Devo John 8:1-11

1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2At dawn he appeared again in the
temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to
teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman
caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus,
“Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses
commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6They were
using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus
bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept
on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is
without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8Again he stooped down
and wrote on the ground. 9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a
time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing
there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no
one condemned you?” 11”No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn
you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

Meditation
1. Imagine myself in the crowd that day. Picture the embarrassed and ashamed
expression on the woman’s face. Hear the condescending voices of the
religious leaders. Feel the dirt blowing against me as Jesus bends down and
writes something in it.
2. Come honestly before God and ask the Spirit to reveal to me the sins I’ve
engaged in recently. Then imagine myself in the same situation as this
woman. I’m caught in this sin, exposed. Imagine me and Jesus having the
same conversation: “Does no one condemn you?” “No one, Master.” He
looks me in the eye. “Neither do I. Go on your way. From now on don’t sin.”
What am I feeling? Thinking?

Personal Note:
God has forgiven me all of my sins! All of my greed, lust, pride, indifference, envy, and all sorts of wicked thoughts are forgiven through Jesus Christ, who absorbed God's wrath on all of my sins.  I feel like an heavy burden is lifted off my shoulder!

Mark 14:3-9

 3While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known
as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive
perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his
head. 4Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this
waste of perfume? 5It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the
money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. 6”Leave her alone,” said
Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7The
poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want.
But you will not always have me. 8She did what she could. She poured perfume
on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9I tell you the truth, wherever
the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told,
in memory of her.”

Meditation
1. When I want to give a special gift to someone I love, which kind of thing do
I look for?
2. What can I do for God that would be as lavish? Are there things that keep
me from doing it?
3. Continue to reflect on the last question. Allow the Holy Spirit to show me my
problems to be generous to God. Wait for God’s direction for me to take the
step in overcoming it.

Personal Note:
I look for things that the person would enjoy and use.  I can offer my best ability in serving God and loving and blessing brothers and sisters.  Lack of faith and trust in God kept me from doing it.  The only problem behind not being lavish and generous to God is a lack of love and trust in God.  You are the one who provides everything I own, and I trust that you will provide me with direction, with abilities to lead people to become passionate followers for you, and all the other things that are necessary.

Mark 5:25-34

25And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.
26She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all
she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27When she heard about
Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28because she
thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29Immediately her bleeding
stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. 30 At
once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the
crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 “You see the people crowding
against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’
” 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman,
knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with
fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed
you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Meditation
1. Jesus, on his way to the home of a dying girl, was touched by a woman with
chronic bleeding. She spent all she had to search for a cure but to no avail.
Then she heard about Jesus, she became convinced that if she could only
touch his clothing, she would be healed. And she was healed indeed.
2. Mark is demonstrating to us here that Jesus Christ, ruler of God’s kingdom,
has power over nature, over demonic power, and over every illness. Knowing
Jesus has such power gives us confidence to live by his word, even if he
should not choose to heal every believer’s disease now.
3. Tell Jesus all of my urgent needs and ask for His healing and help.

Personal Note:
From point 2, we need to accept the reality that we have saints who pray with faith, and yet their love ones dies at the end.  I was recently at a funeral of an elderly lady on the weekend.  The woman endured years of physical suffering before her death.  From her testimony and the testimony of her friends, her faith enable her to rejoice and live life to the fullest despite her last few years' worsening physical condition.  She was at peace and was experiencing God's freedom and she was a tremendous blessing to brothers and sisters around her.

I do not suffer much physically now a days.  I thank God for giving me health so that I can enjoy various physical activities like basketball and running, etc.  I do need help in overcoming discouragement and have faith in God's power in growing the English congregation.  We have seen the group grew from a few guys to a bigger group by his grace.  Now, it is our desire to grow the group in width (more people in each of the small groups) and in depth (quality of discipleship).  As the pastor, I am called to lead them with faith and courage.  I urgently need Jesus Christ to strengthen my doubt and trust in his grace and power.