, involve, my own thought process.  The farmers killed or beat every single servant that was sent to them to collect the harvest or an offering of the mans mercy to even build a vineyard, which to me is the earth.  A place where it is plentiful enough to receive from, we have forgotten the creator in many times and forget to offer him everything, all that we have.  This attitude for myself is what i need to rid myself of.  This selfishness that is self seeking for my own glory and pride.  THe reason why the farmers have killed the servants was to receive the inheritance or the glory of it all.  When it comes down to that it is not a love that looks towards the Lord.  I need to start being a farmer that is kingdom centered, not Paul Choi centered.  God centered, not to feed my heart centered.

Application, to make it my prayer that i would have a kingdom perspective in my life.  For this motto to be alive for me "The Truth will make me move".

The wrong things in the wrong places.

Devotional; from Mark 11; 15-17

On Reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there.  He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.  And as he taught them, he said "Is it not written: "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations' but you have made it a den of robbers.

there were a lot of things in Chapter that was directed towards my own life at this particular time.  My struggles, humility is a big thing.  The colt that Jesus rode on is the thing that shows me the humility i must have in entering anything.  I could say that in my own life i am a big shining ball of light, but what is that purpose for.  What is my purpose before the story of Jesus entering the temple he tells this barren Tree that produces no fruit that no fruit shall be eaten from you, giving it no purpose.  This fruit tree later on whithers away later on in the chapter.  Looking at my own life im kind of at a difficult position.  What to do, what to do.  My whole heart right now is not in serving and next year i do not plan to serve in the conventional ways, i.e. leading praise.  But its difficult, the position i'm in because if i dont serve then my purpose here is worthless.  If i do not build up the kingdom of God i could be that withering tree, no purpose no life.  Being saved by the grace of God and not living according to it could definitely bring me trouble.  

As i looked at the verses from Mark, i see myself as one of those robbers in the den.  Jesus calls those that sold dovers and money changers a robber.  I dont exactly sell doves, but metaphorically speaking my heart does sell things which i get paid in return by the things that i need in worldly standards.  My sinful heart gets fed by compliments, the love i am showed, the friends i make but in my life that cant be it.  My life regardless of these people i meet needs to be for the glory and progress of the Kingdom.  Im not needed, for sure, who am i to say anything like that.  But as someone that gets paid by the love of the father and an eternal life that gives me all that i need i need to act more like someone thats greatful and gets paid for those things.  I need to stop selling "doves" and start selling the love of Christ.

Application; start giving, not receiving.

Rules? WHAT RULES!

From what i read, its from Mark 10; Verse 2-5

the word  says, Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"  They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away."  It was because your hearts were hart that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. 

hmm Laws, i broke the law a couple weeks ago by parking in a handicap space.  I break them everyday whether they are the laws of this world (Still authorized and used for the power of God to reach lives) and the laws of God which was shown to us by people like Moses, Jesus and other influentials in the bible.  I cant help to think though, why were these laws made doesnt it just mkae life a little bit harder.  For me, wont it make me think even more legalistically then i already do.  its NOT BY WORKS paul is what i tell myself, its not about what you have done but its what Christ has done.    These days, im realizing my heart, i shuold be transparent right i think other people see the weaknesses within me... i think.  Bitterness, anger, pride, selfishness, hatred, negativity, lust, and so many other things.  Even as im writing this its hard, as i sing praises to Him it gets more and more difficult.  We struggle, but i count. i count over and over my own wrongs against the creator.  WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT FOR ME to even struggle, when Paul talks about fighting the good fight shouldn't i be fighting and struggling, although my situation is totally different from His.  Im dying, dying in this world that ive created inside the world thats perfect, the one i was reborn in.  I feel like a broken pen, the ink spills and im messing up this picture.  Isnt that a terrible feeling, the grace of God be here.  Im hurting, struggling, and i dont really know why.  Is it the sin, the discouragement in my life that i cant really feel??? am i even struggling, or is this a cry for help, for attention.  For this need to fill my heart. 

Laws, laws, laws, i hate them at least.  It puts restrictions on us, restrictions that we feel like we dont need.  But there put on us because we as sinful people do not know the difference between right and wrong.  Our world as we know it is crumbling, like sodom and gomorah were falling into wretchedness as we speak.  Destruction? is it amongst us, i feel like it is.  The lines have been blurred, lines that we are crossing.  We need laws because our hearts are hard Jesus says, to what extent are they hard, what are the reasons.  Hardness comes from apathy, and i feel like i have that.  Laws are needed, i need to abide by them.  I am a hell deserving sinner but i am pardoned by the blood of Christ which makes me thankful... right.  SEE! thats where my contradictions in my life comes.  How much hypocricy can i live in before i can truly die to myself.  Why do i try to live by these standards and could never come out. NEVER! its so hard this Christian life.  Sometimes i want to give up, but then i dont because i know that He is with me, there are those that are praying for me, trying to encourage me, I need more of Jesus. 

application, get out of this negative outlook on life, live more positively.  Know that whatever i do He still loves me, and Go. 

Tasting death?

The verse comes from Mark Chapter 9; Verse 1

And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

I read this and ask myself many questions.  I'm the type of person that counts everything that he has done in his life, its terrible i know.  I can't help it though it seems to have stuck with me because i dont see myself in the light, let alone in Gods light.  This passage talks about Death, and when a lot of us think about death or at least for myself i think of funerals, people in coffins or the ground.  But as i read this i dont think that is what Jesus talks about.  Death in this context i feel like is the life of sin that once ruled our lives.  The reason i wrote about counting everything that i do is because i see the sin in my life, i repent but true repentence bears fruit of change.  There are certain things in my life that is so difficult for me to let go of, my pride for instance and my selfeshness and my lustful heart are things that before i was born again i had and now i still have.  I look and ask myself whats changed in my life?  Have i died?? have i really, i doubt.  I might just be feeling this way because i am kind of sad right now but its a question i need to ask myself everyday, have i died.  I need a heart that is focused on the Lord, who am i to say that i am anything.

Application; i need to die... everyday to myself.  My application for my life is that i need to pray everymorning asking for strength through persevering through the holy spirit to show me the path that i need to take. Prayer in the morning.  

SEEK and FIND?

THIS VERSE comes from Mark 8;

Verse 11-12

The pharisees came and began to question Jesus.  TO test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven.  He sighed deeply and said, "why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign?  I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it.

You know i think a lot about the progression of things in this, its so random but its so blessing.  As mark just tells the adventures of him and the other disciples with Jesus its so amazing.  In a lot of ways i see there small beginnings (often times of positions that were tough to be faithful in, like tax collecting) Jesus made them great.  From these verses i feel like this is a lot of what we act upon.  We expect Jesus or even our friends to give us signs so that WE may act.  And a lot of us expect us to get to a certain point to serve but we need to serve in the midst of our lives.  We need to act, because if we stay in the word, which i try to, and really trust in God then the there would be need for signs because we would know the heart of God.

I am still trying to learn about hte heart of God but i know that as i feed and eat the word hes teaching about his hearts longing.

Application; seek and find Him, know and act because of the knowledge He gives me. 

Feeding, and the overflow of the HEART!

Monday Evening; The FEEDING!

"You give them something to eat." Jesus says.

It was after a long days of work, The apostles and Jesus went to a remote place to get some rest but because they were so influential and recognizable the people that saw them made it to the destination before they did.  Jesus finding them before they had landed had compassion on them and began teaching.  Towards the end of the day the disciples came to him and asked if they could send them away but with the command of YOU give them something to eat is something that gives many of us in the future insight on what to do.

A lot of us a lot of the time put our responsibilities, our burdens on others because at least for me I get lazy, bitter, angry at things i shouldnt be.  When Jesus and the disciples had landed they had already done the work they needed to have done for that day but they continued with Jesus leadership and love for the people He came to save.  Having compassion he gave himself as a sacrifice even in this time of teaching.  I need to lay myself down more and more each day.  He then commands the disciples to give them something to eat, with the people coming to listen Jesus tells them to give something to eat.  But i feel  like this command of the disciples giving them something to eat is something physical but also spiritual.  Spiritual food is more of a necessity then food that fills our stomachs.  The food of the heart is more precious then anything else.  I feel like my heart needs to be fed every single minute of every day and it is TRUE.  But seeing the things that goes into my heart is the problem.  My heart is fragile, dark, deep and it needs to be filled with the things that God loves, with the heart of his people.

Application, trust in the WORD more.  It is my food for the heart, because i cannot live on "bread" alone =), pasta. HAHA.  So although i try to do my devotions with the Lord every night im needing a spiritual awakening, a repentant heart with a desire for the word and to live by it and in that way "know" it. 

Tuesday Evening; the OVERflow of my heart.

The pharisees call the people that dont wash their hands unclean as they lived by there traditions, ... ill leave it at that, think about it. 

Verse 20 to 23

He went on: "what comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.'  For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.  All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean'

When i think of unclean i think of pigs in the mud, sweaty people like myself for WHATEVER reason.   For these instances its a nice hot shower or a walk in the rain (my romanticized life HAHA) to become clean, because we see water as something pure, and clean to rid ourselves of the things we eat and become.  The pharisees were the ones that brought the unclean stuff about, trying to find fault within the disciples and Jesus himself.   The traditions he said, the traditions are the ones that there living up to, the standards of their forefathers and not the father himself he says.  Dont we do that too? we have rules set, WHY? are there reasons, are they valid reasons, and in no way shape or form am i saying that rules are bad =), they are excellent but when we use them and put them inplace of our Lord and make it our idol to make it to that standard every single time is when we become faulty??? (Wrong usage of word).  But the things we intake, i am reminded of the saying "You are what you eat".  In this world i feel like all of us eat something, and im not talking about food.  The things we eat are part of those worldly things, we as christians, i myself as a christian am so enticed by the thigns of this world especially the second one (im trying) which is sexual immorality.  These things i intake are the reflections or overflow of my heart.  And in order for me to glorify the Lord i know that the things that come from my heart need to be clean, my thoughts my life must be for His glory.  

The inside is what counts, because God looks at the heart, Jeremiah chapter 17. 

Application, watch waht i eat, i need to be on a spiritual diet.