SCRIPTURE:
"When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him" (Mark 9:14-15, NIV)

Observations:
I asked myself 'as soon as all the people saw Jesus' how did they react?
1. They were overwhelmed with wonder.
2. They ran to greet Jesus.

I asked myself what cause-effect relationship I saw here?
Because they were overwhelmed with wonder, they ran to greet Jesus.

Interpretations:
I asked myself why were they 'overwhelmed with wonder' that they ran to greet Jesus?
Jesus had just come down the mountain from the transfiguration that had occurred while He was with Peter, James, John, Moses, Elijah, and the voice of the Lord. Now they see Jesus coming towards them and have already heard about the miracles and teachings Jesus has done. Now, they see Jesus taking the initiative here and therefore rune to greet him.

Implications:
I saw important implications for my own life here. The crowds were 'overwhelmed with wonder' when they saw Jesus because they had already learned about what Jesus could do. I too need to learn more and more about Jesus each day for when I do that my heart cannot help but leap towards greeting Jesus, acknowledging Him in my life. That is so exciting to know. Just as the crowd ran to greet Jesus, I can run to greet Jesus each and every day when I set aside a time to pray to Him and let Him speak to me through His Word. His Word has power to change lives.

HOW GOSPEL GIVES ME TESTIMONY REGARDING G.R.E.E.T:
This morning I got to greet Jesus when I talked to Him through prayer and while I read His Word in Psalm 96, Proverbs 6, John 15, 1st Peter, and 2nd Peter. When I greeted Jesus, my time in the Word was filled with nourishment because I saw everything Jesus was teaching me through His Word. Jesus not only encouraged me but exhorted me as He greeted me to. It did not start with me but it started with Jesus. I felt Jesus loved me so much and that He wanted me to read certain passages so He could speak to me. When I read those passages, I felt I was in a position to greet Jesus using His own Word. That was exciting. As I write this I feel so fully nourished because of everything I learned. It is exciting to greet Jesus but more than that it is exciting when Jesus greets me and others greet me.

I have experienced that on my birthday too when Jesus gave me life and greeted me with a special blessing from Psalm 139. I also was greeted by more than 100 friends who acknowledged my birthday and even wrote prayers and blessings for me.

You too can greet others in life but more than that you have the opportunity to greet Jesus in life. It does not have to be a special day but it can be right now. Even as I took time to greet Jesus and have been so blessed, you too will be when you rest in His Arms of love.

I ask you now dear friend, who do you G.R.E.E.T in life?
Dear friend, there are so many people we can greet in life but there is only One who can change our life around. The question is have we decided to greet that One daily. Friend, I am talking about Jesus Christ who overwhelmed the crowds with wonder. Jesus Christ has not changed and is the same today, tomorrow, and forever. Whatever Jesus did then, He can even do now. The crowds understood the power of Jesus and who He is so they ran to greet Him. You too can experience His power because He offers it to you in His love. You see friend, while you and I were sinners trapped by Satan to live in bondage, Jesus took it upon Himself to free us and give us freedom.

If you have experienced the bondage of the G-20 when students felt prisoners in their own community, being bondage to sin is worse than that even words cannot describe. Because of that Jesus came to become the mediator between us and God. Jesus paid the price that we could never pay because He alone was the sinless Lamb of God who came to take away the worlds sin by His precious blood. Jesus has done that for you when He died on the cross and came back to life to save you so you can turn to Him and He can greet you everyday. He loves to greet you. You and I can greet Him because He first decided to greet us. Praise the Lord.

I don't know about you but when I get up in the morning, the first thing I usually do is greet the One who gave me life in this world. I am talking about Jesus Christ, my Lord and Personal Savior who not only gave me physical life but life for the soul for Eternity. It started when Jesus took the initiative on the cross of Calvary to shed His precious cleansing blood for me and came back to life on  the third day to save. When I greet Jesus, Jesus greets me back. His greeting is filled with His powerful transforming Word to change my life as I yield to the Savior and not to my hedonistic principles that Satan wants me to focus on.

When I am tempted, I know the One who can deliver me and set me free. It is Jesus Christ who greets me daily and I can walk with Him 24-7. You too can friend. Yes, you can! May you find the hope, love, and grace to be led by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who waits to greet you everyday.

If you are having troubled with your Quiet Times, I would suggest you using booklets by InterVarsity Press called 'First Mornings with God', 'Quiet Times For Growth', and 'My Heart Christ's Home' for starters. If you don't have those booklets, do what I do each morning. Open to a Psalm and read it and then pray it out to the Lord calling on His Name for He will listen and answer. Yes, He will friend.

Yes, friend Jesus loves you so much that when you greet Him, He will greet you and fill your life with His truth. That is exciting to know. May you rest in that knowledge and take time to greet Jesus in life.

I was blessed to be greeted by more that 100 friends on my birthday but that blessing to for me is because of Jesus Christ. Thank you so much Jesus for all blessings come from you.

Even being greeted by someone is a result of the Lord giving us life. Praise the Lord. May you take time to greet Jesus daily knowing that graciously Redeemer everyday emphasizes Truth!

"Graciously Redeemer Everyday Emphasizes Truth! (G.R.E.E.T)/"Who do you G.R.E.E.T in life?"

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you so much for greeting me into this world by giving me birth and then giving me the opportunity to greet you each day as I turn to you. Thank you for the power of Your Word and how much you greet me giving me encouragement and exhortation during our time together. Help me never to let it be superficial but genuine and time spent where I do feel spiritually nourished without being rushed. I love you Jesus. Thank you for paying the price to set me free from the bondage of sin and death. I am so overwhelmed with wonder how you deliver us and give us promises to hold on to. I hold on to you Lord and for all you do for me. Help me to always live for you and serve you. Thank you again for Your Word which you greet me with as I talk to you. Let me rest in Your Word daily and do what it says. Thanks so much Jesus. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

Lord Jesus, You are my all in all. You are my Prince of Peace, Rock, Savior, and Friend. You are my Holy Father guiding me through to live a life of righteousness, holy righteousness. Oh God, I need you more than ever. I need to feel your hands around me holding me tight. I need your love to surround me so that you can glow in my life. Help me please Jesus. I desire in your presence. Thank you for guiding me to live a life of righteousness. Oh God you love me more than ever. You hear my voice when I cry out to you. When I seek your face, you fill me up. You are my all in all. Thank you Jesus so much for your help no matter what I face, your grace is available and you take my case. Thank you for hearing us and answering us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! AMEN! (Most of the prayer is from a vineyard song called “All in All”)

You don't have to be locked away anymore for Christ is here to free you and give you peace to LIVE out your actions.

How do you look at GODISNOWHERE?

One of my pastors, Pastor Hugo SHARED this example one Sunday at the RESURRECTION DAY SERVICE in the combined worship service of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship:

If you look at it as GOD IS NO WHERE, you will still be lost in your sin and be in bondage locked away in your sins and problems finding no peace.

But  as my pastor spoke to the congregation and spoke to me, I am here to tell you that GOD IS NOW HERE.

Yes, friend God is aLIVE and wants to bring a transformation in your life through the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ for He paid the penalty on the cross to rescue you and me and came back to life to save us and LIVE with us.

Yes, friend that is exciting to know that we can experience HIS SAVING GRACE & LIVING GRACE.

When we mess up, we can go to Jesus with our shortcomings and He will forgive us and RESTORE us to Him and we will find peace in Him.

^"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)

"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. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9, NIV)

Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.

"For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)

Come to Jesus as you are and pray this prayer to accept Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior. He will transform your life around! Praise the Lord! You don't have to have all the answers! You can come as you are!

If you want to be a soldier in the Lord's army, you can become it right now. Now is the time of Salvation! You do not have to wait but can pray this prayer and give your life to Christ to serve Him daily! There is no draft but coming to Christ is voluntary. He loves you so much and wants you to come to Him! He will take care of you, guiding you and leading you!

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, I love you. Thank you for loving me so much and thank you for choosing the cross to die for me. You became the Son of Man and lived here on earth. Then you humbled yourself and became obedient to death-even death on the cross. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. You died on the cross so that I can be covered in your blood and cleansed by your blood as I acknowledge that I need you and cannot enter Heaven without you being my pathway. So, Jesus I confess all my sins to you and all the ways I have tried to get into Heaven when you already provided the means and the Way. Thank you for all that you have done for me. "The cross is the place, a wonderful place where accused and condemned find mercy and grace. Thank you Jesus, it is at the cross where the wrongs we have done and the wrongs done to us were nailed at the cross. Thank you Jesus, at the cross you died for our sins and at the cross you gave your life for us." I thank you for that and thank you for coming back to life to save us. Thank you Jesus for being there for me! Thank you for loving me. I love you Jesus! Please take me as I am and make my life into something that you will be proud of. I surrender my life to you and need your help to live for you. I am forever grateful for what you have done for me and I can never repay you. I want to live for you and need your help. Help me Jesus please. I thank you Jesus for saving me! Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering me. Whatever your will give me the willingness and strength to bear it. Thank you Jesus! I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior! In Your Name I Pray precious Jesus! Amen!