John 8:24
“For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.”
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As a parent, we would always want our children to believe in our advice whenever they have problems. Why? Because we have been in those situations before, experienced it first hand and most probably, know the solution to it. And if they do not listen? Well, we either just let it be or blame them later if the outcome is what we explained to them would be. In the latter case, we would proudly say, “I told you so.”
Jesus has always been vocal about His purpose why He came here on earth. And yet, most of us would not believe in Him and His words. Failing to listen and act according to His will could only mean eternal death because of sins. Since the time of Adam and Eve, man’s dilemma is SIN. No one is exempted from this. Therefore, God from the beginning had required sacrifices for our sin. Since the Old Testament sacrifices of animal's was only temporary to cover sin, it was necessary to have something more, more powerful and lasting. So, God had a solution from the beginning of the world. At a certain point in time He would become a man (John 1:14) and die for our sins.
And so, He sacrificed His Son. Jesus is not just a human atoning for all the sins, He is God come in human flesh. He died for all our sins past, present and future. God’s gift to the world is His Son, Who is His personal gift to YOU. But to unwrap Him, you need faith to believe and receive the message. Believing in Him and His words. It is a life changing offer, and who of us does not need a new start on life? So, someday, when we open our eyes again, let’s hope that it is God, and not Satan, who would be remarking, “I told you so.”
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, give me the strength that waits upon You in silence and peace. Give me humility in which alone is rest, and deliver me from pride which is the heaviest of burdens. And possess my whole heart and soul with the simplicity of love. Occupy my whole life with the one thought and the one desire of love, that I may love not for the sake of merit, not for the sake of perfection, not for the sake of virtue, but for You alone. Amen +
O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
“AND SIN NO MORE”
John 8:11
“Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”
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I just came from confession. After I received my absolution, I really felt good inside. I attended the mass; afterwhich, I went home. But along the way, a car suddenly sped in front of me while I am crossing the street. Luckily, it did not hit me. But I did curse the driver, shouting on top of my voice. I just came from talking with God, and now this happened. Well, I will just confess again my sins next week.
Then, it struck me. What if another car speeds up and this time, it hits me. What if a bad person suddenly robs me and gunned me down in the process. What if I just fall down on the street, dead, not knowing what happened. Yes, the Lord forgives sin. But he also expects that we do not sin anymore. It is hard, you and I know. And it means constant amendment in our lives, as we live in total agreement with Him, His will and His Word.
Let us learn from the case of the woman caught in adultery. Although Jesus had forgiven her sin, He expects her to live a life of grace and union with God by not sinning anymore. Sin does matter and damages our relationship with God, but it is not man who should judge us, but only God. When we receive Jesus’ forgiveness, He expects us to live as new people afterwards.
As we come to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, it would make no sense to come to confession if we intended to continue committing the same sin again. In weakness we may commit the same sin again. But surely we can only genuinely say that we are truly sorry for our sins if we have a firm intention not to commit sin again, amending our lives and living a life that God has intended and wants for us.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, you sent your Son to carry out your mission of redeeming the world. Let the light of your Gospel of love so shine in the world that it may be transformed into a worthy home for all your children of every race and country. Amen +
Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
“Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more.”
-----------------------------------
I just came from confession. After I received my absolution, I really felt good inside. I attended the mass; afterwhich, I went home. But along the way, a car suddenly sped in front of me while I am crossing the street. Luckily, it did not hit me. But I did curse the driver, shouting on top of my voice. I just came from talking with God, and now this happened. Well, I will just confess again my sins next week.
Then, it struck me. What if another car speeds up and this time, it hits me. What if a bad person suddenly robs me and gunned me down in the process. What if I just fall down on the street, dead, not knowing what happened. Yes, the Lord forgives sin. But he also expects that we do not sin anymore. It is hard, you and I know. And it means constant amendment in our lives, as we live in total agreement with Him, His will and His Word.
Let us learn from the case of the woman caught in adultery. Although Jesus had forgiven her sin, He expects her to live a life of grace and union with God by not sinning anymore. Sin does matter and damages our relationship with God, but it is not man who should judge us, but only God. When we receive Jesus’ forgiveness, He expects us to live as new people afterwards.
As we come to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, it would make no sense to come to confession if we intended to continue committing the same sin again. In weakness we may commit the same sin again. But surely we can only genuinely say that we are truly sorry for our sins if we have a firm intention not to commit sin again, amending our lives and living a life that God has intended and wants for us.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, you sent your Son to carry out your mission of redeeming the world. Let the light of your Gospel of love so shine in the world that it may be transformed into a worthy home for all your children of every race and country. Amen +
Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
LIVING ETERNALLY
Fifth Sunday of Lent
John 12:25
“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.”
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This is something obvious. Close your eyes and all you see is darkness – pure and unadulterated one. You cannot see anything as darkness completely envelops your world, your whole being. You can continue to be left behind in that darkness, or you can just simply open your eyes, and experience again the light of the world.
In our lives, we do not just experience physical darkness, but spiritual darkness as well. When we sin - when we ignore our loved ones, when we ignore the will of God, when we ignore ourselves – we experience darkness in our hearts. Our spirit just fails to function and becomes totally detached from the Lord. We begin experiencing fears – fears of the unknown, fears of being caught – fears that only darkness in our hearts can bring.
However, we must enter these periods of darkness and silence with hope and an expectant spirit. God is the artist and crafter of all we are and God knows what is needed for our growth. Let Him guide us through these periods of darkness until the eyes of our hearts are ready to see the light again.
When Lazarus came back into life, it was one great miracle performed by Jesus. His sisters do believe in life after death, so when Jesus advised them that Lazarus will live, they firmly believed Him, knowing that we will live again in the afterlife. Didn’t they know that what Jesus meant was Lazarus will live again, physically and spiritually. In that brief, shining moment, Jesus showed that He is God, the resurrection and life. Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what He had done began to believe in Him.
Jesus is the resurrection and life. Let us come to Him, so He can open the “eyes of our hearts”. Believe in Him, so He can open our hearts and be ready for the after-life.
Almighty Father, God of daylight and of darkness, God of heaven, God of earth: You are Lord of all our living. Hold us in the hands that made us. Cradle all our hopes and fears. Let us praise and glorify you forever.
Create a clean heart in me, O God.
John 12:25
“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.”
------------------------------------------
This is something obvious. Close your eyes and all you see is darkness – pure and unadulterated one. You cannot see anything as darkness completely envelops your world, your whole being. You can continue to be left behind in that darkness, or you can just simply open your eyes, and experience again the light of the world.
In our lives, we do not just experience physical darkness, but spiritual darkness as well. When we sin - when we ignore our loved ones, when we ignore the will of God, when we ignore ourselves – we experience darkness in our hearts. Our spirit just fails to function and becomes totally detached from the Lord. We begin experiencing fears – fears of the unknown, fears of being caught – fears that only darkness in our hearts can bring.
However, we must enter these periods of darkness and silence with hope and an expectant spirit. God is the artist and crafter of all we are and God knows what is needed for our growth. Let Him guide us through these periods of darkness until the eyes of our hearts are ready to see the light again.
When Lazarus came back into life, it was one great miracle performed by Jesus. His sisters do believe in life after death, so when Jesus advised them that Lazarus will live, they firmly believed Him, knowing that we will live again in the afterlife. Didn’t they know that what Jesus meant was Lazarus will live again, physically and spiritually. In that brief, shining moment, Jesus showed that He is God, the resurrection and life. Many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what He had done began to believe in Him.
Jesus is the resurrection and life. Let us come to Him, so He can open the “eyes of our hearts”. Believe in Him, so He can open our hearts and be ready for the after-life.
Almighty Father, God of daylight and of darkness, God of heaven, God of earth: You are Lord of all our living. Hold us in the hands that made us. Cradle all our hopes and fears. Let us praise and glorify you forever.
Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
MY TONGUE TO BLESS
John 7:46
Never before has anyone spoken like this man.
--------------------------------------
I have been praying as long as I can remember. I was taught to pray in the morning, before meals, after meals and before retiring in the evening. All through my life, I have experienced the power of prayer – in times of family trouble, marital trouble, financial trouble and personal difficulties.
But, I am also guilty of praying like the Pharisee, who always see myself as far better than the other. One time, I prayed that God punish our neighbor for being a humor-monger, that may God cut-off her tongue. I also prayed that a classmate lose his eyesight because he always cheat during exams. I don’t know, but I may still be doing this unknowingly.
Jesus has prayed all His life and yet He did not said anything that something could harm another person. Even the people of His time knows that all he had said is of good nature, praising God and espousing love of others. They have never heard or seen any other man like Him. I do pray that I stop all of these and that those people whom I prayed with harm would forgive me – “O God, be merciful to me, the sinner that I am!”
Almighty Father, the power of prayer does not reside in me. The power of prayer resides in You. I shall put all the confidence in You when praying: that if we ask anything according to Your will, we know that You hear us. And if we know that You hear us - whatever we ask - we know that we will have what we asked of You, in Your time, not ours.
Oh Lord, I pray for the goodness of everyone. May we constantly seek You and continuously praise Your mighty name. Be merciful to us and be forgiving. We are all sinners, so I am not really better than others. And there is no more comforting truth in this world than this: Christ Jesus came into the world to forgive sinners. And for that, I humbly and silently pray with all my heart and thank You.
Amen +
O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.
Never before has anyone spoken like this man.
--------------------------------------
I have been praying as long as I can remember. I was taught to pray in the morning, before meals, after meals and before retiring in the evening. All through my life, I have experienced the power of prayer – in times of family trouble, marital trouble, financial trouble and personal difficulties.
But, I am also guilty of praying like the Pharisee, who always see myself as far better than the other. One time, I prayed that God punish our neighbor for being a humor-monger, that may God cut-off her tongue. I also prayed that a classmate lose his eyesight because he always cheat during exams. I don’t know, but I may still be doing this unknowingly.
Jesus has prayed all His life and yet He did not said anything that something could harm another person. Even the people of His time knows that all he had said is of good nature, praising God and espousing love of others. They have never heard or seen any other man like Him. I do pray that I stop all of these and that those people whom I prayed with harm would forgive me – “O God, be merciful to me, the sinner that I am!”
Almighty Father, the power of prayer does not reside in me. The power of prayer resides in You. I shall put all the confidence in You when praying: that if we ask anything according to Your will, we know that You hear us. And if we know that You hear us - whatever we ask - we know that we will have what we asked of You, in Your time, not ours.
Oh Lord, I pray for the goodness of everyone. May we constantly seek You and continuously praise Your mighty name. Be merciful to us and be forgiving. We are all sinners, so I am not really better than others. And there is no more comforting truth in this world than this: Christ Jesus came into the world to forgive sinners. And for that, I humbly and silently pray with all my heart and thank You.
Amen +
O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.
Friday, March 27, 2009
MY REFUGE
Psalms 34:23
The LORD redeems the lives of His servants; no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in Him.
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Me and my family lived in Xi’an, China for three years. Xi’an is where the famed Terracotta Warriors is located. I have been in the place three times and I can say that the site, which is actually a part of a tomb for Emperor Qin, is a majestic one. The Terracotta Army was buried with the Emperor of Qin (Qin Shi Huangdi) in 210-209 BC (his reign was from 247 BC to 221 BC and unified China from 221 BC to the end of his life in 210 BC). Their purpose was to guard the emperor and help rule another empire with Shi Huangdi in the afterlife. Consequently, they are also sometimes referred to as "Qin's Armies".
Sometimes, we find security in material things, that is to keep us secured from things we fear that, most of the time, does not really exist. As a child, I would hide under the blanket for fear of ghost. The security to which we mostly cling to is mere illusion. No man-made faith, structure, or religion is secure. All human efforts to provide security ultimately fails.
Our faith should not be in blankets, guns, security alarms, gas masks or duct tape. Our faith should be in God. He alone can save us.
Almighty Father, cover me with the blanket of Your love. Keep me secured, for in You alone should I turn to in the hours of our needs. You are my refuge and my fortress, in whom I shall put my trust.
Oh Lord, nothing in this world can separate us from Your love, through Your Son, Jesus Christ. We walk in the path of sins, through dark fogs, that is why we have fear in our hearts. Blow away this fog of fears, Oh Lord, and let us feel Your loving and tender care forever.
Amen +
“He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
Out of miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock
Making my steps secured.”
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
The LORD redeems the lives of His servants; no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in Him.
-----------------------------------------------
Me and my family lived in Xi’an, China for three years. Xi’an is where the famed Terracotta Warriors is located. I have been in the place three times and I can say that the site, which is actually a part of a tomb for Emperor Qin, is a majestic one. The Terracotta Army was buried with the Emperor of Qin (Qin Shi Huangdi) in 210-209 BC (his reign was from 247 BC to 221 BC and unified China from 221 BC to the end of his life in 210 BC). Their purpose was to guard the emperor and help rule another empire with Shi Huangdi in the afterlife. Consequently, they are also sometimes referred to as "Qin's Armies".
Sometimes, we find security in material things, that is to keep us secured from things we fear that, most of the time, does not really exist. As a child, I would hide under the blanket for fear of ghost. The security to which we mostly cling to is mere illusion. No man-made faith, structure, or religion is secure. All human efforts to provide security ultimately fails.
Our faith should not be in blankets, guns, security alarms, gas masks or duct tape. Our faith should be in God. He alone can save us.
Almighty Father, cover me with the blanket of Your love. Keep me secured, for in You alone should I turn to in the hours of our needs. You are my refuge and my fortress, in whom I shall put my trust.
Oh Lord, nothing in this world can separate us from Your love, through Your Son, Jesus Christ. We walk in the path of sins, through dark fogs, that is why we have fear in our hearts. Blow away this fog of fears, Oh Lord, and let us feel Your loving and tender care forever.
Amen +
“He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
Out of miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock
Making my steps secured.”
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
COME AND HAVE LIFE
John 5:40
“But you do not want to come to me to have life.”
--------------------------------------
I only started wearing eyeglasses when I am already in college. In my elementary days, I would always make it a point to sit in front. Or if it happens that I have to sit at the back (since we are arranged alphabetically), I would still go in front, and sometimes sit on the floor, just to see what my teacher is writing. The worse thing is, whenever I walk along the corridor, I wouldn’t recognize the person in front of me, unless he is already about 3 feet away from me. So, if that person would smile or ask me to come to him, I would not budge, for I do not recognize him.
If our vision of the Lord is blurry, we are all afraid to come to Him. We fail to recognize that it is Him who is calling us. And failing to do so, we failed to recognize Him and what He can do in our lives. We should start wearing our spiritual goggles so we can see Him clearly. He is calling us, smiling and asking us to come to Him. Isn’t it a great invitation? Go, come to Him and experience life to the fullest.
Lord God, though I stand now in front of the mirror of reality, what I see in the mirror is still blurry. I still have to comprehend fully the mission You want me to do. I may have been already doing it, but I know that still, my understanding is incomplete. I have to buff the mirror more to remove those imperfections, to remove the dirt, to remove the mist so I may come to realize Your will and eventually see You face to face.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, I shall continue to put my trust in You for You alone is omniscient. I shall always seek clarity in my life through prayers and by learning Your words. And as the mirror becomes clearer and clearer, may I have the wisdom and the understanding to fully follow Your will, always excelling in everything I do, for I know that any work done in Your name will never be wasted.
Amen +
Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
“But you do not want to come to me to have life.”
--------------------------------------
I only started wearing eyeglasses when I am already in college. In my elementary days, I would always make it a point to sit in front. Or if it happens that I have to sit at the back (since we are arranged alphabetically), I would still go in front, and sometimes sit on the floor, just to see what my teacher is writing. The worse thing is, whenever I walk along the corridor, I wouldn’t recognize the person in front of me, unless he is already about 3 feet away from me. So, if that person would smile or ask me to come to him, I would not budge, for I do not recognize him.
If our vision of the Lord is blurry, we are all afraid to come to Him. We fail to recognize that it is Him who is calling us. And failing to do so, we failed to recognize Him and what He can do in our lives. We should start wearing our spiritual goggles so we can see Him clearly. He is calling us, smiling and asking us to come to Him. Isn’t it a great invitation? Go, come to Him and experience life to the fullest.
Lord God, though I stand now in front of the mirror of reality, what I see in the mirror is still blurry. I still have to comprehend fully the mission You want me to do. I may have been already doing it, but I know that still, my understanding is incomplete. I have to buff the mirror more to remove those imperfections, to remove the dirt, to remove the mist so I may come to realize Your will and eventually see You face to face.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, I shall continue to put my trust in You for You alone is omniscient. I shall always seek clarity in my life through prayers and by learning Your words. And as the mirror becomes clearer and clearer, may I have the wisdom and the understanding to fully follow Your will, always excelling in everything I do, for I know that any work done in Your name will never be wasted.
Amen +
Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
FIND FAVOR WITH GOD
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
Luke 1:38
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
--------------------------------
THE LORD IS WITH YOU.
Many times in the Old Testament the words “the Lord is with you” signaled that someone was being called to a daunting task. In fact, these words often accompanied an invitation from God to play a crucial role in his plan of salvation. Such a divine calling generally entailed great sacrifices and challenged people to step out of their comfort zones and put their trust in God like never before. At the same time, these words offered assurance that they would not face these challenges alone.
FAVOR WITH GOD
We learn more of Mary’s mission in Luke 1:30, as the angel says, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” Like the phrase “The Lord is with you,” the notion of finding “favor with God” also would bring to mind Old Testament covenant mediators in God’s salvation plan. Noah was the first person in the Bible described as finding favor with God (see Genesis 6:8). God saved him and his family from the flood and gave him a covenant to be the head of a renewed human family. The next person to find favor with God was Abraham (see Genesis 18:2-3). God made a covenant with him, calling on his family to be the instrument through which he would bring blessing to all the nations of the world.
Like these great covenant mediators of the Old Testament, Mary has found favor with God for God is with her. Walking in the footsteps of Noah, Abraham, Moses and David, Mary now is called to serve as an important cooperator in the divine plan to bring salvation to all the nations. And we are called in the same token. Are you willing to be His “handmaid”?
Almighty Father, You have revealed the beauty of your power by exalting the lowly virgin of Nazareth and making her the mother of our Savior. Her total obedience brought Jesus to the waiting world and filled the void of incompletion with the presence of her child, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit one God forever and ever. Amen +
Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Luke 1:38
Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”
--------------------------------
THE LORD IS WITH YOU.
Many times in the Old Testament the words “the Lord is with you” signaled that someone was being called to a daunting task. In fact, these words often accompanied an invitation from God to play a crucial role in his plan of salvation. Such a divine calling generally entailed great sacrifices and challenged people to step out of their comfort zones and put their trust in God like never before. At the same time, these words offered assurance that they would not face these challenges alone.
FAVOR WITH GOD
We learn more of Mary’s mission in Luke 1:30, as the angel says, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” Like the phrase “The Lord is with you,” the notion of finding “favor with God” also would bring to mind Old Testament covenant mediators in God’s salvation plan. Noah was the first person in the Bible described as finding favor with God (see Genesis 6:8). God saved him and his family from the flood and gave him a covenant to be the head of a renewed human family. The next person to find favor with God was Abraham (see Genesis 18:2-3). God made a covenant with him, calling on his family to be the instrument through which he would bring blessing to all the nations of the world.
Like these great covenant mediators of the Old Testament, Mary has found favor with God for God is with her. Walking in the footsteps of Noah, Abraham, Moses and David, Mary now is called to serve as an important cooperator in the divine plan to bring salvation to all the nations. And we are called in the same token. Are you willing to be His “handmaid”?
Almighty Father, You have revealed the beauty of your power by exalting the lowly virgin of Nazareth and making her the mother of our Savior. Her total obedience brought Jesus to the waiting world and filled the void of incompletion with the presence of her child, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit one God forever and ever. Amen +
Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
HOLY ADDICTION
John 5:14
“Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.”
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I am not really into taking medicines whenever I don’t feel well. I would just take a rest, a drink lots of water or juice and vitamins. However, sometimes, instead of getting better, it would get worse – I will cough more frequently, my body temperature will go up, and I will have a chilling sensation. That is when my wife would get angry. She would shout at me, “Do you want to get well, then please take your medicines!”
Being sick is no fun! And yet, we do sometimes get sick. Maybe we shook hands with a friend, but didn’t know that he was coming down with the flu. Or we may have eaten something that is contaminated, so we go down with stomach ache or diarrhea.
However, there are cases wherein we get sick because of something we do to our body. Smoking cigarettes, eating fatty foods, drinking alcohol or softdrinks (sugar), and worst, taking prohibited drugs. In such case, our sickness is brought about by our sins – this is called the sin of addictions. The results of that sin can make us sick, hurt us, or even kill us. And sadly, when we sin, sometimes others around us can be hurt or killed as well.
Do you want to get well from your addictions? Then receive the spiritual healing that God is offering us. Accept Him as your Lord, recognize yourself as a sinner, and repent from your sins. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor 6:19-20), he wanted Christians to understand that they should take care of their body, because it was a gift from God. They needed to take good care of it so they could remain healthy and spread the good news about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Almighty Father, we acknowledge that we are helpless to change our lives in our own power. We confess that we have attempted to numb ourselves to the pain in our lives through substance abuse and other addictive behavior. Transform our addictions, Lord; make them into a holy addiction to you. Let all our appetites bring us into greater dependence on you. Amen +
The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
“Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.”
------------------------------------
I am not really into taking medicines whenever I don’t feel well. I would just take a rest, a drink lots of water or juice and vitamins. However, sometimes, instead of getting better, it would get worse – I will cough more frequently, my body temperature will go up, and I will have a chilling sensation. That is when my wife would get angry. She would shout at me, “Do you want to get well, then please take your medicines!”
Being sick is no fun! And yet, we do sometimes get sick. Maybe we shook hands with a friend, but didn’t know that he was coming down with the flu. Or we may have eaten something that is contaminated, so we go down with stomach ache or diarrhea.
However, there are cases wherein we get sick because of something we do to our body. Smoking cigarettes, eating fatty foods, drinking alcohol or softdrinks (sugar), and worst, taking prohibited drugs. In such case, our sickness is brought about by our sins – this is called the sin of addictions. The results of that sin can make us sick, hurt us, or even kill us. And sadly, when we sin, sometimes others around us can be hurt or killed as well.
Do you want to get well from your addictions? Then receive the spiritual healing that God is offering us. Accept Him as your Lord, recognize yourself as a sinner, and repent from your sins. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor 6:19-20), he wanted Christians to understand that they should take care of their body, because it was a gift from God. They needed to take good care of it so they could remain healthy and spread the good news about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Almighty Father, we acknowledge that we are helpless to change our lives in our own power. We confess that we have attempted to numb ourselves to the pain in our lives through substance abuse and other addictive behavior. Transform our addictions, Lord; make them into a holy addiction to you. Let all our appetites bring us into greater dependence on you. Amen +
The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Monday, March 23, 2009
STAY FOCUSED
John 4:48
“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
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There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat. He had an old shotgun and three bullets. So, he decided to go out and kill something for dinner. As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit and he shot at it but missed it. Then he saw a squirrel, shot at it but again, missed it. As he went further, he saw a wild turkey and he had only one bullet. Then a voice came to him and said “pray first, aim high and stay focused”.
However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a better kill. He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattle snake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattle snake. Still, the voice said again to him, “pray, aim high and stay focused”.
So, the man decided to listen to the voice. He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey. The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer. The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it. Afterwhich, he prayed harder and thanked the “voice”. If at first he did not believe, with the “miracle” that he just experienced, he believed in the voice more and more.
We crave for miracles. Everytime we embark on something, we tried to ask God for signs that will help us decide whether to continue or simply stop. And if we fail, we just stop believing until we see the next miracle or sign. This has got to stop. All we need is to “PRAY, AIM HIGH (AT YOUR GOALS) AND STAY FOCUSED ON GOD”. Wait, be still and be patient: keep God first and everything else will follow.
Almighty Father, only You know our future and that You will not put us through any hardship than we cannot bear. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me: I surrender it all to You to be disposed of according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more. Amen +
“Signs and wonders, they are nothing
Belief in You, O Lord, is the only thing.”
Sing praise to the LORD… and give thanks to his holy name.
“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.”
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There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat. He had an old shotgun and three bullets. So, he decided to go out and kill something for dinner. As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit and he shot at it but missed it. Then he saw a squirrel, shot at it but again, missed it. As he went further, he saw a wild turkey and he had only one bullet. Then a voice came to him and said “pray first, aim high and stay focused”.
However, at the same time, he saw a deer which was a better kill. He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer. But, then he saw a rattle snake between his legs about to bite him, so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattle snake. Still, the voice said again to him, “pray, aim high and stay focused”.
So, the man decided to listen to the voice. He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree and shot the wild turkey. The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer. The handle fell off the gun and hit the snake in the head and killed it. Afterwhich, he prayed harder and thanked the “voice”. If at first he did not believe, with the “miracle” that he just experienced, he believed in the voice more and more.
We crave for miracles. Everytime we embark on something, we tried to ask God for signs that will help us decide whether to continue or simply stop. And if we fail, we just stop believing until we see the next miracle or sign. This has got to stop. All we need is to “PRAY, AIM HIGH (AT YOUR GOALS) AND STAY FOCUSED ON GOD”. Wait, be still and be patient: keep God first and everything else will follow.
Almighty Father, only You know our future and that You will not put us through any hardship than we cannot bear. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me: I surrender it all to You to be disposed of according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more. Amen +
“Signs and wonders, they are nothing
Belief in You, O Lord, is the only thing.”
Sing praise to the LORD… and give thanks to his holy name.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
BEGOTTEN AND NOT FORGOTTEN
Fourth Sunday of Lent
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
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The meaning of the word “begotten” is to be birthed by God. If you are in Christ, you are there by a second spiritual birth. You are now a new spirit being. Every individual who is in Christ Jesus has been begotten of Almighty God. As Peter has declared, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
It is really great to know that we are children of God. And with this reality, it gives us hope, knowing that He is with us always – taking care of and loving us. The words of Christ give us hope, regardless of the circumstances surrounding our lives, because He is our hope. We cannot separate living in Christ from hope because He is our hope of glory, not doubt. He empowers us through God’s Promises to do the work of hoping. Therefore, we live and diligently do all that we do in Christ in the hope of experiencing the good things that God has in store for His children.
Our brother, Jesus, has died for us to gain eternal life. We are God’s begotten children, NOT forgotten ones. And through Jesus, we are destined to partake of the things that exist in Christ by the words that reside in Him. Therefore, in Christ, we believe and wait to see God’s Promises fulfilled in our lives.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, we cannot separate our lives from Christ because He is our hope of glory, not doubt. He empowers us through Your Promises to do the work of hoping. Therefore, we live and diligently do all that we do in Christ in the hope of experiencing the good things that You, our Father, has in store for us, your begotten children.
Amen +
Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget You!
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.
-------------------------------------
The meaning of the word “begotten” is to be birthed by God. If you are in Christ, you are there by a second spiritual birth. You are now a new spirit being. Every individual who is in Christ Jesus has been begotten of Almighty God. As Peter has declared, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
It is really great to know that we are children of God. And with this reality, it gives us hope, knowing that He is with us always – taking care of and loving us. The words of Christ give us hope, regardless of the circumstances surrounding our lives, because He is our hope. We cannot separate living in Christ from hope because He is our hope of glory, not doubt. He empowers us through God’s Promises to do the work of hoping. Therefore, we live and diligently do all that we do in Christ in the hope of experiencing the good things that God has in store for His children.
Our brother, Jesus, has died for us to gain eternal life. We are God’s begotten children, NOT forgotten ones. And through Jesus, we are destined to partake of the things that exist in Christ by the words that reside in Him. Therefore, in Christ, we believe and wait to see God’s Promises fulfilled in our lives.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, we cannot separate our lives from Christ because He is our hope of glory, not doubt. He empowers us through Your Promises to do the work of hoping. Therefore, we live and diligently do all that we do in Christ in the hope of experiencing the good things that You, our Father, has in store for us, your begotten children.
Amen +
Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget You!
IN ALL HUMILITY
Luke 18:14
“…for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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I have written some technical papers as an engineer of a semiconductor multi-national company. If your paper is chosen for publication, you will be given a token money prize. I admit, this is one motivation for me for writing those technical papers. But don’t get me wrong - those reports are product of hardwork and thorough analysis. But, of course, getting the prize is something else, especially for one who is just starting to raise a family.
Actually, there is another motivation. That is being chosen to present your paper to fellow engineers. Getting their praise for a job well-done is good to the heart. It makes you feel being important for having done something good for the advancement of the company – and of course, my career.
In our spiritual life, we should not only interested in doing something that is good to the heart. We must pursue more on doing things that is good to the soul. In this case, money and human praises is not enough. In fact, they would never be enough. Only praising God, and being praised in return, because of Him is the only thing that can satisfy our soul. Praise must be an expression of our whole being. We are called to praise God not only with our voices but by our actions. Thus even though our tongues may be silent our actions should cry out in praise of God.
By making us wait and giving us a gift of praise, God increases our desire for Him. It enlarges the capacity of our beings so that we are able to receive what will be given to us. God really means to fill us with His goodness. Praise Him and glorify Him. Accepting that we are all sinners and that only His grace and mercy can save us, go to Him in all humility. It is really good for the soul.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we praise you and give you glory: We bless you for calling us to be your holy people. Remain in our hearts, and guide us in our love and service. Help us to let our light shine before others as we lead them to the way of faith.
Amen +
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.
“…for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
---------------------------------------------
I have written some technical papers as an engineer of a semiconductor multi-national company. If your paper is chosen for publication, you will be given a token money prize. I admit, this is one motivation for me for writing those technical papers. But don’t get me wrong - those reports are product of hardwork and thorough analysis. But, of course, getting the prize is something else, especially for one who is just starting to raise a family.
Actually, there is another motivation. That is being chosen to present your paper to fellow engineers. Getting their praise for a job well-done is good to the heart. It makes you feel being important for having done something good for the advancement of the company – and of course, my career.
In our spiritual life, we should not only interested in doing something that is good to the heart. We must pursue more on doing things that is good to the soul. In this case, money and human praises is not enough. In fact, they would never be enough. Only praising God, and being praised in return, because of Him is the only thing that can satisfy our soul. Praise must be an expression of our whole being. We are called to praise God not only with our voices but by our actions. Thus even though our tongues may be silent our actions should cry out in praise of God.
By making us wait and giving us a gift of praise, God increases our desire for Him. It enlarges the capacity of our beings so that we are able to receive what will be given to us. God really means to fill us with His goodness. Praise Him and glorify Him. Accepting that we are all sinners and that only His grace and mercy can save us, go to Him in all humility. It is really good for the soul.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we praise you and give you glory: We bless you for calling us to be your holy people. Remain in our hearts, and guide us in our love and service. Help us to let our light shine before others as we lead them to the way of faith.
Amen +
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.
Friday, March 20, 2009
COMMITMENT TO LOVE
Mark 12:30-31
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart… you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”
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I am very sure of this, that in one way or another, each one of us has loved someone or something. Even a selfish person is showing love, that is, love of himself. This is the very reason why we should put the virtue of LOVE in the right perspective.
The love that Jesus taught us primarily is “Agape” - the love of God; and secondarily the love of our neighbor as ourselves, for God's sake. To forego of the latter is to abandon the first. However, goes with this love is sacrifice. What is the use of saying to a poor man to “go up and eat something” and yet you give nothing of what he needs. Or, give him a small amount so he can eat for the day, and keep for yourself more money so you can eat in gluttony, smoke and drink like crazy.
A person who genuinely loves God also loves his fellows because he realizes that they are his brothers and sisters, children of the same Father, redeemed by the same blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Self-love of the right kind, based on God's love for man, necessarily involves forgetting oneself in order to love God and our neighbor for God. Christian life is not about being perfect. It is about perfecting our love for God and others through our Savior.
I know that we can’t always meet everyone’s needs, just as we cannot always meet our own needs. But we should demonstrate the same commitment to meeting the needs of others as we do for ourselves.
Let us pray +
Oh Lord, let us love one another, for Your love is a selfless, giving love. Whoever loves has been born of You and knows You. The love we should offer shall no longer be self-seeking, but, instead it shall seek the good of those that we love – ready, selfless, unconditional and even willing, for sacrifice.
Amen +
“I am the Lord your God: hear My voice.”
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart… you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.”
------------------------------------
I am very sure of this, that in one way or another, each one of us has loved someone or something. Even a selfish person is showing love, that is, love of himself. This is the very reason why we should put the virtue of LOVE in the right perspective.
The love that Jesus taught us primarily is “Agape” - the love of God; and secondarily the love of our neighbor as ourselves, for God's sake. To forego of the latter is to abandon the first. However, goes with this love is sacrifice. What is the use of saying to a poor man to “go up and eat something” and yet you give nothing of what he needs. Or, give him a small amount so he can eat for the day, and keep for yourself more money so you can eat in gluttony, smoke and drink like crazy.
A person who genuinely loves God also loves his fellows because he realizes that they are his brothers and sisters, children of the same Father, redeemed by the same blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Self-love of the right kind, based on God's love for man, necessarily involves forgetting oneself in order to love God and our neighbor for God. Christian life is not about being perfect. It is about perfecting our love for God and others through our Savior.
I know that we can’t always meet everyone’s needs, just as we cannot always meet our own needs. But we should demonstrate the same commitment to meeting the needs of others as we do for ourselves.
Let us pray +
Oh Lord, let us love one another, for Your love is a selfless, giving love. Whoever loves has been born of You and knows You. The love we should offer shall no longer be self-seeking, but, instead it shall seek the good of those that we love – ready, selfless, unconditional and even willing, for sacrifice.
Amen +
“I am the Lord your God: hear My voice.”
Thursday, March 19, 2009
JOSEPH OF NAZARETH
Matthew 1:20
“Joseph… do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.”
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Your wife came to you one evening. She told you that she is 2-month pregnant. You were ecstatic and even jumped for joy. Then, she said that you are not the Father, but some other guy. In fact, it was the Holy Spirit. What will you do? What will you think? Would you believe her? Would you say goodbye and leave her?
St. Joseph actually thought of leaving Mary at that time. Not because he felt cheated, but because “since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly”. During that time, a woman accused of adultery will be put to death by stoning. And here is his wife, pregnant, and no one has ever touched her in the first place. Yet, he changed his mind, after a dream. He took Mary as his wife, took care of her and Jesus. They lived in Nazareth, where Jesus grew up strong in body and spirit and have been very obedient to His parents.
What a great privilege it was given to St. Joseph. He was a mere carpenter, and ordinary man. Yet, he was given the opportunity to be the earthly father of Jesus, calling him “Papa”, “Father”, “Tatay”, “Daddy”. What a great privilege of being called “Papa” by no other than the Lord, himself. And all along, he remained humble and did not even bragged about it.
He remained obedient to the will of the Lord, letting Jesus grow in spirit, totally being under God’s love and glory. And he remained truly faithful, believing and trusting the Lord that one day, Jesus will save us from our sins so we can be with God forever in heaven.
Lord Jesus, I need your special care. Like your earthly father, Joseph,I want to do God's will, even if I may not always understand. Make me gentle and selfless in the care of my family and children; help me guide them in the toils and troubles, the happiness and wonders of this life.
“How could a father's task be done
Unless he remembered his children were created
By a loving, wise and merciful God.”
The son of David will live for ever.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
BLESS YOUR CHILDREN
Deuteronomy 4:9
…take care…not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen…but teach them to your children and to your children's children.
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My wife and I attended a seminar on parenting. It was a two-hour talk, but very straight to the point. In the last 30-minutes, Bro. Ed shared his own life experience in raising up his only daughter, April. The talk is an eye-opener, not that it opened my eyes that we are doing wrong in raising up our own children, but rather, it helps us understand that we are not alone. In this age of technology, parent-teen bonding and communication becomes all the more important.
One of the most important responsibilities that we have as parents, is to teach our children – how to have faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us. The Bible is given to mankind as the greatest teachings of learning to being like Jesus. Jesus Christ set the perfect example of how to live. We want to teach our children the ways of Christ. When children are taught to focus their lives on following the teachings and example of Jesus Christ, their happiness in this life will increase tremendously.
Lord God, You have come to this world by choosing to be part of a family. You chose to be born in a manger and be raised up by Mary and Joseph, knowing exactly well that the family is important in providing the very proper spiritual and moral upbringing to each and every child.
This is the very reason why we should believe and put our faith in You, Oh God. We have been demanding a lot from You lately, of things that we may not need. And instead of waiting, we show doubt and more disappointment. This has got to stop. From now on, I shall take the time to appreciate everything that you have already done and given us. And I will start with my own family. For giving them to me, I thank You fully.
“I have been waiting in vain for signs from Heaven
Up to the point that I get disappointed and doubt Your love.
This is wrong, I know that all I need, you have already provided
And for giving them to me, I thank You fully! ”
For He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed your children within you.
…take care…not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen…but teach them to your children and to your children's children.
---------------------------------------------
My wife and I attended a seminar on parenting. It was a two-hour talk, but very straight to the point. In the last 30-minutes, Bro. Ed shared his own life experience in raising up his only daughter, April. The talk is an eye-opener, not that it opened my eyes that we are doing wrong in raising up our own children, but rather, it helps us understand that we are not alone. In this age of technology, parent-teen bonding and communication becomes all the more important.
One of the most important responsibilities that we have as parents, is to teach our children – how to have faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us. The Bible is given to mankind as the greatest teachings of learning to being like Jesus. Jesus Christ set the perfect example of how to live. We want to teach our children the ways of Christ. When children are taught to focus their lives on following the teachings and example of Jesus Christ, their happiness in this life will increase tremendously.
Lord God, You have come to this world by choosing to be part of a family. You chose to be born in a manger and be raised up by Mary and Joseph, knowing exactly well that the family is important in providing the very proper spiritual and moral upbringing to each and every child.
This is the very reason why we should believe and put our faith in You, Oh God. We have been demanding a lot from You lately, of things that we may not need. And instead of waiting, we show doubt and more disappointment. This has got to stop. From now on, I shall take the time to appreciate everything that you have already done and given us. And I will start with my own family. For giving them to me, I thank You fully.
“I have been waiting in vain for signs from Heaven
Up to the point that I get disappointed and doubt Your love.
This is wrong, I know that all I need, you have already provided
And for giving them to me, I thank You fully! ”
For He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed your children within you.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART
Matthew 18:21-22
“…how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.”
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It could be 7 times. It could be seventy-seven times. And it may even be seventy times seven. The Lord doesn’t and will not care how many times you do it. What he expects us to do is to do it repeatedly. We have to do it many times. And we have to do it from the heart – forgiving and then forgetting. For how can we ask God to forgive our sins, when we ourselves cannot forgive others? How can we ask God to give us what we need, when we ourselves cannot give to others what they need?
Learning to forgive implies that forgiveness is a learned process, not an automatic response. Our sinful flesh has a high resistance to laying offenses aside – we always want to take revenge. We want others to suffer as we suffer. Within our vicious mind, retaliation is most often not an option, but rather it's a driving force – the only option - it has to get even!
Learning to forgive begins with understanding what God says about forgiveness in the Bible. According to Scripture, we are the ones who must put off the old and learn of God and choose His ways. The Spirit dwells within us and teaches us that forgiving repeatedly is an act worth of Heaven.
Our Christian life should be a changed life. We should forgive others no matter how many times they sin, as we live a progressively more holy life as we grow closer to Christ. “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace” (Ephesians 1:7). When was the last time you forgave someone of his sin? Have you done it straight from the heart?
Almighty Father, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Solidify our understanding of forgiveness as you have done for us.
“I did not asked for forgiveness,
and yet You died for me.
And I have to do it again and again,
forgiving and forgetting their sins to me.”
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior.
“…how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.”
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It could be 7 times. It could be seventy-seven times. And it may even be seventy times seven. The Lord doesn’t and will not care how many times you do it. What he expects us to do is to do it repeatedly. We have to do it many times. And we have to do it from the heart – forgiving and then forgetting. For how can we ask God to forgive our sins, when we ourselves cannot forgive others? How can we ask God to give us what we need, when we ourselves cannot give to others what they need?
Learning to forgive implies that forgiveness is a learned process, not an automatic response. Our sinful flesh has a high resistance to laying offenses aside – we always want to take revenge. We want others to suffer as we suffer. Within our vicious mind, retaliation is most often not an option, but rather it's a driving force – the only option - it has to get even!
Learning to forgive begins with understanding what God says about forgiveness in the Bible. According to Scripture, we are the ones who must put off the old and learn of God and choose His ways. The Spirit dwells within us and teaches us that forgiving repeatedly is an act worth of Heaven.
Our Christian life should be a changed life. We should forgive others no matter how many times they sin, as we live a progressively more holy life as we grow closer to Christ. “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace” (Ephesians 1:7). When was the last time you forgave someone of his sin? Have you done it straight from the heart?
Almighty Father, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Solidify our understanding of forgiveness as you have done for us.
“I did not asked for forgiveness,
and yet You died for me.
And I have to do it again and again,
forgiving and forgetting their sins to me.”
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior.
Monday, March 16, 2009
SPIRITUAL SALVATION
2 Kings 5:15
Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.
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In Scripture, leprosy denotes sin - man’s true spiritual condition without the saving grace (spiritual healing) of God’s salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. In the time of Jesus, a leper was considered unclean and had to be isolated from society to a certain degree. Wherever he went, he was to cry out, “unclean, unclean,” and he had to wear black with a hood covering his face and live outside the city walls.
Sin is like this. It separates us from God, for we are unclean. Because of man’s separation from God - because of his spiritually dead condition and the hardness of his soul - he becomes insensitive, callused, restless and never satisfied. We often does not experience severe pain anymore because of our sins and waywardness. Finally, the leprosy of sin destroys the pleasantness and beauty God meant for mankind in His creation.
The healing of Naaman, the leper who leads the Aramean army, is not just a story of the healing of a man from one of the most dreaded diseases of ancient times. It is a story of salvation, one which illustrates the spiritual salvation man finds only in Jesus Christ and how men come to find that salvation in Christ.
Moreover, we knew in our heart that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life – our only salvation. And yet, we sometimes keep a hardened heart. Our disobedience, like that of Naaman, keeps us from attaining salvation. Because of our pride and ego, we want to follow our own way and not God’s way. Listen to our loved ones. Listen to our elders and friends like Naaman. When he finally listened and followed what God, through Elijah, has instructed him, “his flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” Become a new creature by faith in our Lord. Follow Him and be cleanse of our sins.
Almighty Father, we pray for all who are in need of healing. We pray for all who are disabled by injury or illness. We pray for all who are troubled by confusion or pain. We pray for all about to undergo surgery. We pray for patients here at the hospital and their loved ones. Lord, hear the spoken and unspoken prayers in our hearts and minds. Amen.
Athirst is my soul for the living God.
Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.
---------------------------------------------
In Scripture, leprosy denotes sin - man’s true spiritual condition without the saving grace (spiritual healing) of God’s salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. In the time of Jesus, a leper was considered unclean and had to be isolated from society to a certain degree. Wherever he went, he was to cry out, “unclean, unclean,” and he had to wear black with a hood covering his face and live outside the city walls.
Sin is like this. It separates us from God, for we are unclean. Because of man’s separation from God - because of his spiritually dead condition and the hardness of his soul - he becomes insensitive, callused, restless and never satisfied. We often does not experience severe pain anymore because of our sins and waywardness. Finally, the leprosy of sin destroys the pleasantness and beauty God meant for mankind in His creation.
The healing of Naaman, the leper who leads the Aramean army, is not just a story of the healing of a man from one of the most dreaded diseases of ancient times. It is a story of salvation, one which illustrates the spiritual salvation man finds only in Jesus Christ and how men come to find that salvation in Christ.
Moreover, we knew in our heart that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life – our only salvation. And yet, we sometimes keep a hardened heart. Our disobedience, like that of Naaman, keeps us from attaining salvation. Because of our pride and ego, we want to follow our own way and not God’s way. Listen to our loved ones. Listen to our elders and friends like Naaman. When he finally listened and followed what God, through Elijah, has instructed him, “his flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” Become a new creature by faith in our Lord. Follow Him and be cleanse of our sins.
Almighty Father, we pray for all who are in need of healing. We pray for all who are disabled by injury or illness. We pray for all who are troubled by confusion or pain. We pray for all about to undergo surgery. We pray for patients here at the hospital and their loved ones. Lord, hear the spoken and unspoken prayers in our hearts and minds. Amen.
Athirst is my soul for the living God.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
CLEANSING THE TEMPLE
Third Sunday of Lent
John 2:19
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
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We always see Jesus portrayed as serene and full of caring for His sheeps. Or the suffering Jesus, carrying the cross, being mocked by the crowd, being crucified and yet retain the serenity of His face. Or the triumphant Jesus having defeated death in His resurrection, with His face in glorious light and pompous serenity. Very seldom, if not, do we see Him with a whip in one of his hands as he chases animals and people out of the temple, as he overturns tables where people are selling animals and converting money. And yet, this is the way Jesus is portrayed in today’s scripture. He is a man on a mission, and he will not stand for his Father’s temple to be desecrated.
He did this not because he hates those merchants. He did this because these people are making easy money. They would sell the birds and the oxen for sacrifice in the temple, and these people would sell them at a higher price. And Jesus would not allow them to continue. In the coming days, people doesn’t need sacrifices anymore to atone for their sins. He would be ready to sacrifice Himself for our salvation. He is ready to cleanse us out for in three days, He would rise again as the true temple of God.
Jesus cleansed the temple. He took God’s house and made it right. He did it physically twice in His ministry, then He did it again on the cross. You see, on the cross he cleansed this world of its sin. This is where we turn to God and ask Him to cleanse us of our sin. This is where we ask Him to come in and overturn our tables, not out of anger but rather to make our lives and our community into what He has created us to be. Perhaps the fierce Jesus is needed. Perhaps Jesus needs to come in with a whip to cleanse us out.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, clean out my heart. Come into my life with your whip and cleanse me out. Take those parts of my life that take me away from you and get rid of them. Fill me with your Spirit. Lord, you have the power to forgive and you have the power to change me. All of this in Jesus’ name.
Amen +
Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
John 2:19
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
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We always see Jesus portrayed as serene and full of caring for His sheeps. Or the suffering Jesus, carrying the cross, being mocked by the crowd, being crucified and yet retain the serenity of His face. Or the triumphant Jesus having defeated death in His resurrection, with His face in glorious light and pompous serenity. Very seldom, if not, do we see Him with a whip in one of his hands as he chases animals and people out of the temple, as he overturns tables where people are selling animals and converting money. And yet, this is the way Jesus is portrayed in today’s scripture. He is a man on a mission, and he will not stand for his Father’s temple to be desecrated.
He did this not because he hates those merchants. He did this because these people are making easy money. They would sell the birds and the oxen for sacrifice in the temple, and these people would sell them at a higher price. And Jesus would not allow them to continue. In the coming days, people doesn’t need sacrifices anymore to atone for their sins. He would be ready to sacrifice Himself for our salvation. He is ready to cleanse us out for in three days, He would rise again as the true temple of God.
Jesus cleansed the temple. He took God’s house and made it right. He did it physically twice in His ministry, then He did it again on the cross. You see, on the cross he cleansed this world of its sin. This is where we turn to God and ask Him to cleanse us of our sin. This is where we ask Him to come in and overturn our tables, not out of anger but rather to make our lives and our community into what He has created us to be. Perhaps the fierce Jesus is needed. Perhaps Jesus needs to come in with a whip to cleanse us out.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, clean out my heart. Come into my life with your whip and cleanse me out. Take those parts of my life that take me away from you and get rid of them. Fill me with your Spirit. Lord, you have the power to forgive and you have the power to change me. All of this in Jesus’ name.
Amen +
Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
PRODIGAL SON
Luke 15:24
“…because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.”
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The first time I learned about the story of the “prodigal son” was through my father. We were walking back home at that time when he asked me and my brother, “so what is the gospel today all about?” We were not able to respond immediately. Actually, I don’t even know what or how to respond. I have not been listening at that time, maybe busy thinking of what to do when we get back home. That is when he patiently related to me the story. And from then on, I would always be listening attentively during gospel-reading and to the sermon. I was a prodigal son, that has came to know and found the real meaning of being a Christian.
But now that we know that we are saved through Jesus Christ by accepting and serving Him, let us not forget that we need to be the same light to others. We should not let ourselves to be the “other son” in the parable, who thought he was the only one worthy of God’s forgiveness and grace. Everyone is called to accept Him, and we should be the one to spearhead this in this world. Knowing Jesus means great responsibility – of keeping ourselves in Him and letting others know Him. Seek those who are lost and introduce Jesus to them.
And I do really thank You, Oh God for making my father the instrument in revealing your love to me.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You have shown the “love that never gives up”. I would sometimes choose the wrong way as I live through life. But it is You who even constantly seek for me so I may return back to the right path, like the shepherd who looked for his sheep and that woman who seek for her coin. This is what true love is all about. A patient love… a love full of forgiveness. Lord God, help me to grow in my ability to love You fully and all of my brothers and sisters around me.
Amen +
The Lord is kind and merciful.
“…because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.”
---------------------------------------------
The first time I learned about the story of the “prodigal son” was through my father. We were walking back home at that time when he asked me and my brother, “so what is the gospel today all about?” We were not able to respond immediately. Actually, I don’t even know what or how to respond. I have not been listening at that time, maybe busy thinking of what to do when we get back home. That is when he patiently related to me the story. And from then on, I would always be listening attentively during gospel-reading and to the sermon. I was a prodigal son, that has came to know and found the real meaning of being a Christian.
But now that we know that we are saved through Jesus Christ by accepting and serving Him, let us not forget that we need to be the same light to others. We should not let ourselves to be the “other son” in the parable, who thought he was the only one worthy of God’s forgiveness and grace. Everyone is called to accept Him, and we should be the one to spearhead this in this world. Knowing Jesus means great responsibility – of keeping ourselves in Him and letting others know Him. Seek those who are lost and introduce Jesus to them.
And I do really thank You, Oh God for making my father the instrument in revealing your love to me.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You have shown the “love that never gives up”. I would sometimes choose the wrong way as I live through life. But it is You who even constantly seek for me so I may return back to the right path, like the shepherd who looked for his sheep and that woman who seek for her coin. This is what true love is all about. A patient love… a love full of forgiveness. Lord God, help me to grow in my ability to love You fully and all of my brothers and sisters around me.
Amen +
The Lord is kind and merciful.
Friday, March 13, 2009
LIFE’S CORNERSTONE
Matthew 21:42
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone…”
-----------------------------------------------
When we rebuilt our house after that fire that totally engulfed our old house, I observed that my father would put emphasis on making the corner posts strongly reinforced with concrete and steel foundation. He told me that this is necessary since these posts will be the ones holding the wall, ceiling and flooring of the house in all directions. A poorly constructed posts would mean a weak house – that can easily be destroyed by the slightest earthquake.
Jesus, in today’s gospel, again assailed the Jewish community during His time for totally ignoring Him, to the point of rejecting Him out. But, in the end, He will become the cornerstone that would hold each and every people in the world together in one faith. Christians in all ages should see this parable as exhorting them to build faithfully upon Christ and make sure they do not fall into the sin of this Jewish generation. We should also be filled with hope and a sense of security; for, although the building – the Church – at some times seem to be breaking up, its sound construction, with Christ as its cornerstone, is assured.
Similarly, we should make Jesus the cornerstone of our lives – letting Him hold us in all directions. Others may have rejected Him outright, but time will show them their just “reward”. As for those who believed in Him and follow His ways and words, continue to be yield fruits for His kingdom as we await our own rewards in Heaven. This is the fruitfulness of Christ and the fruitfulness of a people whose power and strength and comfort flows only through Him.
Let us pray +
Lord Jesus, teach us to yield good fruits for the Kingdom, living whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is gracious. Let us make You the cornerstone of our lives, totally abandoning ourselves to You as we await Your joyful return and the promise of eternal life with You.
Amen +
Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone…”
-----------------------------------------------
When we rebuilt our house after that fire that totally engulfed our old house, I observed that my father would put emphasis on making the corner posts strongly reinforced with concrete and steel foundation. He told me that this is necessary since these posts will be the ones holding the wall, ceiling and flooring of the house in all directions. A poorly constructed posts would mean a weak house – that can easily be destroyed by the slightest earthquake.
Jesus, in today’s gospel, again assailed the Jewish community during His time for totally ignoring Him, to the point of rejecting Him out. But, in the end, He will become the cornerstone that would hold each and every people in the world together in one faith. Christians in all ages should see this parable as exhorting them to build faithfully upon Christ and make sure they do not fall into the sin of this Jewish generation. We should also be filled with hope and a sense of security; for, although the building – the Church – at some times seem to be breaking up, its sound construction, with Christ as its cornerstone, is assured.
Similarly, we should make Jesus the cornerstone of our lives – letting Him hold us in all directions. Others may have rejected Him outright, but time will show them their just “reward”. As for those who believed in Him and follow His ways and words, continue to be yield fruits for His kingdom as we await our own rewards in Heaven. This is the fruitfulness of Christ and the fruitfulness of a people whose power and strength and comfort flows only through Him.
Let us pray +
Lord Jesus, teach us to yield good fruits for the Kingdom, living whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is gracious. Let us make You the cornerstone of our lives, totally abandoning ourselves to You as we await Your joyful return and the promise of eternal life with You.
Amen +
Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
WAY OF THE JUST
Luke 16:25
“My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.”
--------------------------------------------
The parable of Lazarus and the rich man is a great parable but most often, misinterpreted. Most think that this parable tells everyone that it is better to be poor than rich to enter the kingdom of God. But is this the true essence of this parable? Well, not really. It wasn’t mentioned in the parable that the rich man committed obvious sins – like killing, stealing, cursing, coveting, committing adultery. Rather, he was punished for a sin of omission. Despite his wealth, the rich man ignored the needs of a poor man. He enjoyed all his wealth and just be contented that Lazarus lay there, in his plain sight, and did nothing to alleviate his suffering.
SO WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS MORE! As a true living Christian, we should also look after those who have less and have the resolve to help them, rather than despise them. Father, I may have judged the poor for being lazy, for being dependent, for being a parasite, a result of being sinful! But, it is not for us to judge them, for You alone is the true Judge who will judge all of us – that is, for what we have and have NOT done!
Almighty Father, You are hungry, and I give You nothing to eat; You are thirsty, and I give Me nothing to drink; You are a stranger, and I did not invited You in; naked, and I did not clothe You; sick, and in prison, and I did not even bother to visit You (Matthew 25:41-43).
Your son, Jesus condensed Your commandments into two: Love God and love your neighbor. We are not anymore barbarians. We should not anymore be reminded that we should not steal, that we should not kill, that we should not covet someone else’s things and wife. As peaceful, loving people of God, these things are given and should be the norm.
“No matter whether
You are rich or poor
The only thing that matters
Is a right response to the Word of God.”
For the LORD watches over the way of the just…
“My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.”
--------------------------------------------
The parable of Lazarus and the rich man is a great parable but most often, misinterpreted. Most think that this parable tells everyone that it is better to be poor than rich to enter the kingdom of God. But is this the true essence of this parable? Well, not really. It wasn’t mentioned in the parable that the rich man committed obvious sins – like killing, stealing, cursing, coveting, committing adultery. Rather, he was punished for a sin of omission. Despite his wealth, the rich man ignored the needs of a poor man. He enjoyed all his wealth and just be contented that Lazarus lay there, in his plain sight, and did nothing to alleviate his suffering.
SO WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS MORE! As a true living Christian, we should also look after those who have less and have the resolve to help them, rather than despise them. Father, I may have judged the poor for being lazy, for being dependent, for being a parasite, a result of being sinful! But, it is not for us to judge them, for You alone is the true Judge who will judge all of us – that is, for what we have and have NOT done!
Almighty Father, You are hungry, and I give You nothing to eat; You are thirsty, and I give Me nothing to drink; You are a stranger, and I did not invited You in; naked, and I did not clothe You; sick, and in prison, and I did not even bother to visit You (Matthew 25:41-43).
Your son, Jesus condensed Your commandments into two: Love God and love your neighbor. We are not anymore barbarians. We should not anymore be reminded that we should not steal, that we should not kill, that we should not covet someone else’s things and wife. As peaceful, loving people of God, these things are given and should be the norm.
“No matter whether
You are rich or poor
The only thing that matters
Is a right response to the Word of God.”
For the LORD watches over the way of the just…
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
A LIFE OF SERVICE
Matthew 20:28
“Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
-----------------------------------------------
Jose Rizal of Laguna. Mother Teresa of Calcutta. St. Francis of Assisi. Karol Wojtyla of Poland. Mahatma Gandhi of India. Famous people that had become role models for all and every generations to come. In fact, their names had just become secondary in nature. For they will forever be known by the deeds that they have done. They will forever be known due to unselfishness of their hearts - choosing to serve than to be served. The “national hero”, the “living saint”, the “father of the nation”, the “pope of the poor”, the “patron saint of the environment”.
Fame comes from how your life has affected others for good, and sad to say, for bad. Jesus’ ministry is all about loving and affecting the lives of everyone for the better. And yet the people of Jerusalem failed to recognize those. They focus more on the things that he has done “wrong” - based on their standards, and not based on the standards of God.
AND if anyone had authority and had the right to have people serve him, Jesus was the man. But not even Jesus came to be served. Rather, Jesus showed His authority by serving others. He exemplified how God would have His people rule, and that is by serving others and not being self-serving. This is so important for all Christians to understand. Everyone is called to serve and not to be served.
Jesus of Nazareth, Prince of Peace, Son of Man, The Christ, Emmanuel, King of the Jews, The Word of God. We can call Him by many names, but this has become secondary in nature. He came to serve us. He came to save us. And to follow Him, we must be ready to suffer and ready to serve.
Almighty Father, teach me to be generous, to serve You, to give without counting the cost, to fight without fretting at my wounds, to labor without seeking rest, to spend myself without looking for any reward other than that of knowing that I do Your holy will.
“Serving You and others are one and the same,
Equates to loving You, glorifying forever Your name.”
Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
“Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
-----------------------------------------------
Jose Rizal of Laguna. Mother Teresa of Calcutta. St. Francis of Assisi. Karol Wojtyla of Poland. Mahatma Gandhi of India. Famous people that had become role models for all and every generations to come. In fact, their names had just become secondary in nature. For they will forever be known by the deeds that they have done. They will forever be known due to unselfishness of their hearts - choosing to serve than to be served. The “national hero”, the “living saint”, the “father of the nation”, the “pope of the poor”, the “patron saint of the environment”.
Fame comes from how your life has affected others for good, and sad to say, for bad. Jesus’ ministry is all about loving and affecting the lives of everyone for the better. And yet the people of Jerusalem failed to recognize those. They focus more on the things that he has done “wrong” - based on their standards, and not based on the standards of God.
AND if anyone had authority and had the right to have people serve him, Jesus was the man. But not even Jesus came to be served. Rather, Jesus showed His authority by serving others. He exemplified how God would have His people rule, and that is by serving others and not being self-serving. This is so important for all Christians to understand. Everyone is called to serve and not to be served.
Jesus of Nazareth, Prince of Peace, Son of Man, The Christ, Emmanuel, King of the Jews, The Word of God. We can call Him by many names, but this has become secondary in nature. He came to serve us. He came to save us. And to follow Him, we must be ready to suffer and ready to serve.
Almighty Father, teach me to be generous, to serve You, to give without counting the cost, to fight without fretting at my wounds, to labor without seeking rest, to spend myself without looking for any reward other than that of knowing that I do Your holy will.
“Serving You and others are one and the same,
Equates to loving You, glorifying forever Your name.”
Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
HUMBLE YOURSELF
Matthew 23:11-12
“The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
---------------------------------------------
When we are invited in a party, most of the time, we choose the best place for us – near the buffet table, near the exit, near the presidential table. Sometimes, we would sit in a place wherein we would be the center of attraction – “sayang naman ang make-up”, “sayang naman ang damit” (“I want them to see how beautiful I am and my dress is, so I need to sit in front!”).
Jesus’ parable about those who go to a feast has a simple message. “When you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.” This is a parable on not just about being humble, but also on how that proud will be humiliated by the meek.
His instructions are clear and straight to the point. These are exactly what’s wrong – pride, self-promoting, exalting self. When we choose to fight, strive or desire recognition, appreciation, honor and respect, we are exalting our self. He is also clear on how to change – humble yourself. Get our eyes off our self. Focus on Jesus and His power working in us. The genuinely humble do not seek their own honor, but rather seek to honor God. But in the end, God honors them. A true servant does not seek his own reward, but rather serves because he has accepted the Lordship of Christ.
Let us pray +
Lord Jesus, thank you for coming into our lives and straightening us out. Thank you we no longer need to strive for honor, because in you we have honor. Teach us humility by allowing others before us. In your name we pray.
Amen +
“He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies Me; and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
“The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
---------------------------------------------
When we are invited in a party, most of the time, we choose the best place for us – near the buffet table, near the exit, near the presidential table. Sometimes, we would sit in a place wherein we would be the center of attraction – “sayang naman ang make-up”, “sayang naman ang damit” (“I want them to see how beautiful I am and my dress is, so I need to sit in front!”).
Jesus’ parable about those who go to a feast has a simple message. “When you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.” This is a parable on not just about being humble, but also on how that proud will be humiliated by the meek.
His instructions are clear and straight to the point. These are exactly what’s wrong – pride, self-promoting, exalting self. When we choose to fight, strive or desire recognition, appreciation, honor and respect, we are exalting our self. He is also clear on how to change – humble yourself. Get our eyes off our self. Focus on Jesus and His power working in us. The genuinely humble do not seek their own honor, but rather seek to honor God. But in the end, God honors them. A true servant does not seek his own reward, but rather serves because he has accepted the Lordship of Christ.
Let us pray +
Lord Jesus, thank you for coming into our lives and straightening us out. Thank you we no longer need to strive for honor, because in you we have honor. Teach us humility by allowing others before us. In your name we pray.
Amen +
“He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies Me; and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
Monday, March 9, 2009
COMPASSION NOT JUDGEMENT
Matthew 7:2
For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
----------------------------------------------
I started with my first company and have trained about 20 engineers and supervisors about Six Sigma. When I transferred to my second company, the methodology is somewhat different. I have to learn it myself during my first 6 months. When it is my turn to teach, it was a learning experience both for me and my students. I don’t what that in the end, both me and them would understand nothing from the process. I can always say in the end that they did not listen or were not interested, but it could always go back to me. They may, in return, say that I was not a good teacher – failing to meet the expectation with which I tried to measure them in the first place.
From the moment we wake up in the morning, until the time we retire at night, we would have made dozens of judgments to determine a variety of activities to perform, how, where and when to perform them. Judging is a mental process by which we evaluate facts in order to reach a decision or opinion. Our Lord did not mean it literally when He said we should stop judging. What Jesus meant first of all was, we should “Stop judging by appearances, but judge justly”. He was warning us against being self-righteous and critical on moral issues, but instead to be careful and loving when we judge as we will surely face the same standard that we are using.
If we must be the judge of others for their faults or omissions, let us examine ourselves first, and see if we are living up to the standard of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who will be our Final Judge. Thus if we judge without mercy, then God will judge us without mercy. If we make hasty judgments on the outward man and neglect to see the inner man, will not God do so to us? This is a powerful and fearful idea. Do not judge so you will not be judged. Learn to show compassion, not judgment so the God in Heaven may judge you rightly.
Almighty Father, in regarding others, help us to ‘put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another… putting on love, which is the bond of perfection’ so that we may receive the same. Amen.
Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
----------------------------------------------
I started with my first company and have trained about 20 engineers and supervisors about Six Sigma. When I transferred to my second company, the methodology is somewhat different. I have to learn it myself during my first 6 months. When it is my turn to teach, it was a learning experience both for me and my students. I don’t what that in the end, both me and them would understand nothing from the process. I can always say in the end that they did not listen or were not interested, but it could always go back to me. They may, in return, say that I was not a good teacher – failing to meet the expectation with which I tried to measure them in the first place.
From the moment we wake up in the morning, until the time we retire at night, we would have made dozens of judgments to determine a variety of activities to perform, how, where and when to perform them. Judging is a mental process by which we evaluate facts in order to reach a decision or opinion. Our Lord did not mean it literally when He said we should stop judging. What Jesus meant first of all was, we should “Stop judging by appearances, but judge justly”. He was warning us against being self-righteous and critical on moral issues, but instead to be careful and loving when we judge as we will surely face the same standard that we are using.
If we must be the judge of others for their faults or omissions, let us examine ourselves first, and see if we are living up to the standard of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who will be our Final Judge. Thus if we judge without mercy, then God will judge us without mercy. If we make hasty judgments on the outward man and neglect to see the inner man, will not God do so to us? This is a powerful and fearful idea. Do not judge so you will not be judged. Learn to show compassion, not judgment so the God in Heaven may judge you rightly.
Almighty Father, in regarding others, help us to ‘put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another… putting on love, which is the bond of perfection’ so that we may receive the same. Amen.
Lord, do not deal with us according to our sins.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
TRANSFIGURATION
Second Sunday of Lent
Mark 9:7
“This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.”
------------------------------------------------
In elementary school, we learned about the word “Metamorphosis”. The prefix "meta" means to change and the "morphe" means form. It is a biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a relatively abrupt change in the animal's form or structure through cell growth and differentiation. We know that butterflies and dragonflies undergo metamorphosis.
The word "transfigured" is translated from Greek word "metamorpho" from which the word metamorphosis came from. It also means to transform, literally or figuratively to metamorphose, or to change. It also means to change the outside to match the inside. In the case of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ it means to match the outside with the reality of the inside. To change the outward so that it matches the inward reality. Jesus' divine nature was "veiled" in human form and the transfiguration was a glimpse of that glory.
The Son of God came to earth in the form of a man to be the true servant of God and to gift mankind with the greatest gift ever given, eternal life. The transfiguration of Jesus Christ was a visible sign in the presence of reliable witnesses of the reality of the power of God and the glory, which is Christ Jesus.
And we are all called to receive and exudes that same glory. May others see in us the reality of God that is within us. And as we metamorphose into what He wants us to be, may we also facilitate the transformation of others to receive the same glory that is within us.
Almighty Father, we open our eyes and we see Jesus, transfigured to a beam of light, the light of the world, Your light. May your light shine upon us forever. We see Jesus, not casting us off, but leading us down, leading us out - to minister to people, so Your love endures forever.
“We open our ears and we hear your voice,
‘This is my beloved Son, listen to him!’ And we give you thanks.”
I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
Mark 9:7
“This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.”
------------------------------------------------
In elementary school, we learned about the word “Metamorphosis”. The prefix "meta" means to change and the "morphe" means form. It is a biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a relatively abrupt change in the animal's form or structure through cell growth and differentiation. We know that butterflies and dragonflies undergo metamorphosis.
The word "transfigured" is translated from Greek word "metamorpho" from which the word metamorphosis came from. It also means to transform, literally or figuratively to metamorphose, or to change. It also means to change the outside to match the inside. In the case of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ it means to match the outside with the reality of the inside. To change the outward so that it matches the inward reality. Jesus' divine nature was "veiled" in human form and the transfiguration was a glimpse of that glory.
The Son of God came to earth in the form of a man to be the true servant of God and to gift mankind with the greatest gift ever given, eternal life. The transfiguration of Jesus Christ was a visible sign in the presence of reliable witnesses of the reality of the power of God and the glory, which is Christ Jesus.
And we are all called to receive and exudes that same glory. May others see in us the reality of God that is within us. And as we metamorphose into what He wants us to be, may we also facilitate the transformation of others to receive the same glory that is within us.
Almighty Father, we open our eyes and we see Jesus, transfigured to a beam of light, the light of the world, Your light. May your light shine upon us forever. We see Jesus, not casting us off, but leading us down, leading us out - to minister to people, so Your love endures forever.
“We open our ears and we hear your voice,
‘This is my beloved Son, listen to him!’ And we give you thanks.”
I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
STRIVE FOR PERFECTION
Matthew 5:48
“… so be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
--------------------------------------------
During Six Sigma trainings, I always get this question – “Is there a company that already achieved Six Sigma status?” If I say yes, then they would ask for proof. If I said no, then they would question why I am in front of them espousing this quality “thing”. I would respond differently; yes, there are companies now that is striving to achieve Six Sigma. They have learned the tools, used the methodologies and achieved results.
And they have been doing it consistently. Even before they achieve the Six Sigma status of 3.4 defects per million, they have already learned a lot of lessons, improved their processes, gained more customer respect, delivered more products, revenues shoot-up and employees are happier than ever. If this is not Six Sigma, then I don’t know anymore what is.
Yes, nobody is perfect. But that doesn’t mean that we cannot anymore strive for perfection. We cannot say that I cannot be perfect as the world is not perfect because we are not of this world. Perfect union with God cannot be attained in this life, because we lack the happiness for which we are destined. We suffer many evils both of body and soul. Perfection therefore in its absolute sense is reserved for the kingdom of heaven.
Yes, we can be perfect. We can start our journey to perfection today and we do it consistently. Along the way, we would learn a lot of lessons. We would fall in pits of sins, but it is important that we get up again. And along the way our relationship with our family improves, we receive more blessings, we bring more souls to God and we are very happy, rejoicing and praising Him forever. If this is not PERFECTION, then I don’t know anymore what is.
Almighty Father, You are perfect but we are not. Yet, this did not stopped You from loving us. You even gave Your Son to the world so we may attain perfection with You. In that perfection, I will give You the glory You desire of me, and in that perfection I will find my greatest joy in heaven.
“Perfection You desire, yet I cannot for I know I am imperfect
But in loving others and leading them to you, I am already perfect.”
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
“… so be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
--------------------------------------------
During Six Sigma trainings, I always get this question – “Is there a company that already achieved Six Sigma status?” If I say yes, then they would ask for proof. If I said no, then they would question why I am in front of them espousing this quality “thing”. I would respond differently; yes, there are companies now that is striving to achieve Six Sigma. They have learned the tools, used the methodologies and achieved results.
And they have been doing it consistently. Even before they achieve the Six Sigma status of 3.4 defects per million, they have already learned a lot of lessons, improved their processes, gained more customer respect, delivered more products, revenues shoot-up and employees are happier than ever. If this is not Six Sigma, then I don’t know anymore what is.
Yes, nobody is perfect. But that doesn’t mean that we cannot anymore strive for perfection. We cannot say that I cannot be perfect as the world is not perfect because we are not of this world. Perfect union with God cannot be attained in this life, because we lack the happiness for which we are destined. We suffer many evils both of body and soul. Perfection therefore in its absolute sense is reserved for the kingdom of heaven.
Yes, we can be perfect. We can start our journey to perfection today and we do it consistently. Along the way, we would learn a lot of lessons. We would fall in pits of sins, but it is important that we get up again. And along the way our relationship with our family improves, we receive more blessings, we bring more souls to God and we are very happy, rejoicing and praising Him forever. If this is not PERFECTION, then I don’t know anymore what is.
Almighty Father, You are perfect but we are not. Yet, this did not stopped You from loving us. You even gave Your Son to the world so we may attain perfection with You. In that perfection, I will give You the glory You desire of me, and in that perfection I will find my greatest joy in heaven.
“Perfection You desire, yet I cannot for I know I am imperfect
But in loving others and leading them to you, I am already perfect.”
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Friday, March 6, 2009
SAVED BY HIS BLOOD
Matthew 5:26
“Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
-----------------------------------------------
We call ourselves, human beings – the most intelligent beings in this world. We know everything there is to know and would want to know. And yet, we have to realize that we are just tiny creatures in this very vast and ancient universe. That we are not whiz kids, for we often cannot tell right from wrong, or good from evil. That we do not really know everything, because we are easily confused, and bent toward making wrong decisions. That we are not perfect, for we are distracted by our lusts and passions, often sacrificing long-term good for short-term pleasure. We sin and sin and sin until sinning becomes the norm in our lives.
It is obvious that we cannot save ourselves, we need someone to save us.
And someone did! And He paid for it up to the last drop of His blood. And even luckier for us, we don’t have to pay for our freedom with our lives because Jesus has already taken care of that for us. With His blood and sacrifice, the ransom for our sins has been paid. And because of this, we have paid for the last penny, free at least from the claws of the devil. God had the option to save us by just a single stroke of His hand. But He did not choose that. He chose to wait and to undergo the long, painful and hard process so that people may truly learn and believe in Him.
Lord Jesus, I always trust in Your words and in Your promises. Your gift of salvation is a gift of love. As I have accepted You as my Lord and Savior , I know that I am now under greater responsibility to make sure my life, and the lives of those I love, are in total obedience to Your Words and Your will.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, help me choose the right words and the right actions so I may resist temptations. I don’t want to be forever in the mercy of death, so I continually seek for Your love and forgiveness. Teach me to turn from my wicked ways and finally, sin no more.
Amen +
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice!
“Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”
-----------------------------------------------
We call ourselves, human beings – the most intelligent beings in this world. We know everything there is to know and would want to know. And yet, we have to realize that we are just tiny creatures in this very vast and ancient universe. That we are not whiz kids, for we often cannot tell right from wrong, or good from evil. That we do not really know everything, because we are easily confused, and bent toward making wrong decisions. That we are not perfect, for we are distracted by our lusts and passions, often sacrificing long-term good for short-term pleasure. We sin and sin and sin until sinning becomes the norm in our lives.
It is obvious that we cannot save ourselves, we need someone to save us.
And someone did! And He paid for it up to the last drop of His blood. And even luckier for us, we don’t have to pay for our freedom with our lives because Jesus has already taken care of that for us. With His blood and sacrifice, the ransom for our sins has been paid. And because of this, we have paid for the last penny, free at least from the claws of the devil. God had the option to save us by just a single stroke of His hand. But He did not choose that. He chose to wait and to undergo the long, painful and hard process so that people may truly learn and believe in Him.
Lord Jesus, I always trust in Your words and in Your promises. Your gift of salvation is a gift of love. As I have accepted You as my Lord and Savior , I know that I am now under greater responsibility to make sure my life, and the lives of those I love, are in total obedience to Your Words and Your will.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, help me choose the right words and the right actions so I may resist temptations. I don’t want to be forever in the mercy of death, so I continually seek for Your love and forgiveness. Teach me to turn from my wicked ways and finally, sin no more.
Amen +
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
ASK IN PRAYER
Matthew 7:7
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
----------------------------------------------
When you encounter this verse in the Bible, I am sure a lot of things would come into your mind. Some would say that this is sometimes true but most of the time, so untrue. Which is really unfortunate. For most of us, we take the verse so literally, that we thought everything we ask would be given to us. It is easy to read about it, quite yet another to actually put it into practice. Do you find it hard to trust that your needs will be met?
In the Bible, Jesus is also very clear when He said, “For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” And everything that we need, He is willing to give. But we need to trust in Him, knowing fully that it would come in His time, not ours. Jesus must mean that God’s knowing is accompanied by his desiring to meet our need. He is emphasizing we have a Father. If our earthly father would do everything in his power to provide our needs, what more for a Heavenly Father.
God is not going to give us something bad in response to our request for something good. Further, God is every bit as gratified and pleased when we make requests of Him as a parent is when a child turns to him or her for help. And He is constantly hearing that prayers from our heart. You and I will have many needs on our journey through life - needs of which our Father in heaven is already well aware. Meet with Him in prayer, thanking Him ahead of time for meeting our new needs. God may not always give us what we want, but He will always provide what we need.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, thank you for responding when we seek you, for opening the door when we knock, and inviting us into your kingdom. Give us the faith and the courage to trust these words. Help us to know deep within our hearts, deep within our spirits, that You will provide for us - as a gift. Help us not to worry, Lord. Help us put our trust in You, and help us to share with others that trust and faith. Thank you for loving us, and caring for us.
Amen +
Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
----------------------------------------------
When you encounter this verse in the Bible, I am sure a lot of things would come into your mind. Some would say that this is sometimes true but most of the time, so untrue. Which is really unfortunate. For most of us, we take the verse so literally, that we thought everything we ask would be given to us. It is easy to read about it, quite yet another to actually put it into practice. Do you find it hard to trust that your needs will be met?
In the Bible, Jesus is also very clear when He said, “For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” And everything that we need, He is willing to give. But we need to trust in Him, knowing fully that it would come in His time, not ours. Jesus must mean that God’s knowing is accompanied by his desiring to meet our need. He is emphasizing we have a Father. If our earthly father would do everything in his power to provide our needs, what more for a Heavenly Father.
God is not going to give us something bad in response to our request for something good. Further, God is every bit as gratified and pleased when we make requests of Him as a parent is when a child turns to him or her for help. And He is constantly hearing that prayers from our heart. You and I will have many needs on our journey through life - needs of which our Father in heaven is already well aware. Meet with Him in prayer, thanking Him ahead of time for meeting our new needs. God may not always give us what we want, but He will always provide what we need.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, thank you for responding when we seek you, for opening the door when we knock, and inviting us into your kingdom. Give us the faith and the courage to trust these words. Help us to know deep within our hearts, deep within our spirits, that You will provide for us - as a gift. Help us not to worry, Lord. Help us put our trust in You, and help us to share with others that trust and faith. Thank you for loving us, and caring for us.
Amen +
Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
CLEANSE YOUR SPIRIT
Psalms 51:12
A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
-----------------------------------------
Glutathione to whiten the skin. Cellophane to make the hair straight and shiny. Astringent and makeup to make the face flawless and smooth. Supplements to make the body firm and sexy. Do not get me wrong. There is nothing with all of these. We have to take care of our body, since it is the only we’ve got.
Your body is part of how God created you. He wants you to treat it with respect. As expressed in Corinthians, “…know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God… Therefore honor God with your body.”
Still, as expressed by Jesus in the beatitudes, God is still more concerned with the cleanliness of our hearts, and not just enough to clean up our body on the outside. He came to the world in order to reform the hearts of sinners like you and me. So the heart is utterly crucial to Jesus. Jesus did not come into the world simply because we have some bad habits that need to be corrected. He came into the world because we have such dirty hearts that need to be purified, so we may live perfectly as our Heavenly Father is perfect.
You do not need to buy expensive stuffs to have a clean heart. In this season of Lent, let His words purify your heart. Just let Him come in to you and listen to His words. Let Him purify your mind, let Him cleanse your spirit, let Him create in you a clean heart.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, wash me and cleanse me and purify me! Do a work in my innermost being, in the hidden part of me. Cleanse the inside of my cup! Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sinfulness. Wash me so I shall be whiter than snow! And be worthy of joining your Kingdom in Heaven.
Amen +
A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
-----------------------------------------
Glutathione to whiten the skin. Cellophane to make the hair straight and shiny. Astringent and makeup to make the face flawless and smooth. Supplements to make the body firm and sexy. Do not get me wrong. There is nothing with all of these. We have to take care of our body, since it is the only we’ve got.
Your body is part of how God created you. He wants you to treat it with respect. As expressed in Corinthians, “…know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God… Therefore honor God with your body.”
Still, as expressed by Jesus in the beatitudes, God is still more concerned with the cleanliness of our hearts, and not just enough to clean up our body on the outside. He came to the world in order to reform the hearts of sinners like you and me. So the heart is utterly crucial to Jesus. Jesus did not come into the world simply because we have some bad habits that need to be corrected. He came into the world because we have such dirty hearts that need to be purified, so we may live perfectly as our Heavenly Father is perfect.
You do not need to buy expensive stuffs to have a clean heart. In this season of Lent, let His words purify your heart. Just let Him come in to you and listen to His words. Let Him purify your mind, let Him cleanse your spirit, let Him create in you a clean heart.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, wash me and cleanse me and purify me! Do a work in my innermost being, in the hidden part of me. Cleanse the inside of my cup! Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sinfulness. Wash me so I shall be whiter than snow! And be worthy of joining your Kingdom in Heaven.
Amen +
A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
PROVISIONS
Matthew 6:8
Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
-------------------------------------------
I would approach my father, coffee at one hand and bread on the other. I would put it before him on the table. But before I could even say a word, he would remark, “Kelangan mo na naman ng pera, noh?” (“You need money, again?”). All I can do is nod. He would just get his wallet and ask, “How much?” He would not ask for what (or for whom) is the money. He trust me that I would use it for something that I need. And I have to return that trust. I would rarely break that trust and would just ask for money for things I need (well, I said “rarely”, yes there were times that… you know).
Truly, our Lord does know what we need before we ask, but He does not stop there. He also provides what we need before we need it. Thousands of years ago, He already knew that we would need His Words for our protection. It was the wisdom of God to have men write epistles so that the knowledge of God that they had been given might be preserved for us – for us to read, understand, learn and do. Still, He teaches us to ask for it through prayers. If we feel that we need a favor from God, we find it necessary to put our petition into words - like children who ask for what they need, and even what they want - knowing that God is a kind and loving Father who will deny us nothing, except if it is not good for us.
You and I will have many needs on our journey through life - needs of which our Father in heaven is already well aware. Meet with Him in prayer and spend the time thanking Him, silently remembering His past faithfulness in our lives, in addition to thanking Him ahead of time for meeting our new needs. He may not always give us what we want, but He will always provide for us what we need.
We thank God for all he has done and continues to do. We remember that he is the source of all good things. Prayers of gratitude remind us of just how much we receive at his hands. Just two hundred years ago, not even kings could have a life that we live now.
Almighty Father, You have always known our needs. If it's not your will Lord, please change my heart. Show me how to differentiate between my wants and my needs. Your will for me is perfect and good. So I am satisfied.
From all their distress God rescues the just.
Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
-------------------------------------------
I would approach my father, coffee at one hand and bread on the other. I would put it before him on the table. But before I could even say a word, he would remark, “Kelangan mo na naman ng pera, noh?” (“You need money, again?”). All I can do is nod. He would just get his wallet and ask, “How much?” He would not ask for what (or for whom) is the money. He trust me that I would use it for something that I need. And I have to return that trust. I would rarely break that trust and would just ask for money for things I need (well, I said “rarely”, yes there were times that… you know).
Truly, our Lord does know what we need before we ask, but He does not stop there. He also provides what we need before we need it. Thousands of years ago, He already knew that we would need His Words for our protection. It was the wisdom of God to have men write epistles so that the knowledge of God that they had been given might be preserved for us – for us to read, understand, learn and do. Still, He teaches us to ask for it through prayers. If we feel that we need a favor from God, we find it necessary to put our petition into words - like children who ask for what they need, and even what they want - knowing that God is a kind and loving Father who will deny us nothing, except if it is not good for us.
You and I will have many needs on our journey through life - needs of which our Father in heaven is already well aware. Meet with Him in prayer and spend the time thanking Him, silently remembering His past faithfulness in our lives, in addition to thanking Him ahead of time for meeting our new needs. He may not always give us what we want, but He will always provide for us what we need.
We thank God for all he has done and continues to do. We remember that he is the source of all good things. Prayers of gratitude remind us of just how much we receive at his hands. Just two hundred years ago, not even kings could have a life that we live now.
Almighty Father, You have always known our needs. If it's not your will Lord, please change my heart. Show me how to differentiate between my wants and my needs. Your will for me is perfect and good. So I am satisfied.
From all their distress God rescues the just.
Monday, March 2, 2009
GREATEST LOVE
Matthew 25:40
“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”
-----------------------------------------------
It is not just a kiss or a hug, or a simple “I Love You” which we normally give to our loved ones to show our love. It is not just saying sweet nothings similar to the content of our love letters. Jesus did not say just to love. He said we must love the Lord with our WHOLE heart and soul and with ALL our mind and strength.
In today’s gospel, Jesus is trying to tell us that we are living in this world so others may be blessed through us, especially the least of our brothers. And who would they be? He introduced to us some of them: the hungry, thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the ill and those in prison. And He is very clear that whatever we do to our little brothers, we are doing it to Him – “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me”. We love God through helping the least of our brothers.
He have taught and loved us through examples and parables. So it is only proper that we must deal with other Christians out of humility rather than pride, for we have no excuse for responding to fellow believers in a spirit of arrogance, haughtiness, or superiority.
All of this means that whatever we do for any being, we do for God. Whatever we do for the least one, the one who suffers, we do for God. When we help someone, even in small ways, it is God we are helping. It is God helping God – all happening within ourselves, because He lives in us. And when we share, we share ourselves, our very being – blessing others for the glory of God, from Whom all is given.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, may we forever embodies humility – make the esteem effort to listen, accept others - no matter what their race, their religion, their education – or lack of it, or their station in life.
Amen +
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”
-----------------------------------------------
It is not just a kiss or a hug, or a simple “I Love You” which we normally give to our loved ones to show our love. It is not just saying sweet nothings similar to the content of our love letters. Jesus did not say just to love. He said we must love the Lord with our WHOLE heart and soul and with ALL our mind and strength.
In today’s gospel, Jesus is trying to tell us that we are living in this world so others may be blessed through us, especially the least of our brothers. And who would they be? He introduced to us some of them: the hungry, thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the ill and those in prison. And He is very clear that whatever we do to our little brothers, we are doing it to Him – “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me”. We love God through helping the least of our brothers.
He have taught and loved us through examples and parables. So it is only proper that we must deal with other Christians out of humility rather than pride, for we have no excuse for responding to fellow believers in a spirit of arrogance, haughtiness, or superiority.
All of this means that whatever we do for any being, we do for God. Whatever we do for the least one, the one who suffers, we do for God. When we help someone, even in small ways, it is God we are helping. It is God helping God – all happening within ourselves, because He lives in us. And when we share, we share ourselves, our very being – blessing others for the glory of God, from Whom all is given.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, may we forever embodies humility – make the esteem effort to listen, accept others - no matter what their race, their religion, their education – or lack of it, or their station in life.
Amen +
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
REPENT AND BELIEVE
First Sunday of Lent
Mark 1:15
“The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
-------------------------------------------
Throughout our lives, we try to learn something, if not, everything. As a baby, we try to learn to walk and to talk. As little kids, we undergo potty training, we learn how to write, we learn how to read as we learn the ABC’s. Then there are the elementary days and the high school years – all dedicated to learning and gaining new knowledge. And who can forget college time as we prepare ourselves for the corporate world. Still, we need to read and read and read, gaining the knowledge and experience we need to survive.
And once we have all the knowledge we want, then what? How about knowing God? How about spending some of your time understanding Who He is? Not only can anyone of us know the Lord and the Creator of everything that exists. He even invites - even urges - each one of us, to know Him intimately, personally and deeply.
God is the ultimate reality, and as the Apostle Paul says “from Him and for Him and to Him are all things, to Him be the glory forever.” Those who genuinely desire to know Him (as He really is) are never disappointed. In fact, knowing God is the easiest thing in the world, easier than “one plus one” or “what is the next letter after A.” Start knowing God. And know Him more as we pursue the knowledge of the LORD. Repent and believe in the gospel. He is our Savior, worthy of our praise and worship.
1. Recognize that you are a sinner.
2. Recognize that Jesus Christ died in the cross for you.
3. Repent of your sins.
4. Accept Jesus as your Savior.
Almighty Father, may You give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation so we may know You more. Enlighten our eyes, understanding fully that all knowledge came from and existed within You. Kindly share us Your knowledge, making us aware of what is meant to be, permitting our souls to understand it and the wisdom to agree with its outcome. Provide us with the gift of discretion to prudently apply the knowledge we received thereby ensuring the fulfillment of Your Will. Amen +
Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
Mark 1:15
“The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
-------------------------------------------
Throughout our lives, we try to learn something, if not, everything. As a baby, we try to learn to walk and to talk. As little kids, we undergo potty training, we learn how to write, we learn how to read as we learn the ABC’s. Then there are the elementary days and the high school years – all dedicated to learning and gaining new knowledge. And who can forget college time as we prepare ourselves for the corporate world. Still, we need to read and read and read, gaining the knowledge and experience we need to survive.
And once we have all the knowledge we want, then what? How about knowing God? How about spending some of your time understanding Who He is? Not only can anyone of us know the Lord and the Creator of everything that exists. He even invites - even urges - each one of us, to know Him intimately, personally and deeply.
God is the ultimate reality, and as the Apostle Paul says “from Him and for Him and to Him are all things, to Him be the glory forever.” Those who genuinely desire to know Him (as He really is) are never disappointed. In fact, knowing God is the easiest thing in the world, easier than “one plus one” or “what is the next letter after A.” Start knowing God. And know Him more as we pursue the knowledge of the LORD. Repent and believe in the gospel. He is our Savior, worthy of our praise and worship.
1. Recognize that you are a sinner.
2. Recognize that Jesus Christ died in the cross for you.
3. Repent of your sins.
4. Accept Jesus as your Savior.
Almighty Father, may You give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation so we may know You more. Enlighten our eyes, understanding fully that all knowledge came from and existed within You. Kindly share us Your knowledge, making us aware of what is meant to be, permitting our souls to understand it and the wisdom to agree with its outcome. Provide us with the gift of discretion to prudently apply the knowledge we received thereby ensuring the fulfillment of Your Will. Amen +
Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth to those who keep your covenant.
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