March 31, John 17:20 -26

I am surprised of how Jesus prayed for him then the disciples then for all of us! I loved it when Christ said I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be ONE, father just as you are in me and I am in you. may they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me..
those verses just touched my heart for Christ is asking sincerely to God for us, believers, to be come one and know of You.. and it definitely have worked we know of God thousands of years later. I think this is why it is important to share gospel to all over the world!

March 30 - John 17: 6 - 18

14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify[b] them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

I can see that Jesus really cared for us while he was here on earth.. His prayer to God is so sincere and heartbroken for the world has hated the Word that Christ came to share. I need to think more seriously of this matter for I take it for granted.. I didn't not deserve any of this but Christ came.. for me.. for us.. so we believe that the Word is the truth.. the only truth!

March 11, John 17:1-5

1After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

When I read this my first thought is, even Jesus Christ prays to God.. and some of us don't even give a minute a day to get down on our knees to pray to God.. Jesus's prayer just shows His true purpose of coming down to this fallen world. I cannot thank Christ enough for coming here to bring God's glory.. so we may have eternal life through Him.. THANK YOU LORD

March 10, John 16:17-33

17Some of his disciples said to one another, "What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,' and 'Because I am going to the Father'?" 18They kept asking, "What does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand what he is saying."
19Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, "Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me'? 20I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. 25"Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father." 29Then Jesus' disciples said, "Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God." 31"You believe at last!"[e] Jesus answered. 32"But a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. 33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Things may seem hard or overwhelming at the moment but as time go by.. peace will come. For as Jesus said, I have overcome the world!
"I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father."

March 9, John 16:1-16

5"Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt[a] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. 12"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

Jesus is now warning his disciples about how he will be leaving this earth but he will send the holy spirit to watch over us. I pray that every time I commit a sin, as Jesus said, the holy spirit will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment..

16"In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me."

And finally.. his resurrection is made known to the disciples..

March 8- John 15: 18-27

¹⁸"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.'^{b]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[b]} If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. ²²If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. ²³He who hates me hates my Father as well. ²⁴If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. ²⁵But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.'^{c]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[c]}

One thing I struggle a lot these days is.. persecution. In my soc class we have been discussing Christianity a lot and I am always surprised how people view Christians as and what they believe that it is. I should stand up for what I believe but I usually chicken out and just let it go. Life is full of temptations and the world will hate me for being a Christian.. as Jesus even mentioned in the bible..  I believe that God is breaking my heart for what breaks His.. for we will be rewarded in heaven. 

March 7 - John 15:1-17

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.⁷If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. ⁸This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

We are God's branches.. without the vine branches cannot survive for it receives nutrients from the vine. God continues to tell us that we should remain in Him.. and remain in His love.. for we will become His friends... 

March 6 - 1 Cor. 12

I read over the passage about being one body in Christ again after steak n shake.. it is so true about how one part of the body aches and the whole body aches.. because.. my church in Kentucky went though a split. I was a senior in high school and I can say that it hurt a lot seeing my friends hating each for no reason just because the church was split into half. I did go through a bitter stage of refusing to go to any koreans churches.. etc.. After a while I decided to think of like cell division.. it's not total split but a seperation to grow bigger.. both divisions are now stable in terms of new pastors, church building, etc.. and now starting to have joint worships and stuff.. we are indeed ONE BODY.. and we should be united as a whole even though cultures, backgrounds may seem awkward at first because heaven will not be into little cliques but everyone will be worshipping God 

March 5, John 14:5-14

"I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

"Believe me when I say that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me.."

"You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.."

Father.. help me take these verses to heart. I believe that you are the way, truth and the life.. for you are the only way to the Father. Honestly, I'm not sure if I really know you.. but I ask that you show yourself to me daily for I want to be made in your image.. Thank you for all you have provided.. and I believe that even if things look like it is impossible to overcome, you are with me every move I make..  

March 4

Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God..

As the day passed, I am so thankful of what God has provided me with.

Just able to attend school to pursue a career, having a place to sleep, study, eat, etc, having warm clothes in this cold weather, having friends that I can lean on.. and ultimately having Jesus as my saviour..  I realize I have to prepare myself for consistent battles for I am an ambassador for Christ.  I pray that I continue to seek for a pure heart during the lows and highs..

March 3, John 14:1-4

 ¹"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. ²In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. ⁴You know the way to the place where I am going."

My heart was comforted when I read the passage above.. I am going there to prepare a place for you..  Jesus's crucifiction is coming up soon as I read John and.. I am realizing more and more how sinful being I am.  I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.. I can't wait till that day.. meeting Christ in heaven.. or maybe He will return during my lifetime.. but all I can say is I am in awe of Him <3

March 2, You Never Let Go

You Never Let Go

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won't turn back
I know you are near

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

(Chorus:)
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We'll live to know You here on the earth

(Chorus)

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You

I was praying today and this song just popped into my head.. Past few days have been sort of tough for me and I kept losing the focus for God. I started worrying, complaining.. etc however yes God never let go of me for there will be an end to these troubles! One thing I will not give up is praising God.. Even in midst of storms, I will not be scared for God is always by my side.

March 1 - John 13:31-38

"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.."

It's a sad thing to say but I think we all fail at doing this. Loving people you get along well and stuff is easy but when it gets to loving those that hate you or talk bad things about you behind your backs.. then it gets challenging! Honestly.. there are people that I just can't get along but as Jesus commands me to do.. I need to love all for I am one of Jesus's disciples.. 

"Will you reallly lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!"

I pray to God that I will lay my life for Him and I will do whatever He wants me to do.. but I like worry a lot and complain if things don't go the way I want it to. It's so bad but it just shows that I don't trust that God will provide and will do things in His time. This is something I have been struggling with and I pray that I really lay down my life for Him not with just words but in action!