Dr Andrew C S Koh
Month: July 2023
Categories
Woman of Samaria: Devotion:
devotion
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray for soft, responsive, and receptive hearts to hear You speak to us. We pray for the transformation of our hearts and minds, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Setting
Jesus left Judea and came to Galilee because the Jewish religious rulers were plotting to harm Him. The Israelites were celebrating the feast of Tabernacles for 8 days. This feast commemorates the 40 years of wilderness wandering. The highlight of the feast was the water ceremony on the last day.
John 7:37-39
37 Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! 38 He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified.
Reflection
On the last day of the feast, the priest will perform the water ceremony. in the temple The priest will take water from the pool of Siloam with a golden pitcher, walk around the altar 7 times, and pour the water on the altar. Just when the priest was pouring out the water, Jesus declared in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Who ever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” The Holy Spirit is symbolically represented by living water. Jesus is symbolized by the rock. The water ceremony was a profound way to remember the story in Exodus 17:6. “Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”
Application
The promise of salvation is a universal promise. If you come to Jesus and receive Him as your Lord and Saviour, you will be saved and you will be filled by the Holy Spirit. The prerequisite for salvation is responding to Jesus’ invitation positively and believing by faith. The joy of the Holy Spirit will overflow from within you to others.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11;28
Prayer
Dear God, we believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah and the Holy One of Israel. Thank You for salvation, justification, sanctification and eternal life. Thank You for mercy and grace, in Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
Categories
Wise and foolish people: devotion
Devotion
Matthew 7:24-29
24 “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. 25 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell—and its fall was great.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes.
Reflection
There are two kinds of people and two types of houses. Wise people who build their houses with Jesus as the foundation will be able to withstand the onslaught of trials and persecution. Foolish people who build their houses with sand as the foundation will be washed away by the floods, storms, and natural disasters of life. When the multitude heard these sayings, they were amazed because Jesus taught with authority, unlike the Pharisees and scribes.
Application
Praying is asking, seeking, and knocking on God. The Greek verbs, ask, seek, and knock are in the present, active, and imperative tense. This is a continuous action i.e. go on asking, go on seeking, and go on knocking. Prayer involves persistence, perseverance, and determination.
We must avoid hypocritical, judgmental, and self-righteous attitudes. We must be able to spot and discern false teachers by inspecting their fruits. Do they have the fruit of the Holy Spirit i.e. love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, Galatians 5:22-23?
We must build the foundation of our faith in Christ the solid rock through faith and obedience.
As the second person of the Trinity, Jesus taught with the authority of the Godhead. Jesus is the Word of God, who became flesh and lived with us. He is the Son of God and Son of Man, fully divine and fully human.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your teaching on judging, spiritual discernment, relationship, and wisdom. Help us to build our faith with Jesus as our foundation to withstand the storms of life. Help us to go on asking, seeking, and knocking on You in prayer with persistence, perseverance, faith, and determination, in Jesus’ name, Amen.