Calling from God

Calling and life passions may play a pivotal role in the life and living of many while pursuing their careers and endeavors.  

To many young adults, growing up is just all about success and failure—that also paradoxically defines the meaning of life for many of them. Unfortunately, in the pursuit of their careers, only some succeed, while many fail or simply fall short of their own expectations. With faith, you may see how your failure can transform your passion into something else that can ultimately change your life, making you more spiritual.

An Illustration

Shon Hopwood was a young man who had his passion for basketball, earning him a university scholarship. But a year later, when he realized that he was only mediocre and a failure in basketball, he soon became disillusioned and dropped out of his class.

Shon’s failure and frustration made him become involved in bank robberies in Nebraska that finally landed him in prison with his sentencing of 12 years.

While in prison, Hopwood became interested in the law, and began helping prison inmates write their petitions to the Supreme Court for legal justice and other legal matters.

In 2009, Hopwood was released from prison, and he continued his new passion and pursuit for law and order. In 2015, he became a licensed attorney. As a criminal justice advocate, Hopwood had written much more about the need for federal sentencing and prison reform.

Hopwood eventually became a prominent law professor at Georgetown University of Law. 

Living by faith: God always helps believers set their life goals and overcome their setbacks in their careers. For those unbelievers living in the flesh, they always see the world out there as a projection of what they feel deep inside themselves, as well as a reflection of their own inherent desires for success and wealth that seldom come true, giving them attachments to evils and wrongdoings. 

Stephen Lau

Living By Faith Is Living In Miracles

Dealing with Failures

Failing to achieve anything that the mind has set on doing is a setback on the developing mind of any teenager.

For example, dating someone for the first time seems mutually satisfying. A teenager then expects that someone will respond to the teenager’s phone call the next day. If that doesn’t happen, the teenager then feels "failure" with emotions of regret, remorse, and even wishful thinking.  

Other examples of failures in teenagers are poor academic score and loss in a game or a sport competition. Failures often result from unfulfilled expectations.

Failures in early life can lead to the development of low self-esteem and the loss of self-belief. These negative impacts can adversely affect the rest of the life of an individual.

Living by faith: Trusting in God will give you new perspectives of your failures. Your failures can become your "blessings" because God can transform you, making you “strong, firm, and steadfast” (I Peter 5:10). Your failures can open new doors of your services and commitments in your community; your failures, shared in multiple platforms with others around you, can change their lives for good. Most importantly, your failures can reveal your own sins and wrongdoings, making you feel penitent to seek His forgiveness and divine instructions. On the other hand, “failure deprivation” doesn’t provide any resilience to confront many challenges and difficulties later in life. So, a believer in God not only embraces “failing well” but also understands his or her own imperfections that need God’s help and guidance. God has given you your own being that doesn’t require your comparison of yourself with others. Just trust God and be obedient.

Stephen Lau

Living By Faith Is Living In Miracles

Doubts

Your conscience, which often tells you what's right and what's wrong, may create doubts in your mind when you're hiding the presence of the dark side of life and not sharing it with others, and not knowing whether others are just doing the same.

You may even begin to tell lies about the things happening in your life, and doubt if others are also doing the same. Doubts only make you less confident about yourself, depriving you of self-belief, which is self-efficacy. 

With faith and trust in God, you gain your freedom to trust yourself and others, instead of lying and not telling the truth about anything and everything in your life. Your belief in honesty is everything in your belief in God.

Yes, others may distort and lie about the truths concerning you and use them for their own selfish purposes. With faith, you give them the benefit of the doubt—God teaches you about not judging others. In real life, there’re many things that are beyond your control. With faith, you control your own doubt of self and of others.

With the gift of self-belief from God, you can accomplish anything in your life destined by God. Accordingly, you won’t compare yourself with others; or with your own past; instead, you’ll focus on your strengths, your goals, and your values that all come from God.

Living without faith and in the flesh, many are doubting others and themselves, and thus creating unknowingly their stress response, preparing them for the stress ahead, that is, others are also not telling them the truths. Stress is the prelude to their anxiety, fear, and worry—all the negative emotions of depression and other mental disorders.

Living by faith: You know the truth of telling the truths. No one can change the behaviors of others, let alone their own thinking minds of doubts and not telling the truths. God will always nudge you to tell the truths, and nothing but the truths because God is the truth of all things.

Stephen Lau

Living By Faith Is Living In Miracles

Learning in Life

Learning is everything in life: learning about yourself, about others, and most importantly about God. 

Learning can come from your life experience and your education.  Many want a higher education to give them more independence and greater freedom to do what they want in life.     

With faith, your choice of college or university and your selection of subject will be based on what God has destined for you. 

Living without faith and in the flesh, many would want to go to prestigious colleges and universities just to satisfy their egos and expectations.

An Illustration

On March 12, 2019, United States federal prosecutors disclosed an ongoing conspiracy aimed at influencing some student-college-admission decisions at several prominent and prestigious American colleges and universities.

In the college admission cheating scandal, some wealthy parents paid as much as $75,000 per test to help their young adults get a better score. It was reported that at least some 50 people, including some famous Hollywood stars, allegedly had participated in the scandal. Some of them were subsequently prosecuted, convicted, and sent to prison.

Living without faith and in the flesh, many would perceive that college admission cheating as “a crime with no victim” and an act of “good intention” to help the education of children. But it was an act of deceit and dishonesty.

Another Illustration

In 2012, a Chinese couple from Hong Kong filed a lawsuit against an education consultant in the United States for $2 million dollars, who promised that he could—but ultimately did not—get their two sons into Harvard University. The couple had used “improper” but maybe still perfectly “legal” means to get their two sons into Harvard University. They showed neither regret nor remorse, except their pride in having the means to get their two sons into Harvard University.

A Positive Illustration

A pastor from Hong Kong was invited to give a sermon in China. A woman from the congregation asked the pastor if it was “right” to give money to get her son into an elite school in China. The pastor replied by saying: “Your son getting into that elite school would also imply depriving another child of that same opportunity you’re seeking for your child.” 

A year later, the pastor met the same woman, who told him that her son had got into that elite school but without using her kwganxi or “connection.” The pastor then said to her: “See, God is in control; if you would just let Him.”

The bottom line: With faith, you’ll do the right and the righteous things to get what God has prepared for your education, whether it’s from a community college or a prestigious university. With faith, you can learn skills from your advanced education to hone relationships with others to build their social conscience to glorify God. Remember: God is the source of all knowledge and truths, and His image is always present in all the fellow humans you’re associated with for you to act accordingly to glorify Him.

Living by faith: Seeking a higher education has everything to do with your desires to learn about yourself, others, and the world around. It has little to do with your perceived destiny, which God has already created for you. God calls for your trust and obedience.

Stephen Lau

Living By Faith Is Living In Miracles

 

 about God.

Doing, Non-Doing, Over-Doing

In everyday life and living, there're certain things you must do, as well as things you don't do or over-do. 

With faith, you prioritize your time and understand your need to spend more time in prayers and in reading God’s Word than on the Internet. Not knowing what to do next may create your inexplicable self-pressure of anxiety, doubt, fear—the so-called “angst” personality or state of mind.

Controlling is the natural human response to the “angst” feeling. Controlling others and the surrounding circumstances is often perceived as the "solution" to many life problems—control is power; power is pressure; and pressure is solution. But pressing others, as well as self, to do certain things to get the desired result is only self-delusion because it always generates rejection and resistance not only from others but also, ironically, from self.

Pressure has its origin from expectations—for example, the expectations of parents with anxiety about the good grades of their children; the expectations of those socializing with fear of rejection by others; and the expectations of those participants in sports and competitions with worry of defeat and not winning.

With faith, you understand that God is in control, and you just do your best and let Him do the rest. With no expectations, living everyday life is joy and peace with no worry.

Without faith, and living in the flesh, many want to control others through pressure, or being pressured by their own expectations to do wrongdoings.

An Illustration

Lance Armstrong, the once-celebrated-but-now-disgraced cyclist, had won seven consecutive Tour de France titles and the Olympic bronze medal. His initial success "pressured" him with his expectations of more future success that led to his “wrongdoing”—using performance-enhancing drugs to win all his subsequent races. His expectations to win ultimately brought about his downfall, and he was stripped off all his previous winning titles.

Living by faith: Desiring for success, which is pride, distances you from God. Giving up your control of your destiny is your trust. Accepting the outcome of anything is your obedience.

Stephen Lau

Living By Faith Is Living In Miracles

 

A "LOVING" Person

 Are YOU a "loving" person?  

Loving

While growing up, most probably, you’ve been living with your parents, stepparents, adoptive parents, or those close to you. In the first few years of your development phase, they all create your personality and shape your thinking mind.

If you’re blessed with having loving parents and people around you, the love of God will make you respond with your hugging, kissing, and your godly love.

Becoming a person of faith, you’ll also look at living very differently. For example, if your parents asking you to tell a “white lie”, such as saying you “love” some food that you really don’t like, you must say "No!" because of God’s truth. Your faith will also stop you from forming the habit of lying in your life.

On the other hand, if your parents or those around you are controlling, dominating, and even abusive, your faith will help you respond "positively." God says you should not only “honor your father and mother” (Exodus 20:12), but also “obey” them. Your obedience may not lead to their “love” and “approval” of you, but it will lead to the help of the Holy Spirit in changing them. Remember: God is “a father to the fatherless.” (Psalm 68:5) So, surrender your will to God, and let His Holy Spirit work in your heart throughout your life. The next step to take is forgiving your loved ones for their abuse and wrongdoings and praying for them. Then, let go of any expectation of their immediate change of misbehavior; instead, accept them as who they are with their imperfections, and cultivate your love and compassion for them. 

So, continue to focus your own relationship with God to experience your own healing. Your faith in Christ gives you salvation and hope not just for yourself but also for the repentance of your loved ones. Yes, as a believer, you could be the light that leads your unsaved or wayward loved ones to their own repentance and salvation. God can do anything and everything in your life. With God’s love, just wait and be patient.

Without God’s love, an unbeliever could become so obsessed and preoccupied with the things loved that would lead to an irrational act. 

Living by faith: You love yourself and love others, no matter who they're. A 'loving" person is loved by God, because God is of love. 

Stephen Lau

Living By Faith Is Living In Miracles

Spirituality and Transformation

Spirituality

For a true believer, spirituality is the belief in the existence of God, who is in control of the believer’s life in this world, including the duration of the believer’s lifespan. However, to many “so-called” believers, the presence of God is no more than the existence of the sun or the planets. Yes, they know that they couldn’t survive without the sun, but they also know very well that the sun would always be there for them no matter what.

For those who don’t have a specific religion, but who still believe in the existence of a Being greater than themselves, spirituality is their understanding of the inexplicable control of and the natural cycle of all things. They believe that certain things in life are beyond human control and understanding; certain things in life follow a natural cycle or order, such as life is inevitably followed by death.

For many unbelievers, spirituality may still be present in their hearts in the form of love, joy, and peace that are often expressed in their actions and behaviors toward others. Yes, spirituality is the conscience that tells many what’s right and what’s wrong, providing them with direction, guidance, and understanding in their daily lives.    

So, in many ways, humans may all be spiritual in some ways. Spirituality is like a shadow that they sometimes see more of it, and other times less of it, but it’s always there, following them wherever they go, whether they like it or not. 

How can you enhance your spirituality?

(1) Strengthening your faith in God with trust and obedience—trust to show your humility and submission; obedience to show your endurance and perseverance.

·   (2) Reading His Word every day, meditating and remembering some of it.

·   (3) Praying throughout the day.

·   (4) Living in His Presence.

·   (5) Connecting with others to spread His wisdom.   

H  Have you become more spiritual with each day passing?

Hopefully, spirituality has transformed you before your death and dying.

Transformation

The spirit has the power to transform any individual into a better being.

At some point in life, an individual may begin to feel and sense his or her incompleteness, limitations, loneliness, and disillusions about human vanity. That inner longing for change may begin the process of transformation.

So, what is transformation?

Change is external, while transformation is internal. Change may have a negative connotation—getting rid of something undesirable to receive something desirable. Transformation is enhancement of something good, which is already inside that individual—rediscovery of something that has somehow become invisible to the naked eye.

So, transformation can make any individual more spiritual, that is, having a better relationship with God, which requires quality time, deliberate effort, and right doing with accountability.

Living by faith: Use your humility to surrender yourself to God. Then transform yourself with your trust and obedience.

Stephen Lau

Living By Faith Is Living In Miracles

 

Forgiving But Not Forgetting

Forgiveness is rooted in love, which is the fruit of forgiveness. Forgiveness starts with love, and it results in love. God is of love, and He came to earth in the form of man (Jesus) not only to love all humans but also to ask all humans to love one another. 

^““Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Matthew 22: 37-39 

Instead of giving humans the punishment they deserve, Jesus Christ paid for all their sins and all their wrongs “as far as the east is from the west.” So, no matter what, forgiving self is crucial.

Forgiving Others     

Forgiving self is forgiving wrongs done to others, while forgiving others is forgiving wrongs done to self. Maybe the former is easier than the latter.

As an illustration of forging others, on September 24, 2016, runner and cyclist Dean Otto was struck by a car driven by Will Huffman, a 27-year-old salesman, with his buddy on their way to a football game. The crash left Dean Otto paralyzed.

After assessing Otto’s condition, Dr. Matt McGirt told the Otto family that Dean Otto was 99 percent likely going to spend the rest of his days in a wheelchair. It was sad and scary news for the Otto family.

But Otto was never scared—or even resentful. Instead, he said a private prayer and instantly forgave Will Huffman. Otto said: “I knew if I didn’t, the resentment would eat me alive.”

After the surgery on his spine performed by Dr. Matt McGirt, Otto began his miraculous recovery. As a matter of fact, a few hours after the surgery, Otto was able to wiggle his toes.

Through Facebook, Will Huffman and his wife were finally able to contact Otto’s family, who welcomed them graciously with open arms.

Huffman was not surprised that Otto would forgive him, but he didn’t expect or imagine that they would become good friends afterwards. Huffman even said: “I think most people would stop there and say, ‘Nice meeting you, but I’m done.’”

Dr. Matt McGirt was also inspired by their close friendship, and he earnestly believed that it was Otto’s attitude, forgiveness, and loving-kindness that had brought about his phenomenal recovery. The doctor also remarked: “He not only turned lemons into lemonade, but he’s selling that lemonade, too.” Otto raised $11,000 for Carolinas Rehabilitation’s LIFE Program for spinal cord injury patients.

On July 22, 2017, Otto, Huffman, and Dr. McGirt reunited and they all participated in a half-marathon race. The event was widely reported in the media all over the United States.

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13

Not Forgetting

Forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting or excusing the harm done to the victim.

Not forgetting the harm done can free the victim from any further and future control of the victimizer. Not forgetting means continual praying for forgiveness that might even lead to feelings of understanding, empathy, and compassion for the victimizer.

Not forgetting the circumstances may help the victim learn valuable lessons from them to avoid any future wrongdoing.

Not forgetting helps remembering healing rather than hurting. More importantly, God gives humans what they need, and not what they deserve.

The Bottom Line

Throughout your life on earth, had you done many wrongs to others to get what you wanted? Had you ever forgiven yourself for your wrongdoings? How had you responded to the vengeance from your victims—remorse and repentance, or an eye for an eye?

Had you forgiven others in your past? Or you had been carrying your bag and baggage of hatred, injustice, and vengeance?

Living by faith: God is a forgiving God. So, forgive yourself first and then others, but never forget the past--your "reminder" of God's forgiveness. 

Stephen Lau 

Living By Faith Is Living In Miracles

The Sins of the World

The Sins of humans are their failures in choosing their actions, their thoughts, and their emotions to love God and to love others. Their failures in choices lead to their misbehaviors and wrong judgments, with their self-deceptions and self-illusions stored in their subconscious minds living in their flesh. 

The truth is that all humans, without any exception, commit sins every day because they all rely on their minds to tell them how to think, what to do, and when to act or react according to their thoughts.

Repeating Sins

Humans always repeat their sins, which’re their failures to love God and to love others around, even though they might have already received their forgiveness from God.  Satan, the Devil, is an expert in creating doubts in human minds, causing them to question in their hearts if God had “really” forgiven them.

Denying Sins

Many humans, living in a sinful world, simply deny their committing sins with no victims, such as stealing a pair of sunglasses from a grocery store, instead of stealing money from someone’s home. But on Feb 23, 2023, a Washington, D.C. man was shot dead by a police officer for stealing a pair of sunglasses.

Accepting Sins

Many humans have accepted sins as social norms, such as watching pornography on the Internet, indulging in gambling, or even lining up to buy their lottery tickets out of greed. Acceptance is based on “everybody is doing it” and “it’s not against the law.”

Rationalizing Sins

Self-justification is finding “excuses” for committing sins, such as “pointing fingers” at the sins and crimes committed by those distinguished celebrities around to justify their own commitment of sins.

Rebuking Sins

Rebuking sins can surprisingly lead to committing more sins, instead of stopping and restraining sins.

As an illustration, in Houston, Texas, a man using his gun robbed diners in a taqueria restaurant. The robber was on the verge of leaving that restaurant when he was shot 9 times by a vigilante diner, who then helped diners recover their money robbed at that restaurant, before disappearing. The police later found that the suspect's weapon was only a "plastic gun." Texas police began searching for that vigilante diner, with that "you-took-my-money-I-took-your-life" mindset of rebuking sins.

Indeed, many in the process of rebuking sins commit their own sin. That's a testament to the prevalence of sins in everyday life and living.

Rejecting Sins

Rejecting God and refusing the offer of forgiveness and the offer of a new life is a major mortal sin in humans. Unfortunately, many are vulnerable to rejecting not only God but also their loved ones.

Enjoying Sins

Nowadays, there’re many who indulge in sins, such as serial killers and rapists, because they derive excitement, pleasures, and smartness from their sins.

To illustrate, John Wayne Gacy, who grew up in an abusive family, became a notorious American serial killer and rapist, who had killed more than 33 young men and boys at his home in Norwood Park Township in Illinois. He was also known as the “Killer Clown” who had many public performances as a clown to attract young children and to lure them into his home to be victimized and then buried in the crawl space of his home. Eventually, Gacy was caught by the police, prosecuted, and sentenced to death in 1980. His execution took place in 1984. After four years in prison, Gacy showed that he had enjoyed his killings with no remorse. His final words on the day of his execution were: “Kiss my ass!”  

The Bottom Line

Had you committed some or all the above sins before your exit from the world? 

Living by faith: You're vulnerable to committing sins. Only God can save and deliver you with spiritual wisdom, which gives you trust and obedience.

Stephen Lau

Living By Faith Is Living In Miracles

Words of Wisdom to Live by Faith

Here are some words of wisdom to help you live by faith. Meditate and memorize them:

"I take delight in the Lord, and He will give me the desires of my heart."

"Help me to remember the brevity of life, and to live well today."

"I am You say I am"

"Help me to know and embrace my calling that I might better love and serve You."

"Holy Spirit, fill me afresh today and make me a person of virtue."

"Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love."

"What no one ever saw or heard, what no one thought or ever thought could happen is the very thing that God prepared for those who love Him. Enlighten me with Your Spirit."

"The Holy Spirit, fill me with love, gentleness, and kindness toward others."

"I want to be transformed by the renewing of my mind to be more loving, more hopeful, and filled with inner peace."

"I honor the Lord. I will find favor with Him, and He will direct my path."

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, I present my requests to You."

"Teach me what You want me to learn, and help me to love You with all my mind."

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

"I trust the Lord with all my heart, and I don't depend on my own understanding. I remember the Lord in all I do and He will give me success. I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me. Without faith, it is impossible to please Him."

"Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. Gid gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please Him."

"Rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In everything be thankful for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

"Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

"No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them."

"I am the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

"Do not dwell on the past. Refresh my sight to see new ground to walk with You."

"I come to You. I am weary and burdened, and You will give me rest."

"Lord, keep me in the season."

"I am the clay, and You are the potter. I am the work of Your hand."

"I consider my life worth nothing to me: my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace."

"When I am weak, then I am strong."

Living by faith: Meditate and memorize the teachings of God in every aspect of your daily life. They're His "life instructions" to live in faith and harmony.

Sloth

Sloth is laziness, which is a mental struggle that some teens may experience as they grow up in their transition phase, or even some adults when they feel they've nothing worth doing. Sloth can be habit-forming in not doing daily things that they’re supposed to do, such as learning and helping the family or others who need their help.

Sloth is due to many factors: anxiety, fear, and worry about the consequences of the doing; not having adequate sleep; not knowing how to manage time; seeing a meaningless life ahead without a purpose.

Parents should set a plan of duty and obligation for their children—a plan to do certain daily chores in the family, such as cleaning and sweeping the floor. Teaching children their own responsibility and commitment, as well as their life goals and values, such as helping others and being compassionate.

Teenagers growing up in their transition phase should willingly limit their screen time on their electronic devices, and practice certain daily routines, such as exercising and walking.

Living by faith: You can free yourself from the bondage of sloth through your recognition and compliance to the need of doing not just for yourself but also for helping others, according to God’s plan for you. Remember, God has a destiny for you, and living by faith is to find that destiny.

Stephen Lau

The Beginning of Sin

The Beginning of Wrongdoings

Being spiritual, an individual must have been accountable to God, that is, not doing “all” the wrong and unrighteous things in life. Unfortunately, the reality is that any individual, irrespective of the intensity of spirituality, must still have done “some” of the wrong and unrighteous things at some point in his or her life simply because that individuality has been living in the flesh.

So, how do humans begin to sin?

Many begin to sin while thinking that they’re “committing no crime or wrongdoing with no victim.”

A hypothetical illustration

Say, two men were sitting close to each other, and they were the last two persons at the bar. The man had just paid the bartender who returned with his credit card. Now, the other man paid the bartender who just left with his credit card. Then, the man, who just got back his credit card, left some cash on the table, said goodnight to the other man, and left the bar.

The other man looked at the cash close to him. Now, he “pushed” the cash left by the man who had just left “a little bit closer to him.” The bartender returned with the man’s credit card, looked at the cash in front of him, and said: “Thank you, Sir.” The man responded: “You’re welcome. Good night.” And the man left the bar.

Here are the realities:

The last man who left the bar did not give the bartender any tip.

The bartender received the same amount of tip.

With or without the last man pushing the cash “a little bit closer” to him, the bartender would still have said: “Thank you, Sir.”

So, nothing had changed, except the position of the cash.

Here are questions for reflection:

Did the man do anything wrong by changing the position of the cash? Yes!

What was wrong with changing the position of the cash? Changing the mind and the perception of the bartender made the man feel “respected and important” (the Sin of Pride). And changing her mind was also controlling (the Sin of Lust for Power and Control).

Was the man able to pay the bartender the tip? Most probably yes! Subconsciously, however, the man might be envious of the man who had paid his tip so voluntarily (the Sin of Envy). And withholding the payment of his tip was also covetousness (the Sin of Greed).

Changing the position of the cash might seem trivial and insignificant—a "crime with no victim." But that’s how all humans begin committing their sins because all humans have both a conscious mind and a subconscious mind. The conscious mind with clarity of thinking may know what’s right and wrong, but the subconscious mind with its misbeliefs, myths, and untruths not only dominates the conscious mind but is often controlled by Satan because humans are living in their flesh.

Worse, one minor sin often leads to another and yet another more serious one. The freedom of choice is often held hostage by its bondage to the flesh, where the corrupted body dwells and the origin of the desires and wants of the thinking mind that ultimately change the freedom of choices. No matter how soft or strong the human bondage may be, one bondage always leads to another. The more bondages, the greater their control on the freedom of human choices and decisions, and the more wrong things humans will subsequently do.

One human bondage may lead to another. The more bondages, the greater their control on the freedom of human choices and decisions, and the more wrong things humans will subsequently do.

As an illustration, on July 4, 2022, a 25-year-old Black man in Akron, Ohio, was shot 60 times by 8 policemen. The news was widely reported in the media because the victim was a Black man and the police had presumably used “excess force” to gun him down. The victim, who had no criminal record, was initially stopped at a routine traffic stop. The man didn’t like it, so he decided to choose to get away. Driving away his car and then being chased by the police made him angry, so he chose to fire his gun to stop the police chase. After stopping his car at some point, the man decided to flee on foot. While running, his subconscious mind told him to turn around to do whatever he chose and decided to do. But he was shot dead. The above tragedy could have been avoided if the victim had not taken his initial wrongdoing” to get away, which led to another and yet another wrongdoing that finally led him to his own death.

Living by faith: Acknowledge to God that you're a sinner, and ask for His forgiveness. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the way to walk away from sin. 

Stephen Lau

Following God's Biblical Instructions

Living by faith is following God's Word in the Bible, which has God’s Word, the Bible, has 66 books (according to Protestants) and 77 books (according to Catholics); 39 of them are in the Old Testament, and 27 of them are in the New Testament.

THE OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis is about the genes and genetics of Adam and Eve, and Noah. God teaches you about your “new beginning” with Him.

Exodus is about God’s deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Likewise, you’ve many of your own unsolved problems holding you in bo·       age. God teaches you about relying on Him to solve all your unsolved problems and giving you freedom from that bondage.

Leviticus is about understanding God’s holiness. God teaches you about how Jesus can bring you to God the Father, and how the Holy Spirit can help you avoid sins while living on earth.

Numbers is about the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years in exile because of their disobedience and lack of faith. God teaches you about trusting God’s unchanging Promises to you.

Deuteronomy is about Moses’ warning against idolatry, honoring the Ten Commandments, and sharing God’s truths with the generations to come. God teaches you about finding ways to share the Word of God with people you know.

Joshua is about Joshua, after the death of Moses, leading the Israelites to the land promised by God. God teaches you about serving God to claim His Promises while living in a world of many gods, many philosophies, and many temptations.

Judges is about the lack of national leaders after the death of Joshua, followed by sins and evils of His chosen people. God teaches you about overcoming lapses in your faith with the power of your repentance and revival.

Ruth is about how God turned the sufferings of Naomi and Ruth into blessings. God teaches you about trusting in God to redeem your hardships in the past, to bless you in the now, and to provide you with hope  in the future.

I Samuel is about the stories of three leaders: Samuel, Saul, and David. God teaches you about not judging by first impressions, and not jumping to conclusions.

II Samuel is about David’s forty-year reign over Israel and Judah. God teaches you that God’s mercy will lead you, like King David, to your contrition, your repentance, and to your restoration.

I Kings is about King Solomon’s wisdom, and the kings that followed. God teaches you about asking God for wisdom in times of peril as well as in times of prosperity to live by faith.

II Kings is about the history of the Jews after King Solomon, including how God saved Elijah and Elisha with no fear. God teaches you to walk with God with no fear.

I Chronicles is about how God led and blessed David as the King of Israel. God teaches you about His having work for you that you may not even know or understand; just do the work without fear until it is finished.

II Chronicles is about King Solomon building the temple to glorify God. God teaches you about keeping your body and your spirit as healthy as possible and use them as wisely as you can.

Ezra is about exiles from Babylon who wanted to rebuild the temple and to restore Jerusalem. God teaches you ·       about rebuilding your broken life with a new beginning, which is living by faith.

Nehemiah is about Nehemiah, a gifted builder in rebuilding Jerusalem “with the good hand of my God upon me” (Nehemiah 2:8) God teaches you about giving you a vision of what He wants you to do, that is, what He has destined for you.

Esther is about Esther who delivered the Jews from a massacre. God teaches you about your firm faith in His providence of solutions in all your daily troubles.

Job is about Job, a righteous and wealthy man who suffered tragedies despite his obedience to God. God teaches you to be obedient when you’re suffering, because He is sovereign over your life and your future.

Psalms is about songs covering almost every life condition. God teaches you about using songs to remember the Lord for your emotional and spiritual health.

Proverbs is about words of wisdom from Solomon for existence and survival. God teaches you about the importance of spiritual wisdom in commands in your life and in your living.

Ecclesiastes is about the philosophy of life of King Solomon—learning valuable lessons from futility of life. God teaches you about fulfilment of life not in riches or possessions but in trusting God in the now and in the future. 

Song of Solomon is King Solomon’s song about love between husband and wife. God teaches you about joy in a marriage despite the imperfections in the couple.

Isaiah is about the prophet Isaiah facing the challenge of a military invasion, as well as his prediction of the coming of the Messiah. God teaches about strengthening your faith in the promised Messiah who has already come and is now in your heart.

Jeremiah is about the prophet Jeremiah, whose messages were rejected by many. God teaches you to prevail and to persevere because He is the shepherd and you are His sheep, and you must do according to what He says.

Lamentation is about Jeremiah’s lamenting his sorrow and suffering, but with hope, God gave him mercy and compassion. God teaches you about not giving up hope and trusting in God’s mercy and compassion.

Ezekiel is about God’s prophet to the exiles in Babylon in the final days of the nation Judah, and about the destruction of Jerusalem, with the promise of the return of Jerusalem and the coming of the Messiah. God teaches you about believing in the Word of God, giving you hope in the days to come.

Daniel is about Daniel, one of the first inhabitants of Jerusalem occupied by Babylonians, who was faithful and steadfast to the Lord while living in adversities. God teaches you about always serving God faithfully.

Hosea is about Hosea’s difficult marriage and Israel’s spiritual adultery. The Lord told Hosea not to harden his heart and to plant seeds of righteousness. God teaches you about tending to your habits of your personal holiness in all that you do.

Joel is about the prophet Joel who said that the locust invasion in his day was a divine judgment and only repentance would bring blessings from the Lord. God teaches you about turning to God for forgiveness, and repentance for His blessings.

Amos is about farmer Amos, whose faith resulted in good deeds, kindness, charity, and justice. God teaches you about treating others with integrity and compassion.

Obadiah is about Obadiah who condemned the nation of Edom for the sin of attitudes—gloating over the misfortunes of others and showing no compassion for them. God teaches you about your compassion for others to please Him.

Jonah is about God’s punishment of Jonah who disobeyed Him. God teaches you about your faithfulness and obedience to God without hesitation or vacillation.

Micah is about judgment, sin, and restoration. God teaches you about living justly, showing mercy, and walking humbly with Him. 

Nahum is about prophet Nahum who said God always protected His people from storms, and humans should never focus on vengeance. God teaches you about not avenging yourself to rectify any wrong done to you.

Habakkuk is about Habakkuk who told God that he was frustrated by his troubles, and God told him to live by faith. God teaches you about living by faith, not by sight, and fully trusting God in all your troubles.

Zephaniah is about Zephaniah warning urgency of repentance of sins because “the great day of the Lord is near.” God teaches you about repentance because the end of the world is getting closer.

Haggai is about prophet Haggai rebuking the exiles who returned to Jerusalem to build their own houses, instead of reestablishing the city and rebuilding the temple. God teaches you about being strong with no discouragement because God is with you.

Zechariah is about prophet Zechariah encouraging the Jewish exiles to finish rebuilding the temple for the coming Messiah. God teaches you about not to be discourage by your slow and small work, for God’s spirit can make it great and powerful.

Malachi is about the final prophet Malachi rejecting apathy and its subsequent discouragement. God teaches you about discovering how little is much when God is in it.

THE NEW TESTAMENT 

Matthew is about the birth of Jesus, His teachings, His death, and His resurrection. God teaches you about baptizing in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Mark is about the urgency to know Christ, given that many passed into eternity without knowing Christ. God teaches you about your urgency to serve others and to share His Good News.

Luke is about Luke, a physician, with a merciful heart and a head of truths and knowledge, spreading the teachings of Christ. God teaches you about being merciful and compassionate to spread the Good News to others.

John is about Jesus doing the will of His Father and finishing His work on earth. God teaches you about finding your way of salvation to be born again.

Acts is about apostle Peter spreading the Gospel. God teaches you about your calling in this life to share Jesus with others.

Romans is about reigning in life through Jesus Christ, as well as through the implications of His life, death, and resurrection. God teaches you about reigning in life through God’s grace.

I Corinthians is about apostle Paul’s grief over church disagreement. God teaches you about selfless love and unity within the church.

II Corinthians is about the personal journey of apostle Paul. God teaches you about not giving up your personal struggle in your belief journey.

Galatians is about apostle Paul’s letters to the early churches to walk in the Spirit, instead of fulfilling the lust of the flesh. God teaches you about walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh.

Ephesians is about spiritually rich, instead of materially wealthy. God teaches you about walking as “children of light” in the earthly rich world.

Philippians is about uplifting in spirit—written by apostle Paul in prison with the motto “to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” God teaches you about walking in love and trusting in God’s love and provision.

Colossians is about apostle Paul addressing some of the false teachings of the church in Colossae. God teaches you about setting your heart on things above, given that you have been raised with Christ.

I Thessalonians is about apostle Paul addressing Thessalonians with encouragement about the coming of Jesus. God teaches you about living faithfully and expectantly.

II Thessalonians is about apostle Paul’s second letter to Thessalonians about action and sanctification in the Lord’s Second Coming. God teaches you about what a believer should do before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

I Timothy is about heading up the work of churches to fight for the Gospel in a hostile culture. God teaches you about ·       living a holy life as a testament to the holy truth of God’s Word.

II Timothy is about Paul’s final letter to Timothy about being strong and fearless in preaching God’s Word. God teaches you about discipling the younger generation to spread the Gospel.

Titus is about Paul and Titus preaching God’s Word to the next generation. God teaches you about teaching sound doctrine and living a godly life.

Philemon is about a young slave in Philemon, who came to Christ after stealing some money. God teaches you about receiving, respecting, and refreshing others in Christ.

Hebrews is about Hebrew Christians facing pressure against their faith in the first century. God teaches you about your perseverance in your faith in any circumstance.

James is about James and Jude, who grew up with Jesus. God teaches you about being a doer of the Word by doing a good deed today and every day.

I Peter is about Peter showing how Jesus was a role model for endurance in suffering. God teaches you about sharing your faith unashamedly with others.

II Peter is about growing in faith and looking to the return of Christ. God teaches you about your faith in anticipating the Lord’s coming with hope and peace.

I John is about elderly apostle John, who would die for others just as God sent His Son to die for humans. God teaches you about laying down your life for your brothers and sisters.

II John is about false messages offered in the world of deceit and deception. God teaches you about praying for your discernment against false teachings.

III John is about offering an open door to God’s grace for those needing it. God teaches you about your generosity and hospitality for those in need.

Jude is about “contending earnestly for the faith” and “living in the love of God.” God teaches you about faith, prayer through the Holy Spirit, and anticipated mercy in the Lord’s coming.

Revelation is about God making you think about the future—His new heavens, His new earth, and His new Jerusalem. God teaches you about opening your mind to receive His spiritual wisdom to understand your life and living. 

Living by faith: Start reading God's Word is a daunting task. With the Helper, the Holy Spirit, you'll know where to begin and how to continue.