God's search

The LORD looks down from heaven

on the entire human race;

he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,

if anyone seeks God.

Psalm 14:2

God is always looking for those people who have the heart for Him. He longs for us not because he can't be happy without us nor be satisfied without our existence. But because He knows how hopeless people are without Him. He knows it very well because we are created by Him. We are forever living in foolishness until we realize our need of Him.

RESCUER

The LORD replies, “I have seen violence done to the helpless and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do.” Psalm 12:5




Sometimes we feel hopeless. We anxiously look for someone that could aid us from our desperate situation. However, the more we expect people around us to help us, the more disappointed we become because often times, they don't fully meet the needs you have at the moment.

If we are in this kind of this condition, friend, you are in the wrong direction. You are trying to walk on a fragile bridge.

But, let me tell you this. There is still hope. God is there to rescue you. The Lord says He will RISE UP to rescue those who are in need. But that is not an unrequited feeling. Because God always waits for our response to Him. This doesn't make the Lord more active and we become dormant.

So, we wonder why there's a lot of needy people, yet it seems like God is just ignoring them. That's a very big NO. God desires our longing for Him. We are actually the ones who ignore Him.

Therefore, when you are in a difficult time, turn to God and ask for His help. And when He answers you, go back and thank Him. God never overlook the needs of those whose hearts are wanting Him. It's a wonderful thought to think about that as we stay with God, He is more than faithful to stay with us until the end of time.

TWO FORCES

Galatians 5:17 

The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Why do you shake when you are at the peak of defending your rights to someone who is not willing to listen but you choose to be gentle and control your emotions? Why do you struggle? Why is it the more you don't want to engage in, the more its enticement and your desire to do something bad becomes strong? Why? Why? Why? That's what we usually ask to ourselves?

Struggle rises when your spirit's will clashes you flesh's. That's the reason why you feel the tremor. When you know you gotta lot to say, but you realize that the other side is not willing to give in, and you choose to calm down and find a right time to settle the issue, sometimes you cry because your body can't take it in. It is said than done. But, 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "Each time he said, 'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me."


You need Jesus. We need Jesus. When you realize that Jesus is the best example you have to follow, that thought penetrates your heart and empowers your body and soul to react.

VALUE

We appreciate the value of something when we lost it.

OBEDIENCE in FAITH

 "You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” Luke 1:45

Prior to what Elizabeth said to Mary, the angel of God appeared to Mary to tell the message about bearing the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Why did Elizabeth tell that Mary is blessed? How did she become blessed?

The answer is... BELIEVING. Sounds easy, doesn't it? But let's have a look at the different angles of the situation.

If you were Mary, how would you believe?

These are the angles of doubt:
1. She's a virgin.
2. What would people say to her if this news spreads out to public?
3. It's impossible to get pregnant without the natural process.

Why hadn't these things crossed Mary's mind? The reason is... she didn't look at herself. She looked at God. She lent her ears to God's voice. She didn't question God's capability unlike Zachariah that caused him to be muted until the birth of his son, John the baptist.

Mary became blessed and she walked through it. She bore the child for several months without complaining or doubting God's promise.

See? Blessing started from Mary's FAITH and she nourished it with OBEDIENCE.

So, we see here the application of what James 2:17 says, "So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless."

Therefore, we are blessed the moment we believe and trust God's words. But we are encouraged as well to continually live by it. As what Galatians 6:9 says "So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up."

HIS THOUGHTS

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
Psalm 139:17

The reason why we feel alone, abandoned, neglected, and hopeless is that we think no one remembers us or even think about us. But we are totally wrong with that. Everyone may opt to leave us, but God assures us of His faithfulness. Others may tend to forget us but Jesus always recalls His love for us.

So, then, I learn not to care anymore who remembers me or not. In God, I'm one-hundred percent sure of remembrance. 

Whoever reads this, I know that there are times that you worry about being recognized by others but no matter how neglectful the world is, God sees us and cares about us.

God will remember how much you love Him. He will always remember how much you labor for His glory.  

TIME

When you decide to submit something to God, DON'T LET YOUR GUARD DOWN.

When everything seems to be okay and smooth, BE ALERT.

When your prayer is answered, BE CAUTIOUS.


When you started to feel the burning desire in your heart for God, BE STILL.

When you say 'yes' to God, STAND FIRM.

When you desire to dig deeper into His Love, STAY AFLOAT ON THE TRUTH.

When things become clear to you, REMAIN HUMBLE and BE WATCHFUL.


Satan will never stay silent. If God knows when to act in times of our troubles, Satan knows when to ruin us in times when feel safe and strong. God is perfect in timing. So as Satan finds perfect time for his evil schemes.


What amazes me is that, though Satan finds the right time to destroy us, God is not reckless to let him do something to us. Every act Satan does is in God's control. God is still the One who holds the Time. Even the time of Satan to attack us is the perfect time for God to HELP us, DELIVER us, COMFORT us, and HEAL us.


When Satan torments you with guilt, that's the time when God lets you know how vast His love is in spite of these deficiencies.


When Satan puts doubts in your mind, that's the time when God acts to let you see the truth of His deliverance.


When Satan discourages you with insecurities, that's when God lets you see how He wonderfully made you.


When Satan provokes you to ruin your life, that's when God open the doors of hope.

When life turns upside down, that's when you have to kneel down and pray to God.

There's no one who can do great things but God. Jesus is the One who can deliver us all.


Praise be to the Deliverer of my soul!




PS: This is just a memory from my other blog site learningagenda.blogspot.com (November 2017).

MY REAL HOME

I don't want leave you

I don't want to go on my way

I don't want to break your heart

and see your tears again

I know that when I left that day

You didn't want to say goodbye

'Coz you want me to stay

I thought it'd easier without you

I thought i'd happier when I left you

But when things went wrong,

my life turns into a sad song

then I thought of you

Going back home

was the least I can do

I was ashamed 

I looked so ugly

What if I didn't leave you

What if I just stayed?

From a distance,

I saw you running to me

You hugged, kissed embraced me

Without a word, your love held me

in a silence, I felt your grace

It's good to be back

to my real home

GOOD

Every after God's creation, 

He said "It was good."

Indeed, He made us with delight. 

THE SCARS OF LOVE

 John 20:24-25

One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came.

They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
_________________________________________________________________________________

In every wound, there must have a scar after its recovery. It can easily disappear when it's just a shallow one. But the deeper the wound is, the more the scar becomes visible and leaves a permanent mark.

There is a Filipino saying, "Napatawad mo na ang isang tao pero nagkalamat na ang relasyon." I don't know if this is the real meaning of that, but as I hear those people who say this, it seems like they mean to say that they forgive but the pain of the person's offense still remains. Well, I just realized that it's impossible. This is not what real forgiveness is.

Comparing our hatred to someone to wounds, WOUNDS can never be called SCAR when it is not yet HEALED. So forgiveness with remembrance of pain is not real forgiveness. Maybe, until now, you are still wounded. And by remembering your hatred, you let your wound becomes deeper and deeper until it cuts your life.

Let's take a look at Jesus. He is the perfect example of WOUNDS and SCARS. He was wounded by our HATES, INSULTS and REJECTIONS. But he chose to put them into the grave of FORGIVENESS, leaving behind all the bad things we have done to Him. He let himself be healed through TIME. And when He rose again, restoration and healing come forth. Did the scars fade away? No. The disciples saw and one of them actually touched them. After that, did Jesus complain about the things he had been through? No. He instead gave a lot of encouragements to them before he left.

You know what excites me so much? Even when God sees the SCARS on His body, he remembers not the pain we have caused Him but the LOVE he has rendered to us. His love for us OUTWEIGHED the HATRED we deserve from Him.

WORRILESS GRATEFUL HEART

Philippians 4:6 (NLT)

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

We must learn to appreciate God for His goodness. Sometimes, worries come from 

an ungrateful heart.

PLEASANTLY TOGETHER

Psalm 133:1

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!



If there's something that pleases the Lord, that is to see His people not only working together but it is said, "...DWELLING TOGETHER IN UNITY!" God wants us to be in harmony as always.






If there's anything that divides us, makes a gap among us, that is NOT from God. He wants us to be intact with our relationship with each other.


We may be DIFFERENT from each other but as a BODY of CHRIST, Jesus wants us to serve our purpose with one another. Of course, we can never do this on our own but with Jesus Christ as the HEAD of the BODY.




In conclusion, God's desire is to BRING people TOGETHER and not to HATE each other. That's something we can learn from this.

REJECTION

We are AFRAID to love, to forgive, accept, embrace, approach, reach out, speak up, and move on. They all rooted from fear of REJECTION. 

LOVE, even if it means (they are) unloving you. FORGIVE, even it means hurting you. ACCEPT, even it means troubling you. EMBRACE, even it means giving you up. APPROACH, even it means pushing you away. REACH OUT, even if it means leaving away from you. SPEAK UP (kind words), even it means not listening to you. And MOVE ON, even if it means not asking for forgiveness from you.

This can't be learned overnight. It comes with a process. You learn these things as you go through seasons of life. We all have different situations and experiences. But if there's good thing you have and want to do, don't hold back just because you are afraid to be rejected. Make a difference and your life will surely different from the others. Don't hurt yourself by living in BITTERNESS forever.

REJECTION is not bad at all. It will teach us to be HUMBLE. It brings out the best in us. 

TOTAL SECURITY

Psalm 5:12

For you bless the godly, O LORD;
you surround them with your shield of love.

There is no greatest protection we can ever have but the LOVE of GOD for us. We seek for security in this world but we are still afraid and fearful about so many things. But we don't realize that only GOD can assure us TOTAL SECURITY.

TRUTH REVEALED

 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
(Psalm 25:5)

The TRUTH is revealed to those who long for it.

Pacified Troubled Heart

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe. Psalm 4:8

When you realize your need for God, no matter how troubling your situation is, you feel that He is there to help you because He is always in control.

No fortified walls, no strong people, nothing can ever pacify our anxious heart. 

Only those who totally trust God can have a peaceful sleep at night. Depending on Him releases us from the bondage of worries and fears.

Fix our eyes on Jesus and learn to trust Him. Then you will see the wonderful works of God in your life.

SEEING GOD AND BEING LIKE JESUS

Have I seen Jesus?  How can I see Him? How can I be like Him? Those are the questions that a person who seeks God may ask.

From human perspective, we can't see God physically. It is impossible for a person to believe someone who doesn't exist. Or even get to be in a relationship without experiencing or encountering the person.

So, it is a wonderful thought to think about that a person who accepts God declares to have a relationship with Him without even seeing Him Himself! How's that possible?

Seeing Jesus is a personal experience. A person can only see God who is spirit (John 4:24) through spirit eyes not the physical ones. Seeing Jesus is like seeing God.

In my own personal experience, I see God when I feel love and see people loving each other. Do you know why? Because God is Love (1 John 4:8). So when I love, I become like Him because I copy His character. And when I do it, God manifests Himself through me (Ephesians 5:1).

God said that He reveals Himself through His creation (Romans 1:20). And He also said that whatever we do to those people who are in need, we do it for God (Matthew 25:45).

Next time you encounter someone who is difficult to understand, think about this message. That person needs to be loved just as how God loves you. And when you do, you do it for God. You directly love Him.

TRUSTING GOD AS THE NIGHT

I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the LORD was watching over me. (Psalm 3:5)

God speaks in mysterious ways. He made me realize that TRUSTING HIM is like SLEEPING AT NIGHT.

We know that the night is enveloped in darkness. Everything is covered in shadows. Even if we try to look at it and understand, we actually don't know what's going on.


In the midst of its black presence, we are not totally sure about our safety. Let's say we fortify our walls, we may think that we are already safe from natural disasters such earthquakes, fires, storms, etc. But what if we get a heart attack? The fortified walls can't save us.


Yet, despite of these uncertainties, we close our eyes and lie down. Then, we wake up, rise up, and see the beautiful sunshine of the day.


THAT'S HOW WE SHOULD TRUST GOD. Regardless of our troubles in life, we lie down in the hope of God's love for us. As we look forward to seeing the sunrise, we also hope for God's grace throughout the day.


Therefore, God has designed us NOT TO WORRY and FOR WORRIES. Just like how he created the night for us to lie down at night, He wants us to fully trust Him in whatever we do.

TRUE JOY and HAPPINESS

Psalm 2:12
....But what joy for all who take refuge in him!

Do you feel UNHAPPY? TIRED? EXHAUSTED?

We always think of ways to be happy in life. Go to parties, vacation, do some leisure activities like sports, music and the like.

But why do we still feel incomplete? What's lacking?


 We don't realize that TRUE JOY and HAPPINESS can only be found in Jesus. He is the source of joy. He fills our hearts with joy even when face difficulties in life. No wonder why we feel comfort and explainable peace whenever we come to God.

Let us learn to fix our eyes on Jesus. We will see how different it is to find comfort from God than looking for something for enjoyment.

So, where should we go to find TRUE JOY and HAPPINESS?

More Grace

Romans 5:20 

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.

Does this verse permit us to go on sinning? Does God give us freedom just to rebel more against Him?

If we try to look at Ezekiel 18:31-32, we will know how eager God is to bring His people back to Him. Let see: "Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel? I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign LORD. Turn back and live!

Wow! He encourages us to come, repent, and turn back to Him by giving us so much grace which we don't even deserve to have. Unbelievable. I can't imagine how I can get access to God without GRACE. And that Grace is our Lord Jesus Christ.

So no matter how wicked we are, God still desires for us to turn to Him. He still forgives us and accepts us even though we decided to leave Him just like the prodigal son in Luke 15.

More grace means the DESIRE OF GOD TO GET US BACK INTO HIS CARE, TO RESTORE OUR BROKEN RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

Praise be to God for His wonderful grace for us all.

Revitalizing Life

Psalms 1:2-3

But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Notes:

Do you feel frustrated about your life? Does everything you do seem to be repetitious and never-ending? Do you see yourself as lifeless and someone without a purpose? Are you tired of doing something but ends up gaining nothing?

Indeed, life is meaningless, dull, unfruitful, unproductive, and lifeless without God. Everything in this world makes us tired and exhausted. Things are difficult to deal with and people are complicated to be around. Whenever we face tough situations, our energy is being drained off. We become dry and weary. So, how will we replenish our dying self?

Jesus is the living Water. He is the source of life. So apart from Him, things become barren of receiving vitality. The verse encourages us to plant our lives on Jesus. We must grow and cultivate our lives in Him. But how do we do that? ----We come to Him. We get to know Him by reading His words. We cherish and value it. 

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, we are glad to receive this message for this day. We are amazed to know that there is a way for us to continually experience a joyful life and that is in Jesus. Dear God, help me to always trust you and fix my eyes on you. You are the source of my strength and power. I can never be satisfied in life without. On you, oh I depend. Let your will becomes my will. Let your will be done in my life. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Greatest Battle

The Greatest battle is found within us.

You can never plan how to conquer it unless

it is discovered.

Why Do We Worry?

1 Peter 4:12

Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.

Notes:

Why are we worried? We feel anxious about something we are not sure of, something we don't exactly know about.

But when we understand it, no matter how scary people's words are to hear, you will not be scared. 

So then, when you get to know more who God is, no matter how strange things may appear to everyone, you will not be shaken by it, for you know who your God is. By reading His words, you discover His character. So fear of this world fades away. Instead, you grow in wisdom and fear of the Lord.

Therefore, you are worried only because you don't know exactly who God is in your life. So, start seeking and knowing Him. From there, you will experience His peace which is beyond comprehension.

Prayer:

Our Father in Heaven, we lift your Name on high. We are so amazed of your love for us. We don't deserve it but you do it. Help us Lord to always trust you. May you draw us closer to you by the power of the Holy Spirit. May you help us grow in knowledge of you so our faith will never be shaken by anything. This we pray, in Jesus Name. Amen.

Perfection Out of Passion

Pursue perfection 

not out of pressure 

but out of passion. 

Because when you do something you like, 

no matter how hard it is, 

you feel happy even after a long day. 

Restored Truth

John 14:15-17 (NIV)

 “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 

Notes:

Since from the fall of man in the garden of Eden, we were all living in LIES. We were all confused, full of doubts about purpose, meaning, roles, power, direction, and identity.

Even up to this generation, people are divided with different point-of-views, principles, opinions, doctrines, and teachings.

That's the reason why God sent His Dearly Son for us. He wants to restore the TRUTH that was stolen from us and tainted with deceit. He died so that He may send His Holy Spirit to lead us to the truth of everlasting life in Him. He died so that we may return to the truth as what the footnote in the NLT version says.

So in this life full of lies and deception, it is crucial that we depend on God. Let us desire for God's truth to lead us in every part of lives.

Prayer:

Oh Dearest Lord Jesus, we want to thank you for your sincerity. You gave yourself willingly to return us to you. We disobeyed you and believed the lies instead. We don't deserve to be restored in the first place. But you are so gracious to make it happen. Salvation becomes available for all of us because you love us. Thank you for this underserved kindness Lord. May your Spirit continue to lead us to the truth of your words and never depart from it. May your will be our will. In Jesus Name we ask and pray. Amen.

Humble and Wise

Only a humble person appreciates the beauty of discipline.

Only a wise person values the importance of criticism.

A Righteous Healing

Matthew 8:3 (KJV)

And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Notes:

Many people are sick (emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually) and want healing. We want healing just because we desire to free ourselves from pain and struggle. Well, Jesus hopes for that too. He doesn't want people to struggle. But more than his longing to heal you, he is looking for people to accept His holiness.

Most of time, the main reason why we are in pain is because of sin. Sin destroys everything. It damages our being. And God wants to heal you from that. So out of a repentant heart, healing comes and restoration flows.

So, let us seek God and let Him heal us.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, we know how much you care for us. You are a loving Father. So, we come to ask for forgiveness to all of our sins against you. Make us clean oh God. Heal us. And teach us to live in your righteousness.  Just like you, we are willing to be pure and clothed in your glory. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Empty Life

1 Peter 1:18

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver.


Notes:

Have you ever wondered why no matter how people try to be happy, life still seems to be hopeless? Why do you think even those prestigious people who we admire so much end up killing themselves at the peak of their career?

Most people think that if they gained the whole world, they would be satisfied. Well, they are absolutely wrong! Because the bible is very much clear that a life without Christ is empty. That's the reason why whatever we do seems pointless, meaningless, and worthless.

Praise be to God! He gave up his life so that we may gain it. Our empty life is satisfied in the fullness of Jesus Christ. Thank you Jesus!

Jesus really cares. He can't keep looking at our miserable life. He took an action and volunteered Himself to save us. If you ever thought of giving back the favor to Him, don't bother yourself. It is priceless. Even your life is not enough for its full payment.

So whenever we feel empty, miserable, hopeless, there's unexplainable power flowing within us that comforts us, relieves us, and heals us. And that is Christ who you accepted in your heart.


Prayer:

Dear Lord, your love is incomprehensible. We cannot measure your compassion towards humanity. We are so much grateful to know that there is God like you who cares and loves us. May we always go back to the thought that you are the reason why we live. You are the life-giving fountain of our dying heart. We may always remain in your love and you remain in us. Praise your Holy Name Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

Grace

Do you know what GRACE is?

It is when you realize your EMPTINESS -

And you see GOD's FULLNESS.

It is when you recognize your WORTHLESSNESS -

And you embrace GOD's LOVING-KINDNESS.

It is when you start walking in HUMBLENESS -

And live in His PRESENCE.

It is when you don't care what everyone SAYS -

for you, He is the only one that MATTERS and NO ONE ELSE.

A Grateful Heart

We do not thank God for what we RECEIVE from Him.

We are grateful because we have HIM.

And that satisfies EVERYTHING.

True Honor

Mark 15:32 (NIV)
Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Notes:

Most often, we are so worried about what people may call us. So we work so hard to earn a title. We are hurt when others don't recognize it. 

Well, that's the kind of mentality the world has. But for believers of Christ, we are not like the world that is chasing after these arrogant titles. Jesus said in Matthew 10:22 that His followers will be ridiculed because of Him. So why bother yourself to gain people's respect then? Don't try so hard for it. It is meaningless. Rather, take off your title and let the Name of Lord, Jesus Christ reign instead. 

Get ready and condition yourself to be criticized and ridiculed because even your family will do that just like what happened to Jesus in Mark 3:21. 

But hold your ground. Just continue to walk humbly before God and He will lift you up in honor. 

We may not gain respect and honor from this world, but God sees and rewards a good heart. He will be the one to crown you with glory in His Name. True honor only comes from Him.

Prayer:

Dear our Heavenly Father in Heaven, we praise you because you are Holy. You are mighty and strong. You are so pure and clean and honorable but you chose to come down and humble yourself just to show us how to live here on earth. Thank you for your compassion Lord to connect and link us back to your presence. We may not be honored here on earth, but it is okay. What matters is your Name. May you be Glorified with our life dear God. In Jesus Name, Amen.  

True Wisdom

James 3:17 (NLT)

 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.


Notes:

Most of us think that if we know a lot of things, we are wise. If we trick someone and gain something good, we are wise. If we can live on our own and do not depend on others, we are wise. If we insist our own rights, we are wise. If we earn a degree, we are wise. If we successfully get through someone with our lies, we are wise. Actually, WE ARE NOT. All these things are not true.

True wisdom always does what is right and believes on what is true. It is not self-seeking but willing to understand, forgive, give way, submit, obey, be corrected, and be taught. It is slow to get angry and doesn't depend on outburst emotions. It doesn't rush things out but thinks carefully and plans well. It is kind and  fair and doesn't take side. Lastly, it does what's best for another.

It is impossible to do all these things without God's help in our life. We need God to teach us every single moment how to live in such wisdom.

Let's live with God's WISDOM.

Prayer:

Our Father in Heaven, you are so wonderful and awesome. Nothing can be greater that you. And we are glad to know that through this, we can assure that our trust can never be forfeited. We believe that true wisdom comes from you Oh God. We badly need it in our life. It is the only way to protect us from this crooked generation where lies and deceptions are just a norm. Save us from darkness through the light of your wisdom. Dear Lord, with out own might and strength we cannot do it. But with you in our life, everything can be done. In Jesus Name, we ask and pray. Amen.

The Possibility of the Impossibility

Matthew 19:26  (NLT)

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”


Notes:

Most of us think that God is Holy. He definitely is. But the problem is, we don't want to follow Him because we think it is impossible to meet His standards. That's only the half truth. In the past, people couldn't totally relate to the Holiness of God. But, thanks to our Loving Father in Heaven who gave His only Begotten Son to save us all.

He is telling us with this verse that we can do it through Him. And He is serious about it!

So, whenever you are in trouble, just declare this promise, "Humanly speaking I can't do it. But with God everything is possible."

Are you almost giving up with your relationships? Having a hard time doing something? Confused with your decisions? “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

Believe that! It is true. God never lies to his words. Just trust him and you will see.


Prayer:

Our Heavenly Loving Father in Heaven, you are so Holy and righteous. We don't deserve to come near you but you draw us closer to your side. We don't deserve to be loved but you gave yourself up for us. Help us to really experience this promise to our life oh God. Yes, we think that we can't. It is impossible to obey you. But you are always there to guide through. We want to obey and follow you all the days of our life. We may have thousands of ideas how to do it but let Your will be done in my life. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Gift Giver

Daniel 1:17, 20 (NLT)

God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.

Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.


Notes:

Everyone hones their skills to be famous and recognized by many. That purpose has a weak foundation. That is why, when we get depressed, even our proudest talent can not comfort us.

God is the giver of all abilities and talents. He has entrusted us with such gifts to do His marvelous works on earth. He uses our capabilities to touch lives and be fruitful for the betterment of our life as well as the others.

We may realize the very purpose of our skills and talents. Let us use it for the Glory of God and not for selfish ambitions.

Surely, everything you do may seem to be meaningful to you because to are driven by God's love.



Prayer:

Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for enabling us to do your work. Thank you that you are so rich and we have a Father like you who is so generous to give us something we can use for the advancement of your Kingdom. We may not waste this gift of grace to glorify your Name each moment. Thank you dear God. This, we pay, in Jesus Name, Amen.

No Longer an Outlaw but In-Law

Romans 8:4 New Living Translation (NLT)
"He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit."

Notes:

It is hard for a non-believer of Jesus to follow completely what is right, no matter how much effort would be put into. Sin takes dominion and slaves a person. One may try to make a resolution but after a while, he goes back to what he used to do.

We were  all outlaws. Though the laws promote good moral standards, it seems like it has no power to totally change a person.

That is the reason why Jesus came to save us. He came to satisfy the law for us. He came to model us the right living. After His life on earth, He left His Spirit so that the Law is no longer a strange thing to us, but it is part of us. The law, as we receive His Spirit through Jesus Christ, is now written on the tablets of our hearts.



Prayer:

Our Heavenly Father, we want to thank you for your vast love for us. We can never understand the whole scope of your plans for us but we trust you completely. Thank you for your Son Jesus Christ for giving us life through the power of the Holy Spirit. Dear Lord, please help us how to live each day so that we may please your heart. We are no longer outlaws but in-laws. We are glad to have connected with you through the blood of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Delivered

Jonah 2:9 New Living Translation (NLT)

 But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise,
    and I will fulfill all my vows.
    For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.”



Notes:

The promises of God are for those who have already been set free: those who have believed Jesus as their Lord and Savior. It doesn't mean that everything will go well as what you are expecting it to be.

Look at the Israelites. They were set free from Egypt. Their slavery was broken as they received the promise of God. However, as they were heading to the promise land, went after them. So, freedom from slavery doesn't mean a comfortable life. But it is a life with God's peace despite of all the troubles chasing after you.

Sadly, some of them chose not to cling to God. They clung to their own understanding and desired to go back to their past life, to go back to slavery.

Freedom means living with God. It means following what God wants and not ours. True freedom is in God.



Prayer:

Papa God, thank you for the freedom you have brought back to us. Though we don't deserve it because we chose to be slaves, you still chose to love us and restore us. We ask for your forgiveness Lord for our transgressions. Please dear God. Do not allow us to hurt your heart even more. Help us to obey and follow you. Lead us to your care and love. Thank you our loving and sweet Father in Heaven. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Treasure

"Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be."
Matthew 6:21

Notes:

If we put our desires to education, job, health, relationship, money, and dream, that becomes our treasure. We tend to give value to it. We may treat it as if life depends on it. But the problem is, you will all lose them (Matthew 10:39). Remember that everything in this life is meant to be destroyed except the word of God (Matthew 24:35).

See? Clinging to God means clinging to life. Cling to the life-giver. And if we learn to put our desires to the words of God, our treasure will never disappear, stolen, broken, and destroyed because God is eternal. On the other hand, relying on things we have in this life will be the only rewards we could ever get in this lifetime. There's nothing more to it.


Prayer:

Lord, we know that you are the source of everything because you are its Creator. Our loving Father in Heaven, may your Spirit teach us to surrender and give our hearts to you. May you help us to realize that true treasure in You. Continue to lead us to the truth and unsealed our eyes from the lies of the devil in our lives. This we pray in Jesus Name. Amen.