Deliver us from Evil

Before reading today’s text, I always questioned why we pray “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”


Does God tempt us?

When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. (James 1:13-14)

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

God doesn't tempt us, but he allows us to go through trials and temptations to make us stronger in our faith.

Give Us Our Daily Bread- Reflection

Sorry so late everyone. The snow is a worthy enemy that I had to overcome.

Well today's reading was truly an encouragement to me and a reminder that God is ALWAYS trying to speak to me even when I cover up my ears or when I pretend to listen and keep going on with my own ways.

That God is desiring for ME of all people to depend on Him so that He would provide me with everything I need has been so hard for me to understand. When I read this passage, I always find the cynical side of me thinking, "well God will definitely give me my daily bread, but it's going to be in one of those ways where I will appreciate it in retrospect and not in the moment." Kind of like a life-lesson that we learn to appreciate but not the amazing kind of provision that we read about every once in awhile. (like winning the lottery or getting something really awesome without having the means to get it)

So I've always taught myself to ask God for things with a grain of salt. I ask in a way where I sort of know the answer to in advance. Am I making any sense here? I'm just trying to be honest.

Reading this passage and having long talks with P.James and Dulla, I realize that this is NOT a true dependence on God for his awesome provision and how I am actively limiting God's amazing power. In the end, it comes down to faith.

Not to say that God is our ATM machine at all. But He is also NOT merely a God who just dispenses abstract answers to prayers. He actually does and LONGS to provide.

My problem has always been, where do I draw the line between sounding too greedy and asking with a right and reasonable heart? Should I even be reasonable when I request amazing things from God or am I just setting myself up for heartache or failure?

But reading this and reflecting on talks with others, I know that no matter what- I can never be perfect and God does not expect me to be. He expects me to depend on Him and be satisfied with what He gives because His ways and thoughts are so much higher than mine.

Please pray for me to stay encouraged and above all to have PEACE with God's plans. And also pray that I will never contain God in the box of my own cynicism or doubt.

I don't know what will happen or how God will provide, but I know that He will never despise an earnest request and that He loves me no matter what.

Concern for God's Glory

This is second time happening to me . After an hour and half writing the blog, I accidentlay erased entire blog again. Il suggested me to write in Word process and copy into the blog. I didn’t see it as a big deal!
I don’t know about you but I have been tested each time I write the blog. It seems though there is a resistance…. Please pray for me.

I don’t remember everything that I wrote previously. But…
As I was reading the passage, I realized that Lord’s prayer started with “Our Father in heaven.” When we call upon God, He will meet with as a loving Father. God who created heaven, earth, and everything in it by His Word is the very same God who we call as Father.
Book of Ephesians,which is my favorite book in the Bible tells us why we can call Him our Heavenly Father and why He loves us the way He does. It reveals us that how much we are worth to God. We know the fact there is absolutely nothing in us that deserves or demands Love of God and His abundant blessings for us. In Ephesians 1:4, "In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accoradance with his pleasure and will."
God loves us because He is full of love and grace. That's who He is. His magnitude of love and grace is beyond what we can fathom. We respond to His amazing love for us by seeking Him and living our lives to glorify His name. God deserves everything in us. He is all in all.

Christian Prayer

What's striking to me is that the Lord's Prayer is the first time (that I can find) where God instructs us to refer to him as our father and not our God. If this prayer was to be found in the Old Testament, one would expect it to start, "God of our fathers" or "God of Israel" or "Almighty" or "Most powerful holy creator." But through Jesus, God cuts through our perceived notions and reveals two things: that Jesus is "the EXACT representation of his being" and He wants us to relate to him as "our Father."

Certainly the nature of God inherently implies that he is omnipotent and holy. He even attributes that to Himself throughout the Old Testament and even the Lord's Prayer. But He wants to define a relationship with us first and foremost as an unconditional loving father, with an appreciation of his attributes second.