The Movie, "The Pursuit of Happyness"

Tonight I just finished watching Will Smith's latest box-office hit "The Pursuit of Happyness" with my three kids. A film so simply made, but very inspiring. My kids actually enjoyed it a lot! The movie captures the emotional truths of the darkest hour of a single father trying to raise his 5-year old son after being abandoned by his wife. Troubled son asked his Dad, "Did Mommy leave because of me?" Dad told him, "Don't you ever ask that question again! Mom left because of Mom." Without a financial cushion, Chris Gardner (Will Smith) and his son (Smith's own son, Jaden) are soon evicted from their apartment. They are forced to sleep in shelters for the homeless, bus stations, bathrooms or wherever they can find refuge for the night. Despite his many hardships, Chris continues to honor his commitment as a loving and caring father. From homeless single Dad to multi-million stockbroker, Gardner presents the triumph of a single father's spirit and devotion to his child. Watch the movie and be touched. Paul Simon's song "Bridge Over Troubled Water" is one of the movie's soundtracks: "When you're weary, feeling small / When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all / I'm on your side when times get rough /And friends can't be found. Like a bridge over troubled water. / II will lay me down. / When you're down and out, when you're on the street. / When evening falls so hard, I will comfort you. / I'll take your part when darkness comes. / And pain is all around. Like a bridge over troubled water. I will lay me down. / Sail on silvergirl. Sail on by / Your time has come to shine. All your dreams are on their way. / See how they shine. If you need a friend, I'm sailing right behind. /Like a bridge over troubloed water. I will ease your mind."

"Lord, thanks for the inventory"

"Lord, I pray for strength and encouragement I need to proceed. Thanks for giving me the courage to take a self inventory. Light my way with your truth. In the strong name of Christ, I pray, amen."

Christine's Tears

My dearest Christine, my daughter,
The other day when I saw you in school,
You're so happy to see me with Angel.
School's special day and your joy so full.
I'm happy too your Dad that I was there.
But why behind your smiles my dear,
Your teachers and advisers tell me a different thing.
That there's deep sadness and you can't sing.
Tears are flowing from your sweet face,
For you long much for true motherly care
That you said you've never felt before.
Oh, my dear daughter, how my heart goes out to you!
You deserve one who is faithful and loving to you,
One who will never leave or abandon you.
But amid all of these tears my dear,
You can be sadder but wiser.
As you dwell on the promises of God,
You will be filled with hope and love.
God wants to put a new song in your heart,
So cheer up, my sweet Christine, and jump it!

Are You Wearing a Mask of Denial?

Jeremiah 6:14 - "You can't heal a wound by saying it's not there."

Did you every deny that you've done wrong? For many, denial turns to shame and guilt. Denial, according to pastor John Baker, is a "false system of beliefs that are not based on reality" and a "self-protecting behavior that keeps us from honestly facing the truth." Before we can be restored to God and take the first step of our recovery, we must first face and admit our denial.

Jesus tells us, "Know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32).

"God is light, in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son purifies us from all sin." (1 John 1: 5-7)

Know more about DENIAL here.

FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness: What it is and What it Isn't
by Rose Sweet
Why do we find it so hard to forgive?

One reason we resist forgiving is that we don't really understand what forgiveness is or how it works. We think we do, but we don't.

Most of us assume that if we forgive our offenders, they are let off the hook — scot-free — and get to go about their merry ways while we unfairly suffer from their actions. We also may think that we have to be friendly with them again, or go back to the old relationship. While God commands us to forgive others, he never told us to keep trusting those who violated our trust or even to like being around those who hurt us.

The first step to understanding forgiveness is learning what it is and isn't. The next step is giving yourself permission to forgive and forget, letting go of the bitterness while remembering very clearly your rights to healthy boundaries.
Granting forgiveness

* Forgiveness is not letting the offender off the hook . We can and should still hold others accountable for their actions or lack of actions.
* Forgiveness is returning to God the right to take care of justice. By refusing to transfer the right to exact punishment or revenge, we are telling God we don't trust him to take care of matters.
* Forgiveness is not letting the offense recur again and again. We don't have to tolerate, nor should we keep ourselves open to, lack of respect or any form of abuse.
* Forgiveness does not mean we have to revert to being the victim. Forgiving is not saying, "What you did was okay, so go ahead and walk all over me." Nor is it playing the martyr, enjoying the performance of forgiving people because it perpetuates our victim role.
* Forgiveness is not the same as reconciling. We can forgive someone even if we never can get along with him again.
* Forgiveness is a process, not an event. It might take some time to work through our emotional problems before we can truly forgive. As soon as we can, we should decide to forgive, but it probably is not going to happen right after a tragic divorce. That's okay.
* We have to forgive every time. If we find ourselves constantly forgiving, though, we might need to take a look at the dance we are doing with the other person that sets us up to be continually hurt, attacked, or abused.
* Forgetting does not mean denying reality or ignoring repeated offenses. Some people are obnoxious, mean-spirited, apathetic, or unreliable. They never will change. We need to change the way we respond to them and quit expecting them to be different.
* Forgiveness is not based on others' actions but on our attitude. People will continue to hurt us through life. We either can look outward at them or stay stuck and angry, or we can begin to keep our minds on our loving relationship with God, knowing and trusting in what is good.
* If they don't repent, we still have to forgive. Even if they never ask, we need to forgive. We should memorize and repeat over and over: Forgiveness is about our attitude, not their action.
* We don't always have to tell them we have forgiven them. Self-righteously announcing our gracious forgiveness to someone who has not asked to be forgiven may be a manipulation to make them feel guilty. It also is a form of pride.
* Withholding forgiveness is a refusal to let go of perceived power. We can feel powerful when the offender is in need of forgiveness and only we can give it. We may fear going back to being powerless if we forgive.
* We might have to forgive more than the divorce. Post-divorce problems related to money, the kids, and schedules might result in the need to forgive again and to seek forgiveness ourselves.
* We might forgive too quickly to avoid pain or to manipulate the situation. Forgiveness releases pain and frees us from focusing on the other person. Too often when we're in the midst of the turmoil after a divorce, we desperately look for a quick fix to make it all go away. Some women want to "hurry up" and forgive so the pain will end, or so they can get along with the other person. We have to be careful not to simply cover our wounds and retard the healing process.
* We might be pressured into false forgiveness before we are ready. When we feel obligated or we forgive just so others will still like us, accept us, or not think badly of us, it's not true forgiveness — it's a performance to avoid rejection. Give yourself permission to do it right. Maybe all you can offer today is, “I want to forgive you, but right now I'm struggling emotionally. I promise I will work on it.”
* Forgiveness does not mean forgetting. It's normal for memories to be triggered in the future. When thoughts of past hurts occur, it's what we do with them that counts. When we find ourselves focusing on a past offense, we can learn to say, "Thank you, God, for this reminder of how important forgiveness is."
* Forgiveness starts with a mental decision. The emotional part of forgiveness is finally being able to let go of the resentment. Emotional healing may or may not follow quickly after we forgive.

Faith Without Feet ?

"Lord, deliver me from faith without works. Even the demons believe but do not obey You. So their faith does not save. My God, give me a pure heart and wisdom and strength. Let my faith be alive with my feet! In Christ's name, Amen."

Joseph the Dreamer's Story

One of my sources of God's perspective on pain nowadays is Joseph's story of family betrayal. Members of his very own family (his brothers) committed treachery and deceit against him.

Joseph's brothers decided to make money out of him so they sold Joseph as a slave. They even callously ate a meal while Joseph was pleading and crying (Genesis 37: 24-25). Psalm 105 describes how "they afflicted his feet with fetters, he himself was laid in irons."

Now if you're following the story in Genesis 42, you'll discover Joseph's severe emotional anguish upon meeting his harsh, unfaithful brothers again. He was not able to show forgiveness to them right away. As a matter of fact, he didn't reveal his identity and spoke to them harshly. "Where do you come from?" (Gen. 42: 7) and even accused them of being spies (vv. 9-14). Joseph even held hostage one of his brothers while the rest of them returned home to get Benjamin.

Was Joseph taking vengeance on his brothers? Somewhere along the line, Joseph wrestled with bitterness against his brothers. Like all of us, Joseph was also human. I believe he really struggled with his inner turmoil. But what is clear was that Joseph did not exact vengeance against his brothers. He almost did, but he did not. Though still heartwrenching, he chose not to harbor bitterness and unforgiveness towards his brothers.

God is teaching me His will through Joseph's story. I too must choose not to harbor bitterness even when I'm devastated by the betrayal of the one I love the most on this earth. God reveals His secret in Joseph's attitude. Joseph saw his pain from God's perspective. Of course, he didn't tolerate, gloss over, or sugarcoat the damage done by his brothers. They did intend to harm Joseph and that was evil. But Joseph discerned God's justice and waited. What seemed to be a severe tragedy God transformed into a rich blessing!

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Genesis 50:20)

Everything, Lord

"Lord, I'm blessed that in You I have fullness of joy. Grace upon grace You pour down upon me. I'm learning something priceless. I have everything because You fill me with Yourself. Thank You, Lord. In Your name, I pray, Amen."

"I Will Never Leave You Nor Forsake You"

These days, my kids - Christine, Paul, and Angel - and I have become specially close. But sometimes I need to take a break and be refreshed. That's when I notice how clingy they can be, especially after they felt abandoned by one. I just imagine what might go through their minds if they see me, their father, leaving them too! I promise my children that nothing in this world will make me leave them nor forsake them, and that I love them very much. And most importantly, whatever happens, I assure them that God is with us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. (Joshua 1:5 ; Hebrews 13:5) That's the nature of God's covenant and love for us. He is a faithful God.
Jesus promises, " .. behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28: 20)

God's New Breed of Millionaires

MEMBERSHIP FORM

I apply as a member of God's True Millionaires ....

"Lord, I ask You to bless me so that I may become a blessing. Lord, I commit myself to enrich others. But because I cannot give what I do not have, I commit myself to become rich. I commit myself to serve You and to serve the poor with my wealth. Today, I open myself to the abundance of Your universe. Use me as Your channel of love. Give me the ability to create wealth that will bless the world. Increase my financial wisdom and expand my territories. I place my life in Your hands. Amen."

Disciple Marsel

Each week, I always marvel at the wisdom God is giving my lawyer-friend Marsel. He's such a source of joy and encouragement to me. Tonight, he shared some interesting biblical perspectives on health and wellness from Great Physicians Rx. And then he gave an excellent exposition on a portion of Romans 8 which explains the inability of people (even Christians) to understand and obey God.

"Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what the nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God." (Romans 8: 5-8)

Why Wisdom Is Better Than Wealth

Money can buy pleasures. But it cannot buy character. Money cannot purchase a good reputation. It cannot purchase a pure, meaningful relationship with God. Money is volatile and fleeting. But wisdom is eternal. It not only brings peace of mind and joy. It gains us the priceless favor of the Lord. "For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with it." (Prov. 8: 11). "Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it" (Prov. 15: 16)

Is There A Word from the Lord?

We celebrate the presence of love in life. We also feel its absence. In a world where there is sin, loss, and pain, is there a word from the Lord with or without human love? First John 4 focuses not on being loved by another person, but on God’s love for us and our love for one another (vv.7-11). According to 1 Corinthians 13:7, this love "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." How is this possible? Because God’s love "has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 5:5). Let’s not forget that God gave us His Son in perfect love. It's faithful, undying. The more we understand God’s love, the more love we’ll experience towards others.

God's Purpose

"Lord Jesus, thanks that Your purpose is beyond any situation that we face. Your purpose is greater than the temporary storms that we are in. Yes Lord, I want to do Your will. In YOur name I pray, amen."

God's Light, Women, Temptation

I once told of being tempted by women in places where I taught and traveled before. Being a married man, I'd always hear a beeping sound coming from my conscience. My conscience is conditioned by and captive to the Word of God. I thank God that He gave me the lighthouse of a sensitive conscience. I get nervous when nearing a forbidden boundary because I love and fear God. Or, as Dr. Gunzburg would say, "A person of good character will not engage in even the earliest steps that might lead to an affair." I have flaws as everyone else has, but my faith in Christ is sure and stable. I will not go against my God-given conscience, which is neither safe or honest. A great tormentor of the human soul is a guilty conscience; it's a "formidable opponent of irresponsibility" as Dr. James Dobson would put it.

"Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water" (Hebrews 10: 22).

Proverbs 14, 7

"The wise woman builds her house, but with her hands the foolish one tears hers down" (Prov. 14:1).

"Keep my commands and live . . . That they may keep you from the immoral woman, from the seductress who flatters with her words." (Prov. 7: 1-2, 5 )

"And there a woman met him, with the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart. She was loud and rebellious, her feet would not stay at home. At times she was outside, at times in the open square, lurking at every corner .... (Prov. 7: 10-12).

"I have peace offerings with me; Today I have paid my vows." (Prov. 7: 14)
(From lifeaction.org -- "Verse 14 suggests that she is a "church woman." This foolish woman cloaks her aggressive, flirtatious behavior in spiritual talk. Her religious activity is really a cover-up for her immoral heart. She may be trying to compensate for her guilt by what she does at church. Proverbs speaks of a man who "was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly" (Prov. 5:14, kjv). Even in the midst of church relationships and activities, we can fall into great sin and can lead others into great sin." "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but he loves Him who pursues righteousness. There is severe discipline for him who forsakes Hi way; whoever hates reprooof will die." - Proverbs 15: 9, 10)

Planting Some Seeds

"Lord, I wish to be more seed-oriented than need-oriented. Help me to know what seeds you want me to plant today. I want to do something out of the ordinary by sowing seeds even in dry, dreary wilderness. In Christ's name I pray, amen."

God Loves You Even When Deceived

People are deceived everyday today. It's one of the devil's tricks (John 8:44; Hebrews 11:25) . Deception thrives in secrecy. A person who deceives displays less than integrity and honor towards you. He or she is contrary. Double in thought, speech, and action in order to hide or lie about something. Such deceptive, lying signs do evidence a "hole" or "leak" in the character of the offender. If he or she is a Christian, that's even worse. If you've been deceived by someone, I want you to know that God loves and protects you. God loves you even when another is not telling you the truth. And that deception and lie will not continue forever. God's truth uncovers Satan's deception and lies (Psalm 119:11).

Fresh Prayer

"Lord, I know You are in control of my life. And when one door closes, You always open a better door. So, Father, I can't wait to see what You have in store for me! Thanks for guiding and protecting me. In Your name, I pray, amen."

Anna Dies at 40

"The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short." (Proverbs 10: 27)

February 8, 2007, I saw on TV tonight the news of Anna's death at a young age of 40. Anna Nicole Smith. Who is she? Famous play girl of Playboy magazine, named 1993 Play Mate of the Year. She danced topless in public. She lived a promiscuous, immoral life. The press described her in several ways: gold digger, play thing, misguided, sexy, beautiful, unstable. Her love life was questionable. Once she ran away with a multibillionaire, left her kids in delinquency, one of whom died at age 20. She loved money. But later, she said, "Marrying into money was not a good thing for me." Before her death, Nicole was plagued with conflicts and problems - law suits, alcoholism, drug addiction, illicit affairs. Nicole was famous, had a lot of money. Was that an accoumplishment? Some would think so. The truth is, it's not. It's a picture of a wasted life shortened by the fruit of ungodliness and selfish pursuits.

"Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death." (Proverbs 10: 2).

Smoke Signal

A sailor got stuck in an island where he was the only survivor. He made a hut for his shelter. Day and night, he's praying and waiting for someone to rescue him but no one came. He stored food in the hut for his survival. But one day, the hut burned to the ashes and nothing was left. He was so angry and said, "God, why have you done this to me?" The next morning, rescuers came. He asked, "How did you know that I'm here?" They replied, "We saw a smoke signal." Then he realized that it was God who helped him and did not forsake him.

If Life Gives You A Lemon, Make Lemonade

"Lord Jesus, thanks for the gift of life on my hands. Whatever good I can do, I'll do it. Utilize my time wisely. Minimize the hurt. Recognize Your presence. Focus on helping others. Live a life of love in Christ. I go now, in Your precious name I pray, Amen."

The Shadow Man in the Dark

"But God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, 'You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman' " (Genesis 20:3).

Who is the shadow man?
He is blind to life on the way to disaster.
He's disappearing and reappearing.
Adulterers and thieves are his chosen friends.
A lost soul in the wandering night.
Trying to flee from light,
Where he can never exist.
Feeling secure and sleeping but only for a time,
Not knowing what is about to happen.
Will he endure God's judgment and fire?
May God have mercy on him.

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand ....The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm." (Proverbs 19: 21, 23)

Courage to Move On

I'm moving forward,
But not leaving behind
The one I've loved in my life.
I knew the common things.
Birthdays and anniversaries
Would be hard for me now.
I might not sleep or eat well.
I look around our house
And remember her smiles,
As well as the kids' embrace.
But where is she?
Grief brings emptiness with it.
My heart aches from the pain left.
Life is precious and short.
To heal, I do what moves me.
Or, do what really matters in this life.
For each new day is God's wonderful gift.
And a beautiful step into the rest of my life.

Waking Up to a Powerful Promise

"Lord, I wake up today remembering Your promises. You are bringing something new, refreshing, and beautiful today. In Christ's name, Amen."

Mystery Term from Dr. Gunzburg

I learned some unique insights, terms and concepts from Dr. Frank Gunzburg in one of his articles. Catch it here.

I Wonder ....

I wonder ....
Why you left what's beautiful and true?
I've wondered why you throw away our memories.
Those years are so precious.
Yes such only makes me cry.
I sit on a chair and think of you -- and how our lives could be.
I hurt but my love still remains.
I wish that you're here with me.
But I feel like a part of me is just drifting,
Yet the sun rises in the morning,
And I wonder ....

For Young Children, Time is Love

I desire God's best for our young children -- Christine, Paul, and Angel. But sometimes, after giving them love and instruction, I wonder why they're still having problems. Yes, I understand, they're still emotionally immature. They need time to grow up. And they need both of their parents present during this very important period.

When I was a growing kid myself, I felt money was all I wanted from my parents. So when they gave it to me, I thought that had been enough. I was wrong. Of course, I appreciated their striving their best for us kids. But later, I realized it was more of time with them that I was looking for than the allowances they gave me.

Almost every day each week, usually before bed time, I spend time with our kids in prayer and His Word. The Lord is blessing us with money for all their needs. But, as I've learned when I was a child, they need something more essential than money. This is when I discover how much I need to see life through their eyes. Are they feeling the love of their parents? The question for me, as their Dad, is not whether or not I love them. The question is whether or not they feel the love I have for them.

To my children, time is love. I'm there with them, not somewhere else. I'm present and focused on them, not the laundry or my work or what to cook or what's in the TV news. I'm fully present physically as well as emotionally and mentally. Of course, I can only spend a certain number of hours with them each time. But I make sure that my presence with them is regular, uninterrupted, wholehearted. I do my best to make them feel valued and loved.

Children may see their parents as coming from heaven. Parents are called by God to be representatives of His Kingdom to their children on earth. Being a parent is a very important role that the Lord chooses to give a man or a woman.

Both mothers and fathers are commanded to do several things in the Word: 1.) Modeling with Godliness – being a model by which a child can learn by “catching” the essence of living devoted to God (Deuteronomy 4:9, 15, 23; Proverbs 10:9, 11:3; Psalm 37:18, 37) 2.) Availability – morning, noon, and night (Deuteronomy 6:6-7) 3.) Involvement – interacting, discussing, thinking and processing life together (Ephesians 6:4) 4.) Teaching – the Scriptures, a biblical world-view (Psalm 78:5-6, Deuteronomy 4:10, Ephesians 6:4) 5.) Training – helping a child develop skills and discover his strengths (Proverbs 22:6) 6.) Discipline – teaching the fear of the Lord, drawing the line consistently, lovingly, firmly (Ephesians 6:4, Hebrews 12:5-11, Proverbs 13:24, 19:18, 22:15, 23:13-14, 29:15-17) 7.) Nurture – providing an environment of constant verbal support, freedom to fail, acceptance, affection, unconditional love. (Titus 2:4, 2 Timothy 1:7, Ephesians 4:29-32, 5:1-2, Galatians 5:22, 1 Peter 3:8-9).

Let God Bring Justice Into Your Life

God promises that if we trust in Him, He will pay us back for all the unfair things that have been done to us (Is. 61: 7-9). Sometimes, I'm tempted to fight the battle in my own strength. Evil was done to me and our family. I was betrayed. I was lied to. I was deceived. It takes faith for me to take the "high road" and watch what God will do. As Joel Osteen would put it, "If you will do it God's way, He'll not only fight your battles for you, but in the end, you'll come out better off than you were before." The Bible says, "God is a just God and He will settle and solve the cases of His people" (Heb. 10:30). That tells me God is the vindicator. As I turn this matter of injustice over to Him, He'll bring justice into my life. "Lord, You know how hurt I am by this person. But you are a supernatural God. You can take the evil and turn it around. You'll pay back for all the wrongs done. You are going to settle the case. You got me covered. I'm going to leave the door open, counting on You to make it up to me and our family. I'll just keep forgiving and loving. I know You will prosper me wherever I go from here, and You'll bring justice in my life. In Jesus' name. Amen."

The Victor's Spirit

I like Luther, one of our Victory pastors. He has a "victor's spirit." This afternoon, while conversing with him, I sensed a man of God seasoned with a positive, determined, feisty attitude. He's always on the go. A real warrior of God even in the face of adversity. It's God's favor that I'm surrounded by faith-filled brethren like pastor Luther.

I'm reminded of David in the Bible. He got defeated. He made mistakes. He too experienced discouragement. But he prayed, "God, renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10). David asked God to raise him up to win the battle before him. David "encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God" (1 Sam. 30:6). In other words, he got up on the inside and started thinking as a victor.

Paul and Silas were also knocked down on the outside. They were arrested, beaten, and thrown into prison while teaching about God. Did they complain, murmur, or blame others for their hardship? No, in the midst of injustice and suffering, they "were singing hymns to praise God" (Acts 16:25). When they gave God praise and stayed in an attitude of faith, God showed up to save them. Paul and Silas had the attitude of a victor.

Friend, life is too short to spend it depressed or discouraged. No matter what is causing you to slip and fall, no matter what is knocking you down, learn to stand strong in the Lord. You can live in victory full of God's power. God wants you to be a winner!

Ephesians 4: 31-32

Lately, I've been thinking about bitterness. When I think of the grace and mercy God has shown me, I have no right to to harbor bitterness and grudges towards people. The Scriptures say, "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:31,32). I must not allow bitterness to enslave me. I surrender these feelings to the Lord Jesus and allow Him to set me free.

Hosea and Gomer

I recall the biblical story of a man of God named Hosea who loved an evil, undeserving wife. He had a tragic marriage. He got married to Gomer - a cultic prostitute. Gomer was an unfaithful, deceptive woman. Gomer sank into worse adultery and slavery (Hosea 3:2). She left Hosea for a life of sin. Yet God still instructed Hosea to love Gomer (cf. 3:1). Two lessons we can learn from the book of Hosea: one on sin and the other on God's unending love. There it is as plain as it can be, Hosea 14:1 presents God's lesson on sin: "Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God. Your sins have been your downfall." The other lesson from Hosea is God's love for His people. Though sin separates us from God, His love remains no matter what. He simply would not let us go, even when sins have broken His heart. Author-pastor Woodrow Kroll sums it up: "Now God still loved her. And Hosea still loved her, but she didn't get away with anything in her sin. " Indeed, our loving God still keeps wonderful records for the day of reckoning. At the end of Hosea's story, his wife Gomer returned and was saved even amid the prostitution, sorrow, and unfaithfulness in their situation. Here is a picture of a God whose love never quits and who longs to forgive us when we turn to Him.

Forgiveness and Reconciliation

God has been showing to me the difference between these two biblical principles -- forgiveness and reconciliation.

Forgiveness takes one: Recently, God has been working in my heart to forgive someone. God is always voicing to me to release her from a debt she owes me. That means I need not be bitter or resentful or condemning towards her. God will take care of what was done. She does not have to ask for my forgiveness. Only ME is needed for forgiveness. It's a work of God's grace in my heart. This explains why I can still feel care for her.

Reconciliation takes two: Although I may have forgiven her, if she has not owned or repented of her sin, we do not achieve reconciliation. God is the model. God forgives people, but not all are reconciled to Him. God loves, but that does not mean He has a restored relationship with all people. We must choose to own up our sin and repent, then God will open Himself up to us because of "fruit in keeping with repentance" (Matthew 3:8). While I have forgiven her, she has not proven herself repentant and trustworthy yet. Reconciliation takes two.

Money Gained By Wickedness

"Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death." (Prov. 10: 2).

Wealth or treasures are of no benefit to wicked people. Judas, for example, was one example who gained money through wickedness. He stole money from the coffers of Christ. And what happened to him? He hanged himself. Judas did not benefit from the stolen money. It only led to death and self-destruction. "Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors" (Prov. 1: 19). One of the great deceptions of wealth is a false sense of security. This false sense of security partly explains why some people today will sell their bodies, their honor or reputation, and even their soul to gain worldly wealth. There will come a time when we have to account for our lives before God. On that day, our money will be utterly useless. A person whose hope is in riches is headed for a fall (Prov. 11:28). We therefore do not need to worry when we see people gain wealth by doing evil. God will not bless it or the possessor. Fret not thyself because of the wicked. Be not envious of wrongdoers. For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. God will judge and punish those who gained treasures from wickedness.

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold." (Proverbs 22: 1).