In photo is my second child Nathanael John 😚
Huwebes, Abril 24, 2014
Huwebes, Marso 13, 2014
Huwebes, Nobyembre 07, 2013
God of the Living
November 2 was the "All Souls Day". Many people visited their departed loved ones. I was reminded of my devotion last September 11, 2013
My Devotion was in Mark 12:18-27
I need to understand why Jesus said:
"He is not God of the dead, but of the living..."- Mark 12:27
Dead is dead. God is done with them. But we who are living:
1. We still have the opportunity to know who God is. How He loved us by sending His son Jesus who died on the cross for all our sins.
2. We still have the chance to turn to Him. Chance to repent for the wicked things we are doing so that we can experience close and intimate relationship with Him and experience real peace and true happiness.
3. We still have the privilege to serve Him, honor Him and be MAD (make a difference) for Him.
4. When the time God is done with us, the time for our homecoming, we will not be ashamed to face Him because we've done what we supposed to be done.
My Devotion was in Mark 12:18-27
I need to understand why Jesus said:
"He is not God of the dead, but of the living..."- Mark 12:27
Dead is dead. God is done with them. But we who are living:
1. We still have the opportunity to know who God is. How He loved us by sending His son Jesus who died on the cross for all our sins.
2. We still have the chance to turn to Him. Chance to repent for the wicked things we are doing so that we can experience close and intimate relationship with Him and experience real peace and true happiness.
3. We still have the privilege to serve Him, honor Him and be MAD (make a difference) for Him.
4. When the time God is done with us, the time for our homecoming, we will not be ashamed to face Him because we've done what we supposed to be done.
All saints day and all souls day. Naalala ko lang devo ko nong Sept 11
Undertstanding why Jesus said this verse:
"He is not God of the dead, but of the living..."- Mark 12:27
Dead is dead. God is done with them. But we who are living:
#We still have the opportunity to know who God is. How He loved us by sending His son Jesus who died on the cross for all our sins.
#We still have the chance to turn to Him. Chance to repent for the wicked things we are doing so that we can experience close and intimate relationship with Him and experience real peace and true happiness.
#We still have the privilege to serve Him, honor Him and be MAD (make a difference) for Him.
#When God is done with us, the time for our homecoming, we will not be ashamed to face Him because we've done what we supposed to be done.
Undertstanding why Jesus said this verse:
"He is not God of the dead, but of the living..."- Mark 12:27
Dead is dead. God is done with them. But we who are living:
#We still have the opportunity to know who God is. How He loved us by sending His son Jesus who died on the cross for all our sins.
#We still have the chance to turn to Him. Chance to repent for the wicked things we are doing so that we can experience close and intimate relationship with Him and experience real peace and true happiness.
#We still have the privilege to serve Him, honor Him and be MAD (make a difference) for Him.
#When God is done with us, the time for our homecoming, we will not be ashamed to face Him because we've done what we supposed to be done.
Lunes, Oktubre 21, 2013
Mousetrap Story
A mouse looked
through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package.
"What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - - he was
devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.
Retreating to
the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning. "There is a mousetrap in
the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The chicken clucked and
scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a
grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered
by it."
The mouse turned
to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a
mousetrap in the house!" The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very
sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured
you are in my prayers."
The mouse turned
to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a
mousetrap in the house!" The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for
you, but it's no skin off my nose."
So, the mouse
returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face
the farmer's mousetrap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever.
the farmer's mousetrap alone. That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever.
Everyone knows
you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to
the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's sickness continued,
so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them,
the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well; she died. So
many people came for her funeral, the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide
enough meat for all of them.
The mouse looked
upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness. So, the next time
you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember
-- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in
this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an
extra effort to encourage one another.
REMEMBER: EACH OF US IS A VITAL
THREAD IN OTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY; OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.
One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend.
One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend.
Author Unknown
Huwebes, Oktubre 03, 2013
Devo: Peter's Test and Denial
Text: Mark 14:27-31, 66-72
27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.-----
66 And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway[h] and the rooster crowed.[i] 69 And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” 72 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.[j]
CONTEXT:
This is the last few days of Jesus before His death. He gathered his disciples and celebrated the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread with them. Before He was arrested through the betrayal of Judas, Jesus foretells the denial of Peter and later asks his disciples to accompany him to watch and pray in the garden of Gethsemane, three times He found them sleeping but three times also He warned them to watch and pray that they may not enter into temptation.
Content:
#1. Jesus prophesied for his disciples of what will happen to them after his death, but Peter with self confidence and to establish his sympathy to Jesus, gave a promise that he will stay faithful to Him even to death.
#2. Jesus knew the motive and what is in the heart of Peter. To teach Peter, Jesus gave him a test to pass in a certain period of time. (The crows of the rooster represent a certain period of time).
#3. Jesus used a servant girl (lowest in the society) to humble Peter.
#4. Peter denied Jesus three times which symbolically related to how Jesus warned them three times to watch and pray. The reasons why Peter denied Jesus:
#1. First denial: because of forgetfulness. Peter forgot His promise to Jesus that he will stand for Him even to death.
#2. Second denial: because of fear. When the servant girl say it to the bystanders, he feared because now not only the servant girl knew who he was. He feared for the people who might bring him to the enemy of Jesus and suffer the sufferings that Jesus will face.
#3. Third Denial: The way to escape. To escape from being part of Jesus's sufferings is to stick to what he had said.
#5. After the rooster crowed, Peter remembered his promise to Jesus and he broke down and wept realizing how weak he was.
MESSAGE:
#1. Jesus made us. He knew how weak we are and how we are always vulnerable to many temptations.
#2. Peter, one of the disciples and friend of Jesus, was not exempted from the test of faithfulness and so we are.
#3. We cannot go ahead of Jesus and assumes that with our own strength and ability we can endure the trial.
PROMISE:
Jesus, addressing to His disciples, "But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." (v.28)
COMMAND: (none)
WARNING:
#1. Do not assume that with our own strength and ability we can pass the test of faith and stand for Jesus whatever the cost.
#2. Do not go ahead of Jesus. To fear only proves our pride and self-reliance.
APPLICATION:
#1. Knowing all these things, I am now more aware of my own failings. I am humbled to realize that even Peter, Jesus's friend and one of his disciples, failed to stand for Jesus.
#2. I will ask God to help me to stand when trials will come my way and pray that the trials will not become a downfall to other believers but will become a testimony and encouragement to all.
#3. I will humble myself before Him and surrender everything to Him knowing that without Him I can do nothing.
27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.-----
66 And as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came, 67 and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with the Nazarene, Jesus.” 68 But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you mean.” And he went out into the gateway[h] and the rooster crowed.[i] 69 And the servant girl saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.” 70 But again he denied it. And after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter, “Certainly you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” 71 But he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know this man of whom you speak.” 72 And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” And he broke down and wept.[j]
CONTEXT:
This is the last few days of Jesus before His death. He gathered his disciples and celebrated the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread with them. Before He was arrested through the betrayal of Judas, Jesus foretells the denial of Peter and later asks his disciples to accompany him to watch and pray in the garden of Gethsemane, three times He found them sleeping but three times also He warned them to watch and pray that they may not enter into temptation.
Content:
#1. Jesus prophesied for his disciples of what will happen to them after his death, but Peter with self confidence and to establish his sympathy to Jesus, gave a promise that he will stay faithful to Him even to death.
#2. Jesus knew the motive and what is in the heart of Peter. To teach Peter, Jesus gave him a test to pass in a certain period of time. (The crows of the rooster represent a certain period of time).
#3. Jesus used a servant girl (lowest in the society) to humble Peter.
#4. Peter denied Jesus three times which symbolically related to how Jesus warned them three times to watch and pray. The reasons why Peter denied Jesus:
#1. First denial: because of forgetfulness. Peter forgot His promise to Jesus that he will stand for Him even to death.
#2. Second denial: because of fear. When the servant girl say it to the bystanders, he feared because now not only the servant girl knew who he was. He feared for the people who might bring him to the enemy of Jesus and suffer the sufferings that Jesus will face.
#3. Third Denial: The way to escape. To escape from being part of Jesus's sufferings is to stick to what he had said.
#5. After the rooster crowed, Peter remembered his promise to Jesus and he broke down and wept realizing how weak he was.
MESSAGE:
#1. Jesus made us. He knew how weak we are and how we are always vulnerable to many temptations.
#2. Peter, one of the disciples and friend of Jesus, was not exempted from the test of faithfulness and so we are.
#3. We cannot go ahead of Jesus and assumes that with our own strength and ability we can endure the trial.
PROMISE:
Jesus, addressing to His disciples, "But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." (v.28)
COMMAND: (none)
WARNING:
#1. Do not assume that with our own strength and ability we can pass the test of faith and stand for Jesus whatever the cost.
#2. Do not go ahead of Jesus. To fear only proves our pride and self-reliance.
APPLICATION:
#1. Knowing all these things, I am now more aware of my own failings. I am humbled to realize that even Peter, Jesus's friend and one of his disciples, failed to stand for Jesus.
#2. I will ask God to help me to stand when trials will come my way and pray that the trials will not become a downfall to other believers but will become a testimony and encouragement to all.
#3. I will humble myself before Him and surrender everything to Him knowing that without Him I can do nothing.
Sabado, Setyembre 07, 2013
Learning MPCWA
In my early christian life, what I used to do was to read my bible randomly like "mini miny moe". Later on , I learned to read the Bible chronologically (Genesis-Revelation) and from my reading I just rely on the Holy Spirit to know what God is speaking to me. Another way I tried was the M-E-A-L-S. Acronym for Memorize, Examine, Apply, Listen and Study.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Context: Part from Jesus Sermon on the mount
Characters: Jesus, Disciples and crowd
Key verse: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33
Message:
Jesus is teaching the crowd not to worry. He used illustrations to emphasize that even the grass and the birds, He supplies for their needs. Instead of worrying, seek God first and all our needs He will provide.
Promise:
If we seek God first, all our needs (food, clothing, finances and etc.) He will provide.
Command:
The Father knows our needs so do not be anxious for everything instead put our trust on Him who is very much concern to those He created.
Warning:
If we worry, we will be like gentiles who runs after all these things (basic needs for living). Worrying will not help us, it's an evident of our faithlessness to God.
Application:
I will thank the Lord for His love and concern. I will praise Him more for the assurance that I can depend on Him for everything.
Upon learning MPCWA, I am now applying it on my devotions...
My Devotion for today, September 7, 2013
Context:
Jesus was walking in the temple courts (Jerusalem), the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him.
Characters:
Jesus, chief priests, teachers of the law, elders of the church, disciples
Key verses:
10 Have you not read this Scripture:
-If we put our trust to Jesus, "the stone that the builders rejected and has become the cornerstone", we will be strong in our faith and will cause us to glorify Him more because He is too marvelous in our eyes.
"Make the vineyard produce more fruit".
God is so good for giving me another way to study His Word. The MPCWA way.
MPCWA stands for Message, Promise, Command, Warning and Application.
Now, I am blessed for this very practical way because the Word of God becomes clearer to me. I also go back using journal to record my devotions.
As part of my assignment, I will do this one :-)
MPCWA stands for Message, Promise, Command, Warning and Application.
Now, I am blessed for this very practical way because the Word of God becomes clearer to me. I also go back using journal to record my devotions.
As part of my assignment, I will do this one :-)
Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[a] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Context: Part from Jesus Sermon on the mount
Characters: Jesus, Disciples and crowd
Key verse: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33
Message:
Jesus is teaching the crowd not to worry. He used illustrations to emphasize that even the grass and the birds, He supplies for their needs. Instead of worrying, seek God first and all our needs He will provide.
Promise:
If we seek God first, all our needs (food, clothing, finances and etc.) He will provide.
Command:
The Father knows our needs so do not be anxious for everything instead put our trust on Him who is very much concern to those He created.
Warning:
If we worry, we will be like gentiles who runs after all these things (basic needs for living). Worrying will not help us, it's an evident of our faithlessness to God.
Application:
I will thank the Lord for His love and concern. I will praise Him more for the assurance that I can depend on Him for everything.
 |
| my journal |
Upon learning MPCWA, I am now applying it on my devotions...
My Devotion for today, September 7, 2013
Mark 12:1-12 (ESV)
2 And he began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a pit for the winepress and built a tower, and leased it to tenants and went into another country. 2 When the season came, he sent a servant[a] to the tenants to get from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again he sent to them another servant, and they struck him on the head and treated him shamefully. 5 And he sent another, and him they killed. And so with many others: some they beat, and some they killed. 6 He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 And they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this Scripture:
“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;[b]
11 this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
has become the cornerstone;[b]
11 this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
12 And they were seeking to arrest him but feared the people, for they perceived that he had told the parable against them. So they left him and went away.
Context:
Jesus was walking in the temple courts (Jerusalem), the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him.
Characters:
Jesus, chief priests, teachers of the law, elders of the church, disciples
Key verses:
10 Have you not read this Scripture:
“‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;[b]
11 this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
has become the cornerstone;[b]
11 this was the Lord's doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
Message:
Jesus speak in parables about a man who planted a vineyard and leased it to the tenants. The parables of Jesus Christ speaks to His Father as the owner of the vineyard, Jewish leaders as the tenants, the servants are the prophets and He as the Beloved Son who was killed by the tenants. The vineyards can be mean blessings, privilege, talents or the gospel, which was first entrusted to the first tenant, the Jews, but they rejected it so we Gentiles are blessed because it was given to us...wohooo!!Promise:
-If we understand what the parables is saying to us, we will be more encouraged to preach the gospel knowing that the owner of the vineyard (Father God) will be pleased if the vineyards will produce more fruits.-If we put our trust to Jesus, "the stone that the builders rejected and has become the cornerstone", we will be strong in our faith and will cause us to glorify Him more because He is too marvelous in our eyes.
Command:
Read and understand the scriptures."Make the vineyard produce more fruit".
Warning:
The vineyard has been entrusted to us (talents, privilege, blessings or the gospel), beware not to cultivate, prone it, and water it that it will die and not produce more fruits.Application:
Oh, how I praise the Lord for choosing me to be one of His child. I will do my best to please Him in my everyday life. I will use my talents to serve Him more.
As I read God's word each day,
I will ask my self three questions:
One, what does it says?
Two, what does it mean?
Three, what God is saying to me?
I will ask God's Holy Spirit
who leaves in my heart
to show me the answer clearly
that I may know God's message to me.
I will ask my self three questions:
One, what does it says?
Two, what does it mean?
Three, what God is saying to me?
I will ask God's Holy Spirit
who leaves in my heart
to show me the answer clearly
that I may know God's message to me.
The song above has become my prayer every time I open my Bible. I will pray that God will continue to speak to me through my devotions. Devotions is very important to me because it will make me grow, glow and go. :-)
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Learning MPCWA
In my early christian life, what I used to do was to read my bible randomly like "mini miny moe". Later on , I learned to re...
-
In my early christian life, what I used to do was to read my bible randomly like "mini miny moe". Later on , I learned to re... -
During my devotion this morning, I contemplated how is my faith now to God. How my faith should be like at this point of time that we... -
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