Luke 14:11
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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Most of the time, either as the host or the guest, we forget the real purpose of why we offer a party or a dinner. As the host, we would like to invite the rich and the famous so in the future, we might be invited by them in return. We would serve the best and expensive foods, so our friends would exalt us, telling us how rich and blessed we are.
And as guest, we would come in lavish gowns and dress and would seat ourselves near the host, so we would be included in all the pictures. Also, so everyone would notice the dress and jewelries that we are wearing, so our friends would exalt us, telling us how rich and blessed we are.
This is exactly what Jesus, in his parables during the dinner with the Pharisees, wants us to realize and eventually refrain from doing. Every dinner that we have to host or attend, do it out of love, invite out of the goodness of your heart. Don't look for status, but rather bless each other with your generosity.
God invites to his own table not those who can do something for Him, who can bring him expensive gifts and loud praises; but the hurting, the oppressed, those who have nothing to bring, the crushed and brokenhearted. The Father invites them to His table, not to help Himself, but to help them. Not to receive a blessing, but to bless them fully.
Through Jesus, we received the open invitation of the Father. You and I have received an invitation to His table for no other reason than love, abundantly seasoned with grace. Accept the invitation, and live.
Let us pray +
Father, sometimes I can be a cynical as the Pharisees sitting at this table. Cleanse and renew me. Perfect and refine my motives so that your heart might fill mine, and your desires might become my own. Forgive me and make me whole. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen +
The Lord will not abandon his people.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
OUR FAITH
Luke 14:3
…my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.
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This last week I've had some challenges in my both personal and work lives. And I can only turn to prayer to banish all those problems, difficulties and seek strength to face the challenges ahead.
Praying with gratitude has increased my faith. Focusing on the "thanks" part of prayer has helped me to feel that I am really talking with God. Instead of just listing thanks for this or that, I've realized that I am thanking Heavenly Father for His role in the things for which I am thankful. This has caused me to think about what His roles have really been in each of those things.
I think that praying with more gratitude has helped me to be better at not focusing on those things. I can thank Him for doing whatever He has needed to do all these years to keep us relatively safe, and that reminds me that He does that for a reason, and that I need to make that work worthwhile by helping to build His kingdom.
St. Paul always begin with either thanksgiving or with praise to God. His prayer life clearly demonstrated a God-dependent attitude and a perspective that formed the foundation and source of the apostle’s ministry for the Gentiles.
We really do have so many things and people for which we can give thanks, do you not agree? We are blessed in so many ways, and it is only right that we express our thanks to God for those blessings. Paul’s example of gratitude is one that we would all do well to emulate.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, blessed are we, because we have known You! Blessed are we, because we have believed in You! Blessed are we, because we bear Your wounds and the sign of Your Blood on our contenances! Blessed are we, because You are our great hope! Blessed are we, because You are our God forever! Amen +
I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie…
…my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.
----------------------------------------------
This last week I've had some challenges in my both personal and work lives. And I can only turn to prayer to banish all those problems, difficulties and seek strength to face the challenges ahead.
Praying with gratitude has increased my faith. Focusing on the "thanks" part of prayer has helped me to feel that I am really talking with God. Instead of just listing thanks for this or that, I've realized that I am thanking Heavenly Father for His role in the things for which I am thankful. This has caused me to think about what His roles have really been in each of those things.
I think that praying with more gratitude has helped me to be better at not focusing on those things. I can thank Him for doing whatever He has needed to do all these years to keep us relatively safe, and that reminds me that He does that for a reason, and that I need to make that work worthwhile by helping to build His kingdom.
St. Paul always begin with either thanksgiving or with praise to God. His prayer life clearly demonstrated a God-dependent attitude and a perspective that formed the foundation and source of the apostle’s ministry for the Gentiles.
We really do have so many things and people for which we can give thanks, do you not agree? We are blessed in so many ways, and it is only right that we express our thanks to God for those blessings. Paul’s example of gratitude is one that we would all do well to emulate.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, blessed are we, because we have known You! Blessed are we, because we have believed in You! Blessed are we, because we bear Your wounds and the sign of Your Blood on our contenances! Blessed are we, because You are our great hope! Blessed are we, because You are our God forever! Amen +
I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie…
OUR LORD
Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
---------------------------------------------
The moment we place our trust in Christ alone to save us, we can and should know that we are completely forgiven and secure in the love of Christ.
Read it.
Rejoice in it.
Embrace it.
Remember it.
Nothing can separate us from His love.
Nothing in this life or in death.
Nothing in our present or in our future.
Nothing!
Now isn’t that really something!
Let us pray +
Lord Jesus, all power in heaven and on earth has been given to You. May we go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit as we put our trust and faith in You until the end of the age.
Amen +
Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
---------------------------------------------
The moment we place our trust in Christ alone to save us, we can and should know that we are completely forgiven and secure in the love of Christ.
Read it.
Rejoice in it.
Embrace it.
Remember it.
Nothing can separate us from His love.
Nothing in this life or in death.
Nothing in our present or in our future.
Nothing!
Now isn’t that really something!
Let us pray +
Lord Jesus, all power in heaven and on earth has been given to You. May we go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit as we put our trust and faith in You until the end of the age.
Amen +
Save me, O Lord, in your mercy.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
OUR MOUNTAIN
Luke 6:12
In those days, [Jesus] departed to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God.
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I would sometime withdraw from the world and live in silence for a moment – away from it all - from people, noise, cell phones, emails, calls – and experience stimulation of life to be with God.
I get away from all of the problems and wants in my life - I get away from all of that to just be alone with God and try to understand what He really wants from me. I would climb each mountain of despair and allow Him to talk to me.
As you may have observed, during the days when Christ was getting ready to appoint his chosen Apostles; or in the days before he turned his face to Jerusalem to die and take us with Himself to God; or before He was tempted by the devil.
Before he did all of those courageous things, he took time to turn to the Father by going to the mountain and spending the day or night in prayer. This mountain-climbing prayer belongs not only to Christ but to all of His true followers.
Which mountains are you facing today? Mountains of decision? Mountains of work? Mountains of despair? Mountains of temptations? There's another mountain which you need to climb before dealing with these other mountains. It's the mountain of prayer to the Lord.
Not by physical exploits but by high-minded actions will you scale this mountain. Follow Christ and search the Gospel. You will find that only His disciples climbed up the mountain with the Lord.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, I realize that I have a Life. It is way bigger than what I do. It is way higher than any mountain. It is way bigger than what anybody thinks of me. I have this Life with You. Amen +
The heavens declare the glory of God…
In those days, [Jesus] departed to the mountain to pray, and He spent the night in prayer to God.
----------------------------------------------
I would sometime withdraw from the world and live in silence for a moment – away from it all - from people, noise, cell phones, emails, calls – and experience stimulation of life to be with God.
I get away from all of the problems and wants in my life - I get away from all of that to just be alone with God and try to understand what He really wants from me. I would climb each mountain of despair and allow Him to talk to me.
As you may have observed, during the days when Christ was getting ready to appoint his chosen Apostles; or in the days before he turned his face to Jerusalem to die and take us with Himself to God; or before He was tempted by the devil.
Before he did all of those courageous things, he took time to turn to the Father by going to the mountain and spending the day or night in prayer. This mountain-climbing prayer belongs not only to Christ but to all of His true followers.
Which mountains are you facing today? Mountains of decision? Mountains of work? Mountains of despair? Mountains of temptations? There's another mountain which you need to climb before dealing with these other mountains. It's the mountain of prayer to the Lord.
Not by physical exploits but by high-minded actions will you scale this mountain. Follow Christ and search the Gospel. You will find that only His disciples climbed up the mountain with the Lord.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, I realize that I have a Life. It is way bigger than what I do. It is way higher than any mountain. It is way bigger than what anybody thinks of me. I have this Life with You. Amen +
The heavens declare the glory of God…
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
OUR HOPE
Romans 8:24b-25
For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.
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In the Philippines, hope is a cigarette brand. And a lot of men and women have really put their “hope” on this worthless vice – hoping that they would sleep soundly tonight, hoping that it will take away their problems, hoping that it will soothe away the anger that they feel.
Most of us have place our lives on things that is of this world – hoping that it will make us happy and rich. And yet, through it all, the fact still remain that we cannot be really happy. We get tired and get weary and wanting to give up. That is because we failed to recognize the True Hope in our lives – no other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our hope for the future is rooted in a conviction about God's character. It is because of God's tender mercies that we find it possible to hope. The sun will rise tomorrow, and we would welcome that brand new day, full of hope and optimism. We can anticipate good things because God is a good and loving God.
Sometimes hope fails us because of the pain of present circumstances. We find ourselves unable to focus on a hope-full future because we cannot see beyond the burdens of the present. But we need hope in order to continue the journey. God has been clear about His plans for us. It is God's intention to give us a hope and a future.
This is not a promise of a trouble-free life. It is not a promise of immunity from struggle. But it is a promise of hope. God has been with us in the past. God is with us in the present. And God will be with us in the future. Return to God as our source of hope, and God will remind us that his plans for us are good.
Almighty Father, thank you for paying attention to my future. Thank you for making plans. Help me today to rest in the thought that your plans for me include blessing and a very wonderful life with You. Open my heart today to the hope and the future you have prepared for me. By the power of the Holy Spirit, cause me to overflow with hope.
Amen +
The Lord has done marvels for us.
For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.
------------------------------------------
In the Philippines, hope is a cigarette brand. And a lot of men and women have really put their “hope” on this worthless vice – hoping that they would sleep soundly tonight, hoping that it will take away their problems, hoping that it will soothe away the anger that they feel.
Most of us have place our lives on things that is of this world – hoping that it will make us happy and rich. And yet, through it all, the fact still remain that we cannot be really happy. We get tired and get weary and wanting to give up. That is because we failed to recognize the True Hope in our lives – no other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our hope for the future is rooted in a conviction about God's character. It is because of God's tender mercies that we find it possible to hope. The sun will rise tomorrow, and we would welcome that brand new day, full of hope and optimism. We can anticipate good things because God is a good and loving God.
Sometimes hope fails us because of the pain of present circumstances. We find ourselves unable to focus on a hope-full future because we cannot see beyond the burdens of the present. But we need hope in order to continue the journey. God has been clear about His plans for us. It is God's intention to give us a hope and a future.
This is not a promise of a trouble-free life. It is not a promise of immunity from struggle. But it is a promise of hope. God has been with us in the past. God is with us in the present. And God will be with us in the future. Return to God as our source of hope, and God will remind us that his plans for us are good.
Almighty Father, thank you for paying attention to my future. Thank you for making plans. Help me today to rest in the thought that your plans for me include blessing and a very wonderful life with You. Open my heart today to the hope and the future you have prepared for me. By the power of the Holy Spirit, cause me to overflow with hope.
Amen +
The Lord has done marvels for us.
Monday, October 26, 2009
OUR BURDEN
Romans 8:16-17
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…
--------------------------------------------
Every morning, we would see them. Vendors carrying their wares as they go and jump through buses and jeepneys. People carrying sacks or bags on their shoulder. We want to help but we have better things to do, or so we think. Still, we see people walking down the street with nothing to carry. Can we say that they carry no burdens?
We see each other in church on Sunday mornings, and we don't know what loads the other person may be carrying. They don't have armloads of firewood, but their human spirits are hunched over from carrying heavy loads that are invisible. Some are carrying loads of grief, from recent losses. Some are weighed down by financial worries, by unemployment or failing businesses. Some are facing serious illness or divorce or children who have turned away.
We are all children of God. Bearing one another's bur¬dens is not limited to helping to carry the burden of sin or weakness. There are many kinds of burdens we have to bear. That is why we pray for one another and visit one another in times of sickness and loss. And that’s why we come alongside one another in times of moral failure and say, “Brother, sister, I want to see you become the healthy person Jesus intends you to be. I can see that you’re struggling under a burden. I am a fellow struggler. How can I help you with that burden?”
So, what is your burden today? Can I share with your burden? We have a responsibility in this life to help each other with our burdens for no Christian should ever have to carry a burden alone.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You keep together those You have united. Look kindly on all who follow Jesus your Son. We are all consecrated to you by our common baptism. Teach us to bear the burden of one another, doing it through love of You. Make us one in the fullness of faith, and keep us one in the fellowship of love. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Our God is the God of salvation.
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…
--------------------------------------------
Every morning, we would see them. Vendors carrying their wares as they go and jump through buses and jeepneys. People carrying sacks or bags on their shoulder. We want to help but we have better things to do, or so we think. Still, we see people walking down the street with nothing to carry. Can we say that they carry no burdens?
We see each other in church on Sunday mornings, and we don't know what loads the other person may be carrying. They don't have armloads of firewood, but their human spirits are hunched over from carrying heavy loads that are invisible. Some are carrying loads of grief, from recent losses. Some are weighed down by financial worries, by unemployment or failing businesses. Some are facing serious illness or divorce or children who have turned away.
We are all children of God. Bearing one another's bur¬dens is not limited to helping to carry the burden of sin or weakness. There are many kinds of burdens we have to bear. That is why we pray for one another and visit one another in times of sickness and loss. And that’s why we come alongside one another in times of moral failure and say, “Brother, sister, I want to see you become the healthy person Jesus intends you to be. I can see that you’re struggling under a burden. I am a fellow struggler. How can I help you with that burden?”
So, what is your burden today? Can I share with your burden? We have a responsibility in this life to help each other with our burdens for no Christian should ever have to carry a burden alone.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You keep together those You have united. Look kindly on all who follow Jesus your Son. We are all consecrated to you by our common baptism. Teach us to bear the burden of one another, doing it through love of You. Make us one in the fullness of faith, and keep us one in the fellowship of love. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Our God is the God of salvation.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
OUR LIGHT
Mark 10:51-52
The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see."
Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you."
--------------------------------------------
During brownouts, me and my playmates would go out of the house and play one of our favorite games – hide and seek. In our place, there were a lot of places where one can hide – inside a jeepney, behind or inside a trash can (yes, one of us tried hiding inside it once, that is why in the next round, we were able to identify his location by his smelly scent), garage, on top of trees, behind the fences, and yes, inside a drum filled with water.
Everyone is quietly hiding until a scream would fill the air, “Pung, taya!” (meaning “I have found you!”). Sometimes, I would got scared of the dark that I would have myself seen by the seeker or say, “andito ako!” (“I am here”) so I could finally get out of the dark. It doesn’t matter if I would be the next seeker, for sometimes it is better to be the hunter, than the hunted.
Through our lives, we have been constantly seeking for God - in the hope that we might feel Him and find Him. But we do not have to go far and look in the darkness. If we can only open our hearts, we can hear Him saying, “I am here”, yes, in our hearts. For in Him we live and move and have our being.
We are now the children of light, having been saved through our Savior, Jesus Christ. Seek His mercy and be obedient to His words, totally ignoring the calls of darkness. And there should always this longing in our hearts for Him. For wouldn't be complete unless He is with us, loving Him and being glad to have found Him. We are the children of Light now. Let Him shine brightly in our hearts so others may get out of the dark.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, we realize that everything in the world is meaningless unless we obey Your will. We can gain money and possession, but they don't satisfy our needs. In our death, those will all fall away and mean nothing. So, we look up to the heavens as You call upon us, exclaiming, “Here I am.” Amen +
The LORD has done great things for us; Oh, how happy we were!
The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see."
Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you."
--------------------------------------------
During brownouts, me and my playmates would go out of the house and play one of our favorite games – hide and seek. In our place, there were a lot of places where one can hide – inside a jeepney, behind or inside a trash can (yes, one of us tried hiding inside it once, that is why in the next round, we were able to identify his location by his smelly scent), garage, on top of trees, behind the fences, and yes, inside a drum filled with water.
Everyone is quietly hiding until a scream would fill the air, “Pung, taya!” (meaning “I have found you!”). Sometimes, I would got scared of the dark that I would have myself seen by the seeker or say, “andito ako!” (“I am here”) so I could finally get out of the dark. It doesn’t matter if I would be the next seeker, for sometimes it is better to be the hunter, than the hunted.
Through our lives, we have been constantly seeking for God - in the hope that we might feel Him and find Him. But we do not have to go far and look in the darkness. If we can only open our hearts, we can hear Him saying, “I am here”, yes, in our hearts. For in Him we live and move and have our being.
We are now the children of light, having been saved through our Savior, Jesus Christ. Seek His mercy and be obedient to His words, totally ignoring the calls of darkness. And there should always this longing in our hearts for Him. For wouldn't be complete unless He is with us, loving Him and being glad to have found Him. We are the children of Light now. Let Him shine brightly in our hearts so others may get out of the dark.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, we realize that everything in the world is meaningless unless we obey Your will. We can gain money and possession, but they don't satisfy our needs. In our death, those will all fall away and mean nothing. So, we look up to the heavens as You call upon us, exclaiming, “Here I am.” Amen +
The LORD has done great things for us; Oh, how happy we were!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
OUR FRUITFULNESS
Luke 13:9
…it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.
------------------------------------------------
I still remember the pine tree near our house that really belongs to our neighbor. That pine tree is a home to sparrows. In the morning, I would wake up to the singing and chirping of these small birds.
But one day, our neighbor has to extend their house. They have to cut down the pine tree. I even overheard them saying, “Let’s cut it down. It doesn’t even bear fruits!” Well, hello, it is a pine tree! And since then, I no longer hear the chirping and I wonder where have those little birds has gone.
Bearing fruits is just one benefit we gain from a tree. And there are more like providing shade during summer, home for birds, “playground” where we can climb and lie down on its mighty branches. Similarly, as Christians, it is important that in whatever time is given to us that we are fruitful and fragrant for the world in which we live in.
Hopefully, God isn’t chopping us down yet, for he loves the trees too much. But nevertheless life is short: sometimes shorter than we think it will be. And the need for fruit becomes urgent!
Are you bearing fruits now? You should examine your own lives and look for fruit. There are many types of fruit that could be examined: giving, praying, righteousness, forgiveness, tithing, ministering, leading others to Christ, missionary support. Each is different, but each is from the same Lord. Each of us is different with different gifts and fruits. Use what God has given you for His glory, to bear fruit, and to further His Kingdom.
Start bearing fruits, or be cut down!
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You are a patient and merciful God. With the life I am living now, You should have cut me down long time ago. Teach me to respond with great reverence to You so I may bear good fruits and be a blessing to others. Teach me to use this time of grace in proclaiming Your words so others may bear fruit also, all for Your glory and praise. Amen +
The LORD of hosts is the king of glory.
…it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.
------------------------------------------------
I still remember the pine tree near our house that really belongs to our neighbor. That pine tree is a home to sparrows. In the morning, I would wake up to the singing and chirping of these small birds.
But one day, our neighbor has to extend their house. They have to cut down the pine tree. I even overheard them saying, “Let’s cut it down. It doesn’t even bear fruits!” Well, hello, it is a pine tree! And since then, I no longer hear the chirping and I wonder where have those little birds has gone.
Bearing fruits is just one benefit we gain from a tree. And there are more like providing shade during summer, home for birds, “playground” where we can climb and lie down on its mighty branches. Similarly, as Christians, it is important that in whatever time is given to us that we are fruitful and fragrant for the world in which we live in.
Hopefully, God isn’t chopping us down yet, for he loves the trees too much. But nevertheless life is short: sometimes shorter than we think it will be. And the need for fruit becomes urgent!
Are you bearing fruits now? You should examine your own lives and look for fruit. There are many types of fruit that could be examined: giving, praying, righteousness, forgiveness, tithing, ministering, leading others to Christ, missionary support. Each is different, but each is from the same Lord. Each of us is different with different gifts and fruits. Use what God has given you for His glory, to bear fruit, and to further His Kingdom.
Start bearing fruits, or be cut down!
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You are a patient and merciful God. With the life I am living now, You should have cut me down long time ago. Teach me to respond with great reverence to You so I may bear good fruits and be a blessing to others. Teach me to use this time of grace in proclaiming Your words so others may bear fruit also, all for Your glory and praise. Amen +
The LORD of hosts is the king of glory.
Friday, October 23, 2009
OUR GLADNESS
Romans 7:22
For I take delight in the law of God, in my inner self…
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When we are full of joy and very happy, our friends would always remark that we are “full of spirit”. And this is a correct assessment. For happiness, gladness and joy is one proof that the spirit of the Lord is in us and lives within us. The Holy Spirit promises are in alignment with a holy and just God. Our bad habits begin to get cleaned up as we permit the Holy Spirit to show us how to overcome our bad habits. Our pride gets smaller and presence of God begins to manifest in our lives.
Disobedience lead to a loss of filling by the Holy Spirit, which takes away our joy and peace. Although God will not take the Holy Spirit away from a disciple of Jesus Christ, the continual practice of sin and a lack of spiritual activities will lead to a life that is no different than the life of a non-believer.
Walking in the Spirit leads to a sense of peace and joy, as we partner with God in His glorious plans. Let the Holy Spirit lives inside us let Him guide our actions and of those who desire His presence. Let the Spirit empowers us and every believers to step outside of our comfort zone and do extraordinary acts of faith for God.
Being filled with the Spirit involves transforming our minds to the mind of Christ as we engage in spiritual activities of prayer and giving glory to God.
As we let the Spirit dwells in us, the God of hope will fill us with joy and peace in believing, so that we will abound in hope by the Spirit’s power.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, we thank You for Your Word and pray that as we think about it together our eyes and our hearts would be open to what you want to teach us through the Holy Spirit. Teach us to have life changing power in other people's lives and protect them. For it is in Jesus name that we pray.
Amen +
Let Your kindness comfort me.
For I take delight in the law of God, in my inner self…
--------------------------------------------------
When we are full of joy and very happy, our friends would always remark that we are “full of spirit”. And this is a correct assessment. For happiness, gladness and joy is one proof that the spirit of the Lord is in us and lives within us. The Holy Spirit promises are in alignment with a holy and just God. Our bad habits begin to get cleaned up as we permit the Holy Spirit to show us how to overcome our bad habits. Our pride gets smaller and presence of God begins to manifest in our lives.
Disobedience lead to a loss of filling by the Holy Spirit, which takes away our joy and peace. Although God will not take the Holy Spirit away from a disciple of Jesus Christ, the continual practice of sin and a lack of spiritual activities will lead to a life that is no different than the life of a non-believer.
Walking in the Spirit leads to a sense of peace and joy, as we partner with God in His glorious plans. Let the Holy Spirit lives inside us let Him guide our actions and of those who desire His presence. Let the Spirit empowers us and every believers to step outside of our comfort zone and do extraordinary acts of faith for God.
Being filled with the Spirit involves transforming our minds to the mind of Christ as we engage in spiritual activities of prayer and giving glory to God.
As we let the Spirit dwells in us, the God of hope will fill us with joy and peace in believing, so that we will abound in hope by the Spirit’s power.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, we thank You for Your Word and pray that as we think about it together our eyes and our hearts would be open to what you want to teach us through the Holy Spirit. Teach us to have life changing power in other people's lives and protect them. For it is in Jesus name that we pray.
Amen +
Let Your kindness comfort me.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
OUR GIFT
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
--------------------------------------------
When you work, you are entitled to some sort of compensation – your wage or your salary. When you deliver some personal service, you believe you are entitled to some gratuity or tips – your wage for the service given. Wage is something that you get in return for all services or products offered to someone who gained from it. Something that you are entitled to.
What about in our spiritual lives – what is the wage that we are entitled to? St. Paul is clear when he said that since we are sinners, our wage is death – nothing more, nothing less. Because of our sinful nature, brought by Adam and Eve’s sins, we are all doomed to suffer in hell, detached forever from enjoying the peace and joy that Heaven offers.
But God will not take it sitting down. He would want us to experience heaven. He wants us to experience His love – forever and ever and ever. That is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die for all our sins. And Jesus paid the ransom so we may all be saved from Satan. And this gift from God would ensure us of eternal life with Him – forever and ever and ever. Joy and peace in heaven, as promised.
God is life. To be away from God means to be away from life. To be away from God means to be in the presence of death. Accept His most precious gift, his Son Jesus Christ, so there will be no more crying, mourning and pain. Because of Jesus we have spiritual life – a gift of life.
Let us pray +
Help me father I do pray help your children find their way. Let them open their hearts with care. Let their eyes open wide, and see Your love that's inside. To you father I do pray, for is near the judgment day. Amen +
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
--------------------------------------------
When you work, you are entitled to some sort of compensation – your wage or your salary. When you deliver some personal service, you believe you are entitled to some gratuity or tips – your wage for the service given. Wage is something that you get in return for all services or products offered to someone who gained from it. Something that you are entitled to.
What about in our spiritual lives – what is the wage that we are entitled to? St. Paul is clear when he said that since we are sinners, our wage is death – nothing more, nothing less. Because of our sinful nature, brought by Adam and Eve’s sins, we are all doomed to suffer in hell, detached forever from enjoying the peace and joy that Heaven offers.
But God will not take it sitting down. He would want us to experience heaven. He wants us to experience His love – forever and ever and ever. That is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die for all our sins. And Jesus paid the ransom so we may all be saved from Satan. And this gift from God would ensure us of eternal life with Him – forever and ever and ever. Joy and peace in heaven, as promised.
God is life. To be away from God means to be away from life. To be away from God means to be in the presence of death. Accept His most precious gift, his Son Jesus Christ, so there will be no more crying, mourning and pain. Because of Jesus we have spiritual life – a gift of life.
Let us pray +
Help me father I do pray help your children find their way. Let them open their hearts with care. Let their eyes open wide, and see Your love that's inside. To you father I do pray, for is near the judgment day. Amen +
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
OUR STEWARDSHIP
Luke 12:48
Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.
-------------------------------------------
When I was a child, I would dream of earning a lot of money, having a big house for myself and driving different cars based on the color of my clothes on that day. As a child, no one can take that away from us.
But as we grow up, reality would start kicking in. All that we want and need becomes relative to what we really want in life. And as I start to earn more, responsibility also increases. And today’s gospel summarizes it more succinctly - more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.
We are all just stewards of everything that we have. Therefore, we must properly manage what we have in our possession. We should aspire to be worthy stewards and should put to good use whatever talents that God has given us. Always doing good for the well-being of the people under our care.
If we will not be up to the task that God has given us by being irresponsible, then, eventually everything that we have will be taken from us as we are not worthy anymore of the blessings that God has bestowed on us.
We are not owners even of ourselves, but stewards, and all that we are is for the service of the kingdom. If we don’t serve, what we have will be taken from us.
Are we ready to give Him what He wants and needs – our time, our talent, even perhaps our lives? Are we prepared to face Him knowing that we have given more than what was entrusted to us?
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, I have been very selfish, even keeping to myself all the things You have given to me. Teach me to be a sharer of these blessings to others. I know that You have entrusted more to me, not for me, but so I may share with others so they may truly believe that You are the only Lord. Amen +
Freed from sin, we have become slaves of righteousness.
Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.
-------------------------------------------
When I was a child, I would dream of earning a lot of money, having a big house for myself and driving different cars based on the color of my clothes on that day. As a child, no one can take that away from us.
But as we grow up, reality would start kicking in. All that we want and need becomes relative to what we really want in life. And as I start to earn more, responsibility also increases. And today’s gospel summarizes it more succinctly - more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.
We are all just stewards of everything that we have. Therefore, we must properly manage what we have in our possession. We should aspire to be worthy stewards and should put to good use whatever talents that God has given us. Always doing good for the well-being of the people under our care.
If we will not be up to the task that God has given us by being irresponsible, then, eventually everything that we have will be taken from us as we are not worthy anymore of the blessings that God has bestowed on us.
We are not owners even of ourselves, but stewards, and all that we are is for the service of the kingdom. If we don’t serve, what we have will be taken from us.
Are we ready to give Him what He wants and needs – our time, our talent, even perhaps our lives? Are we prepared to face Him knowing that we have given more than what was entrusted to us?
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, I have been very selfish, even keeping to myself all the things You have given to me. Teach me to be a sharer of these blessings to others. I know that You have entrusted more to me, not for me, but so I may share with others so they may truly believe that You are the only Lord. Amen +
Freed from sin, we have become slaves of righteousness.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
OUR VIGILANCE
Luke 12:37
Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
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In our household, when we know that visitors are coming, it causes us to straighten up the house to a state of readiness. We make sure that the floor is spanking clean and the receiving room smells good.
But have you ever had visitors drop by unexpectedly? Perhaps there were dirty dishes in the kitchen or the laundry was out or the ironing board was in the middle of the living room or the toilet is a mess. That would be the true measure of our readiness.
The point that Jesus is going to make in today’s gospel is that Jesus is coming back unexpectedly. And we have to be at constant watch. Because of this, we are to live lives of readiness.
Readiness for God means that we are prepared to do the smallest thing or the largest thing— it makes no difference. It means we have no choice in what we want to do, but that whatever God’s plans may be, we are there and ready.
The important point is that we do not know when Christ is going to return. We are assured that it will take us by surprise. People who speculate on the nearness or remoteness of the date of His return are lessons on futility. What is important is that you always be ready. A ready person never needs to get ready— he is ready. Think of the time we waste trying to get ready once God has called! Are you?
Let us pray +
Come into my life now, Lord. Take up residence in my heart and be my king, my Lord, and my Savior. From this day forward, I will no longer be controlled by sin, or the desire to please myself, but I will follow You all the days of my life. Those days are in Your hands. I ask this in Jesus' precious and holy name.
Amen +
Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
--------------------------------------------------
In our household, when we know that visitors are coming, it causes us to straighten up the house to a state of readiness. We make sure that the floor is spanking clean and the receiving room smells good.
But have you ever had visitors drop by unexpectedly? Perhaps there were dirty dishes in the kitchen or the laundry was out or the ironing board was in the middle of the living room or the toilet is a mess. That would be the true measure of our readiness.
The point that Jesus is going to make in today’s gospel is that Jesus is coming back unexpectedly. And we have to be at constant watch. Because of this, we are to live lives of readiness.
Readiness for God means that we are prepared to do the smallest thing or the largest thing— it makes no difference. It means we have no choice in what we want to do, but that whatever God’s plans may be, we are there and ready.
The important point is that we do not know when Christ is going to return. We are assured that it will take us by surprise. People who speculate on the nearness or remoteness of the date of His return are lessons on futility. What is important is that you always be ready. A ready person never needs to get ready— he is ready. Think of the time we waste trying to get ready once God has called! Are you?
Let us pray +
Come into my life now, Lord. Take up residence in my heart and be my king, my Lord, and my Savior. From this day forward, I will no longer be controlled by sin, or the desire to please myself, but I will follow You all the days of my life. Those days are in Your hands. I ask this in Jesus' precious and holy name.
Amen +
Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Monday, October 19, 2009
OUR RICHNESS
Luke 12:15
“Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”
----------------------------------------
GREED. It exist in many forms – greed for money, power, wealth, possessions. And it becomes a selfish desire especially when this denies the same goods to others. Greed also often involves using wealth to gain power over others, sometimes by denying others wealth or power.
The Scriptures are filled with examples of greed and its consequences. Jesus warned against greed. In one of His parables, He told us about a very greedy man who accumulated so much harvest that instead of sharing them with others, he built a bigger barn to keep them for himself. Then, he would just rest, eat, drink and be merry. Little does he know that by the next day, he will die. So who would benefit from all of those harvest he kept? Surely, it will not be him for he cannot bring them to afterlife.
Greed for money… greed for power. The good life has nothing to do with being wealthy, being in power or having more possessions. In fact, greed is harmful to spiritual well-being. Greed's rewards are anxiety and pressure. Greed sets a person to scheming how to increase what they already have, instead of thanking God for what he has given them.
Are you content with what you have or do you insist on much more? Is wealth and holding on to power your only reality?
Real riches are a free gift. We have the assurance of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. With that promise firmly in our purses, what more could we possibly need or ask for.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You are our only hope. It is my prayer that, in spite of living in the world around us, we all will learn to put You and Your kingdom first so that one day, we will inherit the kingdom which was prepared for us from the foundation of the world. This is my prayer in Jesus name. Amen +
He has come to His people and set them free.
“Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”
----------------------------------------
GREED. It exist in many forms – greed for money, power, wealth, possessions. And it becomes a selfish desire especially when this denies the same goods to others. Greed also often involves using wealth to gain power over others, sometimes by denying others wealth or power.
The Scriptures are filled with examples of greed and its consequences. Jesus warned against greed. In one of His parables, He told us about a very greedy man who accumulated so much harvest that instead of sharing them with others, he built a bigger barn to keep them for himself. Then, he would just rest, eat, drink and be merry. Little does he know that by the next day, he will die. So who would benefit from all of those harvest he kept? Surely, it will not be him for he cannot bring them to afterlife.
Greed for money… greed for power. The good life has nothing to do with being wealthy, being in power or having more possessions. In fact, greed is harmful to spiritual well-being. Greed's rewards are anxiety and pressure. Greed sets a person to scheming how to increase what they already have, instead of thanking God for what he has given them.
Are you content with what you have or do you insist on much more? Is wealth and holding on to power your only reality?
Real riches are a free gift. We have the assurance of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. With that promise firmly in our purses, what more could we possibly need or ask for.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You are our only hope. It is my prayer that, in spite of living in the world around us, we all will learn to put You and Your kingdom first so that one day, we will inherit the kingdom which was prepared for us from the foundation of the world. This is my prayer in Jesus name. Amen +
He has come to His people and set them free.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
OUR SERVICE
Mark 10:43-44
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
------------------------------------------------
When I transferred to General Electric as the Six Sigma quality leader for Philippines, I was given the title “manager”. I was really very happy then, for I considered that as an accomplishment. However, it was a fact that for that office, I will be a one-man office – no assistant, no engineers, no trainors. In other words, I am alone.
Only then I realized that in order to succeed in my job, I need to seek the support and help of other managers. Because I was specifically hired to train and coach people – to be their “servant” in order for them to understand what Six Sigma is. And having taught most of them about the concept of quality work is what I considered as my greatest legacy to that company.
Today’s gospel focus on serving others rather than being served. Why is service so central to Christian belief? Because we follow a God who serves. Even more, we follow a Christ who loves others by serving them, up to a point of giving His life so we may life eternally.
God wants us to serve others through us. We have to rely on Jesus' character growing in us, as it brings out the fruit of the Spirit, and focuses us on doing something good to others. A true servant of God chooses to be like Christ in serving God and others. They see freedom not as a great way of doing something for themselves, but as the freedom to do what's needed to lift someone else who needs it. Most of all, the servant is actually looking for helpful ways to serve, to give, and to build up.
Be great not because of fame and money, but because you have been a servant to many.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, teach me to be generous, to serve You as You do deserve, 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. Amen +
Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
------------------------------------------------
When I transferred to General Electric as the Six Sigma quality leader for Philippines, I was given the title “manager”. I was really very happy then, for I considered that as an accomplishment. However, it was a fact that for that office, I will be a one-man office – no assistant, no engineers, no trainors. In other words, I am alone.
Only then I realized that in order to succeed in my job, I need to seek the support and help of other managers. Because I was specifically hired to train and coach people – to be their “servant” in order for them to understand what Six Sigma is. And having taught most of them about the concept of quality work is what I considered as my greatest legacy to that company.
Today’s gospel focus on serving others rather than being served. Why is service so central to Christian belief? Because we follow a God who serves. Even more, we follow a Christ who loves others by serving them, up to a point of giving His life so we may life eternally.
God wants us to serve others through us. We have to rely on Jesus' character growing in us, as it brings out the fruit of the Spirit, and focuses us on doing something good to others. A true servant of God chooses to be like Christ in serving God and others. They see freedom not as a great way of doing something for themselves, but as the freedom to do what's needed to lift someone else who needs it. Most of all, the servant is actually looking for helpful ways to serve, to give, and to build up.
Be great not because of fame and money, but because you have been a servant to many.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, teach me to be generous, to serve You as You do deserve, 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. Amen +
Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Oratio Imperata for Deliverance From Calamities
Almighty Father, we raise our hearts to You in gratitude
for the wonders of creation of which we are part,
for Your providence that sustains us in our needs, and
for Your wisdom that guides the course of the universe.
We acknowledge our sins against You and the rest of creation.
We have not been good stewards of Nature.
We have confused Your command to subdue the earth.
The environment is made to suffer our wrongdoing,
and now we reap the harvest of our abuse and indifference.
Global warming is upon us. Typhoons, floods, volcanic eruption,
and other natural calamities occur in increasing number and intensity.
We turn to You, our loving Father, and beg forgiveness for our sins.
We ask that we, our loved ones and our hard-earned possessions
be spared from the threat of calamities, natural and man-made.
We beseech You to inspire us all to grow into
responsible stewards of Your creation,
and generous neighbors to those in need.
Through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
for the wonders of creation of which we are part,
for Your providence that sustains us in our needs, and
for Your wisdom that guides the course of the universe.
We acknowledge our sins against You and the rest of creation.
We have not been good stewards of Nature.
We have confused Your command to subdue the earth.
The environment is made to suffer our wrongdoing,
and now we reap the harvest of our abuse and indifference.
Global warming is upon us. Typhoons, floods, volcanic eruption,
and other natural calamities occur in increasing number and intensity.
We turn to You, our loving Father, and beg forgiveness for our sins.
We ask that we, our loved ones and our hard-earned possessions
be spared from the threat of calamities, natural and man-made.
We beseech You to inspire us all to grow into
responsible stewards of Your creation,
and generous neighbors to those in need.
Through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
OUR TESTIMONY
Luke 12:8
“I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.”
-----------------------------------------------
Are you afraid to share Jesus to others? Do you feel shy singing worship songs during the mass or Sunday services? Do you enjoin your family to say prayer of thanks before meal – in a restaurant? Do you rather talk about worldly things and share green jokes with others rather than sharing with that person how good God has been to you?
Perhaps the thought of sharing your faith in Jesus Christ causes feelings of fear and guilt in your heart. Would you like to know the secret to fearlessly sharing your faith in Jesus Christ? Sadly, there is no special trick, but it is comforting to know that God hears your prayers, and He is faithful to grant you anything according to His will.
Sharing your personal testimony is often an effective way of sharing God with others. Seekers usually aren't looking for logical answers to appease their doubts. What they really want to know is if Christianity really works. Your personal testimony is the best way to illustrate that a relationship with God is a life-changing experience.
The reason we share our faith in Jesus Christ is to lead people into a relationship with God. When we accept Jesus as our personal Savior, we are given a responsibility of sharing His love with others. And in Heaven, the first question you will answer is “How many person are in Heaven because of you?” What would be your answer?
Let us pray +
Thanks, Lord, from all of us. May we ever feel Your Presence. May we ever serve You in our thought, word, and deed. May we experience eternal peace, joy, love, and light. Thank You for Your greatest gift that is Jesus. May we have the courage to share Him and Your love to others everyday of our life. Yes, thank You, Lord.
Amen +
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
“I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.”
-----------------------------------------------
Are you afraid to share Jesus to others? Do you feel shy singing worship songs during the mass or Sunday services? Do you enjoin your family to say prayer of thanks before meal – in a restaurant? Do you rather talk about worldly things and share green jokes with others rather than sharing with that person how good God has been to you?
Perhaps the thought of sharing your faith in Jesus Christ causes feelings of fear and guilt in your heart. Would you like to know the secret to fearlessly sharing your faith in Jesus Christ? Sadly, there is no special trick, but it is comforting to know that God hears your prayers, and He is faithful to grant you anything according to His will.
Sharing your personal testimony is often an effective way of sharing God with others. Seekers usually aren't looking for logical answers to appease their doubts. What they really want to know is if Christianity really works. Your personal testimony is the best way to illustrate that a relationship with God is a life-changing experience.
The reason we share our faith in Jesus Christ is to lead people into a relationship with God. When we accept Jesus as our personal Savior, we are given a responsibility of sharing His love with others. And in Heaven, the first question you will answer is “How many person are in Heaven because of you?” What would be your answer?
Let us pray +
Thanks, Lord, from all of us. May we ever feel Your Presence. May we ever serve You in our thought, word, and deed. May we experience eternal peace, joy, love, and light. Thank You for Your greatest gift that is Jesus. May we have the courage to share Him and Your love to others everyday of our life. Yes, thank You, Lord.
Amen +
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Friday, October 16, 2009
OUR STRENGTH
Luke 12:7
Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.
----------------------------------------
It was a sight that is fun to watch. Glittering lights, towering rides, games and street foods. It was my first time to be in that place. Filipinos call it “karnabal o peryahan” (loosely translated as carnival, but it is far from the real one). The first ride that caught my fancy was the ferris wheel. I immediately asked my father to accompany me, and he readily said yes.
But the fun quickly vanished, and immediately replaced by fear. It was my first time to ride on it, and the first stop saw us hanging at the highest point of the wheel. I was trembling and crying. My father hugged me and told me not to look down, but rather look up to the sky and adore the stars.
I then looked up and adored the stars in the duration of the ride. The fear was not completely gone, but the crying and the trembling was. With my father at my side, I can do anything… but with the sky and stars to watch and behold, I can dispel fear and anything that goes with it.
We live in strange and unsettling times. We face unprecedented challenges at home and abroad, in our policies and in our private lives. The message needs to be taken in and internalized: DO NOT BE AFRAID.
O Lord, as I go through life, I sometimes feel being afraid. The spirit of fear overcomes me. Give me the strength to overcome this spirit of fear for it did not come from You, and rather, You have given us the spirit and the power of love and of a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7).
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, help me overcome fear of man and of the unknown. May I look up to you and seek Your mighty name so I may not be afraid of being alone, not to be afraid of being too weak, not to be afraid of not being heard, and not to be afraid for our physical necessities. I know I can, because I have put my total trust in You. For there is nothing to fear but You alone.
Amen +
I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble… fill me with the joy of salvation.
Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.
----------------------------------------
It was a sight that is fun to watch. Glittering lights, towering rides, games and street foods. It was my first time to be in that place. Filipinos call it “karnabal o peryahan” (loosely translated as carnival, but it is far from the real one). The first ride that caught my fancy was the ferris wheel. I immediately asked my father to accompany me, and he readily said yes.
But the fun quickly vanished, and immediately replaced by fear. It was my first time to ride on it, and the first stop saw us hanging at the highest point of the wheel. I was trembling and crying. My father hugged me and told me not to look down, but rather look up to the sky and adore the stars.
I then looked up and adored the stars in the duration of the ride. The fear was not completely gone, but the crying and the trembling was. With my father at my side, I can do anything… but with the sky and stars to watch and behold, I can dispel fear and anything that goes with it.
We live in strange and unsettling times. We face unprecedented challenges at home and abroad, in our policies and in our private lives. The message needs to be taken in and internalized: DO NOT BE AFRAID.
O Lord, as I go through life, I sometimes feel being afraid. The spirit of fear overcomes me. Give me the strength to overcome this spirit of fear for it did not come from You, and rather, You have given us the spirit and the power of love and of a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7).
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, help me overcome fear of man and of the unknown. May I look up to you and seek Your mighty name so I may not be afraid of being alone, not to be afraid of being too weak, not to be afraid of not being heard, and not to be afraid for our physical necessities. I know I can, because I have put my total trust in You. For there is nothing to fear but You alone.
Amen +
I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble… fill me with the joy of salvation.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
OUR FREEDOM
Romans 3:23-24
“….all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus…”
-------------------------------------------------
We always think we are a slave to something or someone. That we are a slave to our work. That we are a slave to our family. That, we are a slave to our community.
So, with this thinking, we always struggle to break free. We always want to come out and experience that freedom we think we deserve. But, it is the wrong thinking that kept as bondaged in the first place. If we would only free up our mind from these evil mindset, then we can truly be free.
The same is true with sins. We always think that we are sinful people, so the more we commit sins.
So, free up your mind… resist temptation…
receive the Lord…
love Him and dedicate your life in His service...
Only then would you truly be free.
Through Christ, we are free to live as God created us to live, because Christ through the Holy Spirit gives us the power to live righteously, to live a life that reflects the very character of God.
Freedom is rooted in the love of one’s neighbor. Freedom is rooted in doing good for others. So Christ has truly set us free! Are you still lingering in the past and remain in bondage in sins? Free yourself, and choose Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, thank you for your Word and the instruction it contains for our very benefit. I pray, Lord, that you would unleash the Holy Spirit in all of our hearts this week and begin to show us where we’ve fallen into believing false teaching and have taken on the yoke of slavery. Lord Jesus, you have come to set us free. Help us to live in that freedom. In Jesus’ Name, Amen +
With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
“….all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God. They are justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus…”
-------------------------------------------------
We always think we are a slave to something or someone. That we are a slave to our work. That we are a slave to our family. That, we are a slave to our community.
So, with this thinking, we always struggle to break free. We always want to come out and experience that freedom we think we deserve. But, it is the wrong thinking that kept as bondaged in the first place. If we would only free up our mind from these evil mindset, then we can truly be free.
The same is true with sins. We always think that we are sinful people, so the more we commit sins.
So, free up your mind… resist temptation…
receive the Lord…
love Him and dedicate your life in His service...
Only then would you truly be free.
Through Christ, we are free to live as God created us to live, because Christ through the Holy Spirit gives us the power to live righteously, to live a life that reflects the very character of God.
Freedom is rooted in the love of one’s neighbor. Freedom is rooted in doing good for others. So Christ has truly set us free! Are you still lingering in the past and remain in bondage in sins? Free yourself, and choose Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, thank you for your Word and the instruction it contains for our very benefit. I pray, Lord, that you would unleash the Holy Spirit in all of our hearts this week and begin to show us where we’ve fallen into believing false teaching and have taken on the yoke of slavery. Lord Jesus, you have come to set us free. Help us to live in that freedom. In Jesus’ Name, Amen +
With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
OUR REST
Psalms 62:2
Only in God is my soul at rest; from him comes my salvation.
-------------------------------------
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord,
and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you…”
(St. Augustine)
I need some rest… you need one, too.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You are peace and quietness for my soul. Let Your Spirit come upon me as he whispers to me of gentleness. Restore my soul, made weary and tired. Refresh my spirit with the kindness of your Word and help me to be a refuge for others from their struggles. Amen +
Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Only in God is my soul at rest; from him comes my salvation.
-------------------------------------
“You have made us for yourself, O Lord,
and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you…”
(St. Augustine)
I need some rest… you need one, too.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You are peace and quietness for my soul. Let Your Spirit come upon me as he whispers to me of gentleness. Restore my soul, made weary and tired. Refresh my spirit with the kindness of your Word and help me to be a refuge for others from their struggles. Amen +
Lord, you give back to everyone according to his works.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
OUR BELIEF
Romans 1:16
I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…
------------------------------------------
Are you ashamed of something? Maybe, something bad that you did. Or things that you acquired illegally. And why are you ashamed? For fear of being scorned or be persecuted. For fear of being told that you are wrong. And it was all a matter of pride.
In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul readily emphasized that he is not ashamed of the Gospel and he is willing to share it to everyone who is willing to listen and accept the salvation it offers. And since it is the truth, it is only proper to share them to others. If we do believe the truth, then there should be no fear to examine it in the light of every passage and verse, because truth will always win out.
We cannot harm the truth of God by examining it. We can read all about it through books and blog sites. We can hear all about it by attending bible studies and being ministered by others. We can live it by praying, sharing our experiences with others and asking others to live a life with Him. Only those who are insecure and fearful will be unwilling to do this. We should not be ashamed to express and practice what we believe, for what we believe is the truth.
Are you truly believing that God has forgiven you and the whole world as well? Are you really doing what God is telling you? And that by faith you can receive His righteousness and stand before the living God with exceeding joy?
Believe and not be ashamed, so He will never be ashamed of us.
Let us pray +
Lord Jesus, I believe in You, knowing fully that those who trust in You will not be ashamed before God. And He will not be ashamed to be called their God! Amen +
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…
------------------------------------------
Are you ashamed of something? Maybe, something bad that you did. Or things that you acquired illegally. And why are you ashamed? For fear of being scorned or be persecuted. For fear of being told that you are wrong. And it was all a matter of pride.
In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul readily emphasized that he is not ashamed of the Gospel and he is willing to share it to everyone who is willing to listen and accept the salvation it offers. And since it is the truth, it is only proper to share them to others. If we do believe the truth, then there should be no fear to examine it in the light of every passage and verse, because truth will always win out.
We cannot harm the truth of God by examining it. We can read all about it through books and blog sites. We can hear all about it by attending bible studies and being ministered by others. We can live it by praying, sharing our experiences with others and asking others to live a life with Him. Only those who are insecure and fearful will be unwilling to do this. We should not be ashamed to express and practice what we believe, for what we believe is the truth.
Are you truly believing that God has forgiven you and the whole world as well? Are you really doing what God is telling you? And that by faith you can receive His righteousness and stand before the living God with exceeding joy?
Believe and not be ashamed, so He will never be ashamed of us.
Let us pray +
Lord Jesus, I believe in You, knowing fully that those who trust in You will not be ashamed before God. And He will not be ashamed to be called their God! Amen +
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
Monday, October 12, 2009
OUR REPENTANCE
Acts 2:24
“This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.”
------------------------------------------------
He tried to escape from what God wants him to do – Go to Nineveh and preach in it so people may go back to worshipping God. And when he did, the people of Nineveh repented and were spared from destruction. Jonah let them see the sign, and they heeded the sign and was saved.
The wisdom and power of Jesus to convert sinners and unbelievers were greater than the greatest prophets and kings of the Old Testament, and far greater than the “seers” and “prophets” of today. Unlike His own generation, with whom He walked and talked, the billions of Christians all over the world today do not need any sign to believe in Him.
His Word is enough for us, and our life conversions stand as testimonies and proof that the power of Jesus, the love and mercy of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit is in and forever be in our lives.
What we can do just now is remain steadfast and true to Jesus Christ and be a “city set on a hill” for all to see, to witness each day in our workplace, homes, neighborhoods and pray that people return to the Lord as the bedrock and foundation of their lives.
There are now two paths people must choose from today. One leads back to God, restoration and the Light of Jesus Christ. The other to Satan, destruction and eternal darkness. Let us pray that people can be drawn back to the path of Jesus Christ, repent and be restored once again to God.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You have not given us signs but love. We will not give you doubt but faith. You have brought about our conversion through the power of faith in Your Word, and the evidence of Your love in Jesus Christ, our Savior. Let Your indwelling Spirit sustain our hope, faith and love. Amen +
The Lord has made known his salvation.
“This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.”
------------------------------------------------
He tried to escape from what God wants him to do – Go to Nineveh and preach in it so people may go back to worshipping God. And when he did, the people of Nineveh repented and were spared from destruction. Jonah let them see the sign, and they heeded the sign and was saved.
The wisdom and power of Jesus to convert sinners and unbelievers were greater than the greatest prophets and kings of the Old Testament, and far greater than the “seers” and “prophets” of today. Unlike His own generation, with whom He walked and talked, the billions of Christians all over the world today do not need any sign to believe in Him.
His Word is enough for us, and our life conversions stand as testimonies and proof that the power of Jesus, the love and mercy of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit is in and forever be in our lives.
What we can do just now is remain steadfast and true to Jesus Christ and be a “city set on a hill” for all to see, to witness each day in our workplace, homes, neighborhoods and pray that people return to the Lord as the bedrock and foundation of their lives.
There are now two paths people must choose from today. One leads back to God, restoration and the Light of Jesus Christ. The other to Satan, destruction and eternal darkness. Let us pray that people can be drawn back to the path of Jesus Christ, repent and be restored once again to God.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You have not given us signs but love. We will not give you doubt but faith. You have brought about our conversion through the power of faith in Your Word, and the evidence of Your love in Jesus Christ, our Savior. Let Your indwelling Spirit sustain our hope, faith and love. Amen +
The Lord has made known his salvation.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
OUR INHERITANCE
Acts 2:24
“…how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
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We say they are very lucky. People who became wealthy because they inherited a large fortune from their parents. And yet, we would sometimes hear of them living a very unhappy life. They have all the richness in the world but since they live a life that is away from the Lord, they have failed to find true joy in their heart.
As Christians, we are all positioned to inherit heaven. This is the promise of God in salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. But, unlike earthly inheritance, acquiring heaven is not a “walk in the park.” Actually, it is even easier for the camel to pass through the eye of a needle that for us to enter the Kingdom of God. As we live in this world, we are constantly bombarded by the ways and things of the world. We are being tempted almost every seconds of our lives.
If we fill our hearts with the material things of this world it is impossible to have a real and meaningful relationship with Christ. Material possessions may help us to reach Christ but we cannot make our possessions our god.
Inheriting heaven is hard. It starts recognizing ourselves as sinner, confessing our sins and repenting; accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. It is followed by confessing your sins. Then that’s it? Of course NOT! That’s not how salvation works. It’s not just about a decision, it’s about a change in the way that we live.
A life that is lived for God and for others. Are you ready to inherit Heaven?
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, I yearn for the riches of inheritance that You prepare for me. I yearn for the mansion in Heaven that You would give me. As I was born to a living hope, I pray that I would continually live in Your spirit so my hope would never die and even flourish through faith. Amen +
Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
“…how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
------------------------------------------
We say they are very lucky. People who became wealthy because they inherited a large fortune from their parents. And yet, we would sometimes hear of them living a very unhappy life. They have all the richness in the world but since they live a life that is away from the Lord, they have failed to find true joy in their heart.
As Christians, we are all positioned to inherit heaven. This is the promise of God in salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. But, unlike earthly inheritance, acquiring heaven is not a “walk in the park.” Actually, it is even easier for the camel to pass through the eye of a needle that for us to enter the Kingdom of God. As we live in this world, we are constantly bombarded by the ways and things of the world. We are being tempted almost every seconds of our lives.
If we fill our hearts with the material things of this world it is impossible to have a real and meaningful relationship with Christ. Material possessions may help us to reach Christ but we cannot make our possessions our god.
Inheriting heaven is hard. It starts recognizing ourselves as sinner, confessing our sins and repenting; accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior. It is followed by confessing your sins. Then that’s it? Of course NOT! That’s not how salvation works. It’s not just about a decision, it’s about a change in the way that we live.
A life that is lived for God and for others. Are you ready to inherit Heaven?
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, I yearn for the riches of inheritance that You prepare for me. I yearn for the mansion in Heaven that You would give me. As I was born to a living hope, I pray that I would continually live in Your spirit so my hope would never die and even flourish through faith. Amen +
Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
OUR TRANSFORMATION
Luke 11:28
“…blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”
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What was the last movie you watched? Do you still remember what happened? What was the last training you attended? Do you still remember those important points raised during the session? Most probably, if you have not practiced what you have learned, then you would have forgotten it.
The same is true in hearing God’s words. Do you still remember the gospel readings last Sunday? Do you still remember the priest’s (or your pastor’s) sharing? Most probably not anymore!
Have we observed, kept, and obeyed the word of God since our baptism and/or conversion years earlier? All of us, including me, have gone the other way and had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God – and, we all do, every last one of us (Romans 3:23). That's why Jesus died on the cross – to forgive our sins. But I came to realize also that I was guilty of a far greater sin – the sin of omission.
Not only had I read God's instructions on what not to do and failed to stop myself from doing those things, but worse than that, I had read God's instructions on what to do and completely ignored them! I had not cared for the widowed and the orphans. I had not loved my neighbor as myself. I had not even managed to love God above all other gods – self, money, wealth and security had served me just fine as idols to devote my life to. This is sickening. I have to change... we have to change!
Do you want to grow in love and friendship? Allow God's Holy Spirit to transform your heart, mind, and will to enable you to hear His words, follow Him fully and observe everything He teaches in Your life.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, you are the source of all true friendship and love. Teach me to not just hear Your words, but follow them and observe them, so others may also hear and follow Your words through me. In all my relationships, may your love be my constant guide for choosing what is good and for rejecting what is contrary to your will. Amen +
Be glad in the LORD, you just, and give thanks to His holy name.
“…blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”
--------------------------------------------
What was the last movie you watched? Do you still remember what happened? What was the last training you attended? Do you still remember those important points raised during the session? Most probably, if you have not practiced what you have learned, then you would have forgotten it.
The same is true in hearing God’s words. Do you still remember the gospel readings last Sunday? Do you still remember the priest’s (or your pastor’s) sharing? Most probably not anymore!
Have we observed, kept, and obeyed the word of God since our baptism and/or conversion years earlier? All of us, including me, have gone the other way and had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God – and, we all do, every last one of us (Romans 3:23). That's why Jesus died on the cross – to forgive our sins. But I came to realize also that I was guilty of a far greater sin – the sin of omission.
Not only had I read God's instructions on what not to do and failed to stop myself from doing those things, but worse than that, I had read God's instructions on what to do and completely ignored them! I had not cared for the widowed and the orphans. I had not loved my neighbor as myself. I had not even managed to love God above all other gods – self, money, wealth and security had served me just fine as idols to devote my life to. This is sickening. I have to change... we have to change!
Do you want to grow in love and friendship? Allow God's Holy Spirit to transform your heart, mind, and will to enable you to hear His words, follow Him fully and observe everything He teaches in Your life.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, you are the source of all true friendship and love. Teach me to not just hear Your words, but follow them and observe them, so others may also hear and follow Your words through me. In all my relationships, may your love be my constant guide for choosing what is good and for rejecting what is contrary to your will. Amen +
Be glad in the LORD, you just, and give thanks to His holy name.
Friday, October 9, 2009
OUR THANKFULNESS
Psalms 9:2
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will declare all your wondrous deeds.
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In my college days, the environment in which I live finally caught up with me. I momentarily forgot about God. The pressure of college (having to study hard to maintain the grades needed to continue scholarship) and peer pressure (hanging out, going out with drinking buddies), I was running my own life and ignoring God. It would continue until my working years.
But God did not gave up on me. He gave me a wonderful wife that would mend my ways and straighten the path I am taking. Our first five years was really tumultuous up to a brink of separating. But, we made it through because of her patience and understanding. Since that time, I have gone through other trials that, although not pleasant, have made me grow in faith and reliance upon God – my father’s and mother’s death, illnesses in the family, etc. The reality of life's fleeting existence has been a constant reminder to me and caused me to focus on the more important things of life.
Giving thanks to God is not an optional thing for the Christian. Thankfulness should flow naturally from the Christian who realizes the great gift of salvation offered through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus Christ suffered the penalty for what He did not deserve (all my sin), then freely offered to us the reward of eternal life that we do not even deserve. What an awesome God!
Hear the message of salvation and be ready to accept it. Be even grateful for the suffering and the blessings from God. For He alone causes all things to work together for good to those who love, follow and thank Him.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, My God, I love You with all my heart. I thank You for having kept me safe this day. Pardon me the evil I have done, and accept the good I have done. Take care of me throughout this day and deliver me from all danger. May Your grace be always with me and with all my loved ones.
Amen +
The Lord will judge the world with justice.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will declare all your wondrous deeds.
----------------------------------------
In my college days, the environment in which I live finally caught up with me. I momentarily forgot about God. The pressure of college (having to study hard to maintain the grades needed to continue scholarship) and peer pressure (hanging out, going out with drinking buddies), I was running my own life and ignoring God. It would continue until my working years.
But God did not gave up on me. He gave me a wonderful wife that would mend my ways and straighten the path I am taking. Our first five years was really tumultuous up to a brink of separating. But, we made it through because of her patience and understanding. Since that time, I have gone through other trials that, although not pleasant, have made me grow in faith and reliance upon God – my father’s and mother’s death, illnesses in the family, etc. The reality of life's fleeting existence has been a constant reminder to me and caused me to focus on the more important things of life.
Giving thanks to God is not an optional thing for the Christian. Thankfulness should flow naturally from the Christian who realizes the great gift of salvation offered through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Jesus Christ suffered the penalty for what He did not deserve (all my sin), then freely offered to us the reward of eternal life that we do not even deserve. What an awesome God!
Hear the message of salvation and be ready to accept it. Be even grateful for the suffering and the blessings from God. For He alone causes all things to work together for good to those who love, follow and thank Him.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, My God, I love You with all my heart. I thank You for having kept me safe this day. Pardon me the evil I have done, and accept the good I have done. Take care of me throughout this day and deliver me from all danger. May Your grace be always with me and with all my loved ones.
Amen +
The Lord will judge the world with justice.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
OUR REQUEST
Luke 11:9
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find…”
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I once asked for a toy robot as a gift on my birthday. I was really excited at that time. But after opening all the gifts, what I got was some coloring books and pictorial storybooks. I really felt frustrated and started crying. My mother approached me and told me that the robot I want is not available at that time. She just encouraged me to start coloring the pictures and reading the stories. I may have totally forgotten about the toy robot, but it still gets back to me, once in a while.
In our gospel today, Jesus emphasized the importance of asking through praying. Prayer is a simple ordinary part of human life, as natural as the relationships between friends or between parents and children. We may not always get what we want, but be assured that we always get what we need from God’s point of view. He may not give us a scorpion if we ask for an egg, but He would also give us more than an egg! Just be trusting in Him that He knows better than all of us combined.
Similarly, Jesus encouraged people to be persistent in prayer, to keep asking. It is important to understand the difference between faithful persistence and manipulation. The analogy with the child asking a parent can break down at this point. Children can be manipulative.
Christian prayer is distinguished from magic precisely at this point. It is never manipulative, always trusting. We must trust God to decide what is good. Prayer is not mechanical, but interpersonal. We exercise our freedom in a relationship and expect the other person (or God) also to respond in freedom.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, thank You for hearing my prayers and tending to the desires of my heart, answering my prayers, and doing so in ways beyond my hopes. I pray that others will turn to You and do the same, praying about whatever is in their hearts and minds, so that You can reveal Yourself to them in awesome ways, too. I pray these things to You, in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior; and in the love of the Holy Spirit. Amen +
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find…”
--------------------------------------
I once asked for a toy robot as a gift on my birthday. I was really excited at that time. But after opening all the gifts, what I got was some coloring books and pictorial storybooks. I really felt frustrated and started crying. My mother approached me and told me that the robot I want is not available at that time. She just encouraged me to start coloring the pictures and reading the stories. I may have totally forgotten about the toy robot, but it still gets back to me, once in a while.
In our gospel today, Jesus emphasized the importance of asking through praying. Prayer is a simple ordinary part of human life, as natural as the relationships between friends or between parents and children. We may not always get what we want, but be assured that we always get what we need from God’s point of view. He may not give us a scorpion if we ask for an egg, but He would also give us more than an egg! Just be trusting in Him that He knows better than all of us combined.
Similarly, Jesus encouraged people to be persistent in prayer, to keep asking. It is important to understand the difference between faithful persistence and manipulation. The analogy with the child asking a parent can break down at this point. Children can be manipulative.
Christian prayer is distinguished from magic precisely at this point. It is never manipulative, always trusting. We must trust God to decide what is good. Prayer is not mechanical, but interpersonal. We exercise our freedom in a relationship and expect the other person (or God) also to respond in freedom.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, thank You for hearing my prayers and tending to the desires of my heart, answering my prayers, and doing so in ways beyond my hopes. I pray that others will turn to You and do the same, praying about whatever is in their hearts and minds, so that You can reveal Yourself to them in awesome ways, too. I pray these things to You, in the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior; and in the love of the Holy Spirit. Amen +
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
OUR FATHER
Luke 11:3-4
Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us…
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My hope for any fathers reading this is that your children may look at you and see Christ in you; that they may have a better understanding of God's love for us through you.
My hope for those that didn't have a father around is for you to know that God wants to fill that role in your life as a father to you.
A good father provides, comforts, protects, disciplines, and loves us beyond what we can imagine. We become a child of God by placing our trust in Jesus Christ as Lord so that our sins can be forgiven and removed and our spirits regenerated. Each one of us may therefore make a choice to belong to Him and to benefit from His love. He is our Father, forever.
Father to the Fatherless:
Psalm 68:5, “A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation.”
Comforter and Protector:
Psalm 32:7, “You are my hiding place; you shall preserve me from trouble; you shall surround me with songs of deliverance.”
A Loving God:
Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities not powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height not depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Let us pray +
Our Father, who dwells in Heaven, holy be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, here on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen +
Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us…
------------------------------------------
My hope for any fathers reading this is that your children may look at you and see Christ in you; that they may have a better understanding of God's love for us through you.
My hope for those that didn't have a father around is for you to know that God wants to fill that role in your life as a father to you.
A good father provides, comforts, protects, disciplines, and loves us beyond what we can imagine. We become a child of God by placing our trust in Jesus Christ as Lord so that our sins can be forgiven and removed and our spirits regenerated. Each one of us may therefore make a choice to belong to Him and to benefit from His love. He is our Father, forever.
Father to the Fatherless:
Psalm 68:5, “A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation.”
Comforter and Protector:
Psalm 32:7, “You are my hiding place; you shall preserve me from trouble; you shall surround me with songs of deliverance.”
A Loving God:
Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities not powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height not depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Let us pray +
Our Father, who dwells in Heaven, holy be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, here on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen +
Lord, you are merciful and gracious.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
OUR CHOICE
Luke 10:41
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things…”
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Several years ago the National Anxiety Center in New Jersey, released the "Top Ten Anxieties for the 1990s." The list included AIDS, drug abuse, nuclear waste, famine, global terrorism and the federal deficit. Relentless worries carry a similar effect. They make us uneasy. They steal smiles from our faces. The world does not give peace. The world gives anxiety. We live in an anxious world.
In today’s gospel, there is one necessary thing that Jesus expects from all of us. His words show us that we have a choice. We can choose to feel burdened, anxious, and worried, and run around in a panic, or we can make a real effort to react otherwise. What did Mary do? She “sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to Him speak.” She chose Jesus.
Before you do anything else, reflect on your list of worries. Take a good look through the current events of your life. What is it that has you anxious? Relax. Stop fretting about tomorrow or next week or next month. God specializes in getting you through the tough stuff. Be calm and start allowing the Spirit of god to enter your troubled soul.
Through the Holy Spirit we can hear God's voice today. Through the Holy Spirit we can learn what God is saying to us, and eventually put our anxieties to rest. Pray daily for Jesus to send the Spirit afresh to help us face our fears and find new hope. And through this, learn to love God more and more so that we can keep His word, and embrace all the wonder of a life freed up, with all our fears behind us.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You know every inch of my heart. I realize my life is in your big hands, but at times I forget, and I find myself so afraid and worried. Let me be grateful to my friends and family who are here to help me. Give me the grace to see that it is all right to let go of some things in my life now. Give me the grace to choose the better part – that is, choosing You. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen +
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice!
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things…”
----------------------------------------
Several years ago the National Anxiety Center in New Jersey, released the "Top Ten Anxieties for the 1990s." The list included AIDS, drug abuse, nuclear waste, famine, global terrorism and the federal deficit. Relentless worries carry a similar effect. They make us uneasy. They steal smiles from our faces. The world does not give peace. The world gives anxiety. We live in an anxious world.
In today’s gospel, there is one necessary thing that Jesus expects from all of us. His words show us that we have a choice. We can choose to feel burdened, anxious, and worried, and run around in a panic, or we can make a real effort to react otherwise. What did Mary do? She “sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to Him speak.” She chose Jesus.
Before you do anything else, reflect on your list of worries. Take a good look through the current events of your life. What is it that has you anxious? Relax. Stop fretting about tomorrow or next week or next month. God specializes in getting you through the tough stuff. Be calm and start allowing the Spirit of god to enter your troubled soul.
Through the Holy Spirit we can hear God's voice today. Through the Holy Spirit we can learn what God is saying to us, and eventually put our anxieties to rest. Pray daily for Jesus to send the Spirit afresh to help us face our fears and find new hope. And through this, learn to love God more and more so that we can keep His word, and embrace all the wonder of a life freed up, with all our fears behind us.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, You know every inch of my heart. I realize my life is in your big hands, but at times I forget, and I find myself so afraid and worried. Let me be grateful to my friends and family who are here to help me. Give me the grace to see that it is all right to let go of some things in my life now. Give me the grace to choose the better part – that is, choosing You. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen +
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice!
Monday, October 5, 2009
OUR NEIGHBOR
Luke 10:36-37
“Which… was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
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The Samaritans were a Gentile people mostly living in Samaria, and Jews thought of them as inferior and hated them. However, Jesus used the Samaritan man to respond to a lawyer’s inquiry of “who is my neighbor?” It probably shocked the lawyer to hear Jesus speak well of the Samaritan as the only one who acted compassionately toward the beaten traveler. Actually, when he was asked who among the three (the priest, the Levite and the Samaritan) was neighbor to the victim, he did not pointed to Samaritan directly, but rather to the one “who treated him with mercy.”
This was a new definition of neighbor: He’s the one whom we should love. Jesus was saying what no other religion in history ever said: That everyone in the world, without exception, is our neighbor. A good Samaritan didn't think he was too good to help. This is how Jesus turns the ways of the world upside-down. He teaches us to love our enemies, to love all people, and not just to love those that look and act and think as we do.
Jesus Christ is the ultimate good neighbor, and His example is the one to imitate. He saw us in a world of sinners robbed of our potential, stripped of spiritual ideals, wounded by sins, and unable to rise from our beaten state. And because of God’s love, He came down to where the sinners are and gave mankind a corresponding act of mercy, seen in type in the good Samaritan.
Through His death and resurrection, He covers our nakedness, binds up our wounds, and heals us. He puts us in the safety of His church and provides for our physical and spiritual needs. In turn, be a good neighbor, also.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, help me to be kind today even if people are not kind to me. Help me to do what You want me to do. Teach me to be kind to my neighbor and love them as I love myself. Help us to be like the good Samaritan. Let us show your work by being a good neighbor to those around us. Thank You for loving me. In Jesus' Name, Amen +
You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.
“Which… was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
------------------------------------------
The Samaritans were a Gentile people mostly living in Samaria, and Jews thought of them as inferior and hated them. However, Jesus used the Samaritan man to respond to a lawyer’s inquiry of “who is my neighbor?” It probably shocked the lawyer to hear Jesus speak well of the Samaritan as the only one who acted compassionately toward the beaten traveler. Actually, when he was asked who among the three (the priest, the Levite and the Samaritan) was neighbor to the victim, he did not pointed to Samaritan directly, but rather to the one “who treated him with mercy.”
This was a new definition of neighbor: He’s the one whom we should love. Jesus was saying what no other religion in history ever said: That everyone in the world, without exception, is our neighbor. A good Samaritan didn't think he was too good to help. This is how Jesus turns the ways of the world upside-down. He teaches us to love our enemies, to love all people, and not just to love those that look and act and think as we do.
Jesus Christ is the ultimate good neighbor, and His example is the one to imitate. He saw us in a world of sinners robbed of our potential, stripped of spiritual ideals, wounded by sins, and unable to rise from our beaten state. And because of God’s love, He came down to where the sinners are and gave mankind a corresponding act of mercy, seen in type in the good Samaritan.
Through His death and resurrection, He covers our nakedness, binds up our wounds, and heals us. He puts us in the safety of His church and provides for our physical and spiritual needs. In turn, be a good neighbor, also.
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, help me to be kind today even if people are not kind to me. Help me to do what You want me to do. Teach me to be kind to my neighbor and love them as I love myself. Help us to be like the good Samaritan. Let us show your work by being a good neighbor to those around us. Thank You for loving me. In Jesus' Name, Amen +
You will rescue my life from the pit, O Lord.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
OUR MARRIAGE
Mark 10:8-9
“So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”
--------------------------------------------
I first met my wife, Tonet, seventeen years ago. And we got married two years after. We cannot say that it was a smooth life all the way as we have to struggle during our first years. There were even times when the marriage was in the brink of collapse, but we did manage to hold on, thanks to our firm belief, faith and love to our Lord Jesus Christ. There are struggles still up to today, be we know that God is with us, always.
We want our marriage to be a reflection of the relationship between Christ and his bride, the church. Jesus, the head of the church, gave himself for his beloved; his church submits and respects her Lord. Even so, God commands us, “Let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
We have a perfect model to follow for we have experienced the loving leadership of Jesus Christ our Lord, and we have learned to submit our marriage, from the heart, to him whose love for us cost Him His life!
It is not without fear that we take this step for we are conscious of the great responsibility of this sacred covenant. But we have reason to hope that, by God's help, we will also learn to love and submit, and experience the wonderful union of marriage, and share it with our children.
May your married life be rooted to love of God. May your children grow up in the same spirit of love and faith. If God is central in a marriage today, there will surely be joy.
Let us pray +
Lord, help us to remember when we first met and the strong love that grew between us. To work that love into practical things so nothing can divide us.
We ask for words both kind and loving and hearts always ready to ask forgiveness as well as to forgive. Dear Lord, we put our marriage into your hands. Amen +
May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
“So they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”
--------------------------------------------
I first met my wife, Tonet, seventeen years ago. And we got married two years after. We cannot say that it was a smooth life all the way as we have to struggle during our first years. There were even times when the marriage was in the brink of collapse, but we did manage to hold on, thanks to our firm belief, faith and love to our Lord Jesus Christ. There are struggles still up to today, be we know that God is with us, always.
We want our marriage to be a reflection of the relationship between Christ and his bride, the church. Jesus, the head of the church, gave himself for his beloved; his church submits and respects her Lord. Even so, God commands us, “Let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
We have a perfect model to follow for we have experienced the loving leadership of Jesus Christ our Lord, and we have learned to submit our marriage, from the heart, to him whose love for us cost Him His life!
It is not without fear that we take this step for we are conscious of the great responsibility of this sacred covenant. But we have reason to hope that, by God's help, we will also learn to love and submit, and experience the wonderful union of marriage, and share it with our children.
May your married life be rooted to love of God. May your children grow up in the same spirit of love and faith. If God is central in a marriage today, there will surely be joy.
Let us pray +
Lord, help us to remember when we first met and the strong love that grew between us. To work that love into practical things so nothing can divide us.
We ask for words both kind and loving and hearts always ready to ask forgiveness as well as to forgive. Dear Lord, we put our marriage into your hands. Amen +
May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
OUR RESPONSE
Acts 2:24
“For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
------------------------------------------
When you hear someone singing out-of-tune, would you remark that the composer of that song or the original singer is not good? Of course not! For that song was composed with the right melody, rhythm and measure. So we should not blame the composer if someone is singing it wrongly.
Similarly, if someone is singing it right and at the right melody and tune, you would say that he sings like the original, for he was able to imitate the tune of the original singer. We only admire and imitate someone if he sings well. But if otherwise, of course we only “curse” the imitator and not the composer.
Jesus is clear when he says, “Follow Me”. This means that we should follow all His ways and words. But, this also means that we can follow others as long as he is doing and saying the same things that He has done and said. If our pastor or priest committed something that is contrary, then we should not generalize everything and even say that you cannot follow such hypocrite and the belief that he stands for. We should only follow the composer and not the singer. If the singer is out-of-tune, then forgive him and teach him to follow the melody of the composer.
In Cana, Mama Mary instructed the helpers to listen to Jesus and do whatever He tells them. During the Transfiguration, God the Father instructed us to listen to Jesus.
So as a response, would you start listening to Him, too?
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, enable those who are trying to learn the language of truth to quickly become fluent. May we all speak Your truth boldly to those who will listen, and help those who hear to understand it with their hearts. Let there be no misunderstanding. May we accept it as Your truth, Your message to them, and use it to change our lives, for Your Word will accomplish its purpose. Amen +
The Lord listens to the poor.
“For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
------------------------------------------
When you hear someone singing out-of-tune, would you remark that the composer of that song or the original singer is not good? Of course not! For that song was composed with the right melody, rhythm and measure. So we should not blame the composer if someone is singing it wrongly.
Similarly, if someone is singing it right and at the right melody and tune, you would say that he sings like the original, for he was able to imitate the tune of the original singer. We only admire and imitate someone if he sings well. But if otherwise, of course we only “curse” the imitator and not the composer.
Jesus is clear when he says, “Follow Me”. This means that we should follow all His ways and words. But, this also means that we can follow others as long as he is doing and saying the same things that He has done and said. If our pastor or priest committed something that is contrary, then we should not generalize everything and even say that you cannot follow such hypocrite and the belief that he stands for. We should only follow the composer and not the singer. If the singer is out-of-tune, then forgive him and teach him to follow the melody of the composer.
In Cana, Mama Mary instructed the helpers to listen to Jesus and do whatever He tells them. During the Transfiguration, God the Father instructed us to listen to Jesus.
So as a response, would you start listening to Him, too?
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, enable those who are trying to learn the language of truth to quickly become fluent. May we all speak Your truth boldly to those who will listen, and help those who hear to understand it with their hearts. Let there be no misunderstanding. May we accept it as Your truth, Your message to them, and use it to change our lives, for Your Word will accomplish its purpose. Amen +
The Lord listens to the poor.
Friday, October 2, 2009
OUR HUMILITY
Matthew 18:4
Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
-----------------------------------------
I have another hobby. I collect model cars, specifically “mini coopers” and “hotwheels” (1969 and 1970 car models only because that is my and my wife’s birthyear – you just guess which one is which). Most of the time, when I am thinking, either about work or about my devotion, I will get one of the cars out of its box and start playing with it – pushing it with my finger complete with sound, “vrooommmm!”. My wife would just observe me and just remark, “isip-bata ka na naman”. Actually, I cannot really comprehend if she means I am being “childish” or being “childlike”. But I know in my heart, that during that brief moment of time, I was being childlike, playing with You, Oh Lord, so I may get the inspiration I need to complete my work.
Lord Jesus, You Yourself said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.” But this doesn’t mean that I have to act like a child, or think like a childish person. A childlike person is playful, open minded and unrestrained by the inner voice of reason, collective cynicism, or fear of failure. I should see good in everything I see, hear and experience. I should remain humble, for whoever humbles himself as a little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And I know I am now far from being that child.
I HAVE TO GO BACK TO BEING A CHILD AGAIN!
I should bring back those wondrous qualities like unconditional love, trust, playfulness and simplicity. Only then can I bring back that feeling of pure happiness, pure contentment and pure joy. LIKE A CHILD IN ALL ITS SIMPLICITY!
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, I am a child once. But that doesn’t mean that I cannot be childlike today. But I did lost it somewhere. I have totally abandoned childlike virtues, and even looked down upon them as being immature. Help me recover them so I may again be worthy to be in Your Kingdom.
Amen +
For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
-----------------------------------------
I have another hobby. I collect model cars, specifically “mini coopers” and “hotwheels” (1969 and 1970 car models only because that is my and my wife’s birthyear – you just guess which one is which). Most of the time, when I am thinking, either about work or about my devotion, I will get one of the cars out of its box and start playing with it – pushing it with my finger complete with sound, “vrooommmm!”. My wife would just observe me and just remark, “isip-bata ka na naman”. Actually, I cannot really comprehend if she means I am being “childish” or being “childlike”. But I know in my heart, that during that brief moment of time, I was being childlike, playing with You, Oh Lord, so I may get the inspiration I need to complete my work.
Lord Jesus, You Yourself said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.” But this doesn’t mean that I have to act like a child, or think like a childish person. A childlike person is playful, open minded and unrestrained by the inner voice of reason, collective cynicism, or fear of failure. I should see good in everything I see, hear and experience. I should remain humble, for whoever humbles himself as a little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And I know I am now far from being that child.
I HAVE TO GO BACK TO BEING A CHILD AGAIN!
I should bring back those wondrous qualities like unconditional love, trust, playfulness and simplicity. Only then can I bring back that feeling of pure happiness, pure contentment and pure joy. LIKE A CHILD IN ALL ITS SIMPLICITY!
Let us pray +
Almighty Father, I am a child once. But that doesn’t mean that I cannot be childlike today. But I did lost it somewhere. I have totally abandoned childlike virtues, and even looked down upon them as being immature. Help me recover them so I may again be worthy to be in Your Kingdom.
Amen +
For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
OUR SHEPHERD
Luke 10:3
Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
------------------------------------------------
Jesus has lived a life liken to a lamb among the wolves. And yet, He was able to share the good news to everyone, even though He was surrounded by “wolves in sheep’s clothings”. And today, He is sending us to the world to do the same – share the good news of salvation to everyone.
Before Jesus Christ our Savior came to earth, lambs were sacrificed once a year to carry over the sins of the people to the following year. When He came as prophesied, born of a virgin, conceived by God Himself and indeed was "Immanuel" (God is with us), a man among men, a "Lamb among wolves", He came to communicate the message of salvation to "the wolves", knowing full-well they would kill Him.
The good news is, no more lambs ever had to be slain because He paid the price for sin once and for all. And, He rose from the dead, so there is no more fear in death. He promises to even raise His lambs from death to life, just as He did!
Please ask the Good Shepherd to change you into His lamb today. Thank Him for forgiving your sins as the Lamb of God! You will hear His voice, as I do! I have told you the message. If you can understand this message, you are "ripe" and ready to be changed. He needs you and you need Him!
Let us pray +
Lord Jesus, let me hear Your voice, follow You wherever You go. Teach me to hear and read Your Word so I may always have it in my mind and heart. Always remind me of what to say to each and every “wolf” that comes in my way, something especially for them so they may also become Your lamb. Watch over me and protect me and will reward me of Heaven for telling others this same message.
Amen +
The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
------------------------------------------------
Jesus has lived a life liken to a lamb among the wolves. And yet, He was able to share the good news to everyone, even though He was surrounded by “wolves in sheep’s clothings”. And today, He is sending us to the world to do the same – share the good news of salvation to everyone.
Before Jesus Christ our Savior came to earth, lambs were sacrificed once a year to carry over the sins of the people to the following year. When He came as prophesied, born of a virgin, conceived by God Himself and indeed was "Immanuel" (God is with us), a man among men, a "Lamb among wolves", He came to communicate the message of salvation to "the wolves", knowing full-well they would kill Him.
The good news is, no more lambs ever had to be slain because He paid the price for sin once and for all. And, He rose from the dead, so there is no more fear in death. He promises to even raise His lambs from death to life, just as He did!
Please ask the Good Shepherd to change you into His lamb today. Thank Him for forgiving your sins as the Lamb of God! You will hear His voice, as I do! I have told you the message. If you can understand this message, you are "ripe" and ready to be changed. He needs you and you need Him!
Let us pray +
Lord Jesus, let me hear Your voice, follow You wherever You go. Teach me to hear and read Your Word so I may always have it in my mind and heart. Always remind me of what to say to each and every “wolf” that comes in my way, something especially for them so they may also become Your lamb. Watch over me and protect me and will reward me of Heaven for telling others this same message.
Amen +
The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
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