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Abounding Joy | January 12 - Mid-week Devotion January 12 Mid-week Devotion"Abounding Joy" by Rev. David Go

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Abounding Joy | January 12
By Rev. David Go

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Read John 15:9-17

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John‬ 15‬:11‬)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

We know we have to be joyful. The coming of Christ is a matter of immense joy (Luke 2:10). We are directed to be consistently joyful (1 Thess 5:16). The apostle Paul exemplified joy and enjoined us to rejoice always (Phil. 4:4). Our Lord wants us to have the full measure of His joy (John 17:13).

Unfortunately, as we struggle through this fallen world, we often find it easier to fret, sulk and pout. Joy, though desired, is considered to be elusive and its pursuit illusive because of life’s pains and sufferings. Akin to those who suffer from anhedonia, a condition that makes people lose their motivation to live, some Christians have also lost their motivation to be joyful. They even cease to believe that joy is essential for godly living.

As we face another new year, let me gently remind you that we have to be joyful. As God’s children, we are to be joyful, consistently, because our past has been redeemed by Christ, our present is ordained by Christ, and our future is secured in Christ.

In John 15:9-17, our Lord assures us that we can have His satisfying joy. He even shows us the path to it‬.‬

To have joy we must…
REMAIN IN HIS LOVE (v.9). As He had remained in His Father’s love we are to persist in His love – we are to love Him consistently and enjoy His love fully.

OBEY HIS COMMANDS (v.10). If we love Him, we must obey Him (John 14:15). Jesus told us that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. If we take them upon us, we will find rest for our souls (Matt 11:29) – we will be joyful.

LOVE ONE ANOTHER (v.12). We will find joy only if we strip ourselves of self-centeredness. Joy will fill, and overflow from, us only if we start to love others.

DEPEND ON GOD (v.16). We cannot find joy by trying harder or by being more resolute. We only find it when we rest in God and let Him bear the fruit of joy in us.

The year has just begun. We do not know what lies ahead but this we know – Jesus, our Lord, desires “that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (v.11‬)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬. So, let’s all live life joyfully, even in the pandemic.

Have a blessed and joyful year ahead!

“Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭35:3-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Pray! Jesus Loves You! - July 14
By Rev. David Go

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Just recently, my wife and I sang “Jesus Loves Me!” to our 14-month grandson. We don’t know if he understands what we were singing, but he enjoyed the song. We just hope that he does understand and believes that Jesus loves him.

As adults, we desire our young ones to know and believe that Jesus loves them as soon as possible. When we were young, many of us were quick to believe that Jesus loves us when our parents or Sunday School teacher told us so.

Sad to say, as we get older, life’s difficulties and disappointments often rob us of our childlike faith. Consequently, when in trouble, we often doubt if God indeed loves us. We wonder how a loving God could allow us to face sufferings, illnesses, and death. This caused us to cease praying or to stop believing that God cares when we pray.

Psalm 130 may be the cure that we need. Written as a song of penitence, this psalm testifies of God’s unfailing love – a love that reaches out to us in our troubles and even in our wretchedness.

The psalmist had sinned, yet he knew that God’s love is steadfast. He knew that God’s unchanging love could be trusted, hence he uttered and penned this song.

When you are in trouble, know that God’s love endures forever and pray like the psalmist.

• Cry out to God. Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD. Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

• Bank on His mercy. If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.

• Wait patiently for Him. I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.

• Put your hope in God. O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is lovingkindness, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Indeed, God is loving and kind. Through Jesus Christ, we can experience His love and enjoy His abundant salvation. Pray now and sing with childlike faith, “Yes! Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.”

A Disciple Without a Garb | June 23
By Rev. Dr. David Go

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A pastor was preaching eloquently from the pulpit. His wife and her best friend, sitting among the audience, heard praises for the pastor from those seated around. The friend whispered, “I agree with them. Your husband is a great preacher. He should be in the pulpit every week.”

“Yes!” the wife seconded, “and I hope he stays there because, at home, his walk is so different from his talk.”

You may not be a preacher, but you are a follower of Christ. Your responsibility to walk your talk is just as imperative as that of the pastor’s. Wherever you go, you need to live out your faith. Eloquent talks about making disciples are much appreciated. But what is required of you is your authentic walk with Jesus.

Paul’s epistle to the Romans is full of great doctrines, which fill the first twelve chapters of the book. But the remaining chapters teach and enjoin us to walk our talk. Let’s take time today to meditate on a passage that teaches us how to live with others.

Most of us tend to think that we are better than others and often use our standards to judge others. In Romans 14:5-10, Paul exhorts us to do away with this tendency and live an authentic life of a disciple. Let me share these insights that I have gleaned from it.

- If you are wont to judge others, make sure that everything you do is also acceptable in the eyes of God (verse 5).

- Recognize that you have no right to judge others because each of us is accountable for our own actions (verse 6).

- Keep in mind that you belong to God because of Christ, therefore, your duty is to live for Him and not to act as a prosecutor (verses 7-9).

- Instead of judging others, respect them because we all have to stand before God, the rightful judge (verse 10).

May the Lord use this meditation to encourage and equip you to walk your talk, with or without a religious garb. Now it’s your turn to meditate on the passage.

No pandemic will change who God is, but who God is will change what becomes of the pandemic.

Yes! He will Hear, Forgive, and Heal | September 2
By Rev. Dr. David Go

In this time of global pandemic, people are quoting and sharing Bible verses liberally. Some do so as a confession of their faith while many do so as an expression of their hope or desire.

I have done my share of both. I believe you also have done the same.

In view of the Covid19 nightmare we are all in, people often quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 because it contains a three-pronged promise from the Lord that brings so much comfort and hope.

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

These words of promises were originally offered to the Israelites at the dedication of Solomon’s Temple centuries ago, but we can claim them as well because God’s promise to hear prayers from Heaven was given to all of God’s people, even to those living beyond Jerusalem (2 Chron 6:19-21) and were particularly given to those who are suffering from drought, calamities and pestilences (2 Chron 7:13).

I believe the Lord will fulfill His promise if our prayers meet these conditions.

- If they are collective prayers offered by genuine people of God – God promises to hear from Heaven “if my people … pray.” In Hebrew, “my people” refers to those who are called by God and are wholly dedicated to Him.

- If they are humble prayers offered in genuine repentance – God’s people are to “humble themselves,” which means, “to bow before God and confess their iniquity, in true contrition.”

- If they are heartfelt prayers of genuine dependence on God – God’s people are to “seek His face,” referring to a posture of total reliance on God’s mercy.

- If they are sincere prayers offered with genuine willingness to stop sinning – God’s people are to “turn from their wicked ways.” This entails a real change of mind and direction regarding sin.

The Korean Church is known as a praying church whose spiritual passion has inspired Christians worldwide and has served as their model of spiritual fervor.

What is their secret? It is their unique Tongsung Kido style of praying. Tongsung Kido means, “praying together out loud.” This form of prayer is an important part of the Korean church life and is practiced by genuine spirit-filled Christians. I had personally witnessed and participated in their prayer meetings.

When I was there, a Korean church elder and professor of history, told me how Tongsung Kido came about. According to him, Koreans have experienced many tragedies that include the Japanese colonization, abusive military rules, and the Korean War – a war that technically has not ended. Because of these tragedies, Koreans hold Han, an unresolved emotional pain, in their hearts. To release this national pain, they always pray in unity, with passion and sincerity, as they implore the aid of divine protection.

Koreans find it hard to pray silently and singly because they believe they had to cry out to God together as an expression of their complete trust in Him. As a result, God answered their prayers. Similarly, when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, they collectively cried out to God, in genuine repentance and with genuine faith. As a result, God sent Moses to deliver them out of their bo***ge. (Exodus 2:23-25)

Today, we can claim God’s promise to hear our prayers, forgive our sins and heal our lands if our prayers meet the conditions above. So, let’s pray together often and be set free from this pandemic, in God’s time.

Good leaders edify, not crucify, those they lead!
They magnify the strength, not specify the weakness, of those under them!

Thank God, early last month, we were able to share our stories and passion to the women group of our church, where we have many faithful prayer supporters.