Today's devotion lead me to the same topic yesterday, but from a different author. The Narrow Road.
Following God means walking the “narrow road.” It means facing adversity
I believe He is leading me to the same Word He wanted me to learn once again. The path to righteousness is a narrow road.
The narrow road of living for God and not conforming to the ways of the
world is often lonely. But the trade-off of gaining real intimacy with
Christ is worth more than anything you could ever get from the world.
It means denying of self and being able to be Spirit-controlled. Letting go of what's wide and easy and taking the steps to steep and righteous.
Friday, January 26, 2018
Thursday, January 25, 2018
25 Jan 2018 My Righteousness
In Psalm 23:3 David said it like this, “He leads me in the paths of righteousness.” The path of righteousness is a narrow, winding trail up a steep hill.
Today's devotion lead me to Leaving Guilt at Calvary. It was very touching as I have been personally carrying spiritual heavy loads of burden and fears. The path to righteousness is a narrow, winding trail up on steep hill leading to the Cross of Calvary where we can leave our heavy baggage of burdens and fears and receive the comfort of His righteousness and salvation.
The path to righteousness, to the cross, may be winding and fearful but as what David says:
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. / Ps 23:4
He is always with us even in the tough and dark times.
Today's devotion lead me to Leaving Guilt at Calvary. It was very touching as I have been personally carrying spiritual heavy loads of burden and fears. The path to righteousness is a narrow, winding trail up on steep hill leading to the Cross of Calvary where we can leave our heavy baggage of burdens and fears and receive the comfort of His righteousness and salvation.
The path to righteousness, to the cross, may be winding and fearful but as what David says:
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. / Ps 23:4
He is always with us even in the tough and dark times.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
24 Jan 2018 Rise Up
I was able to figure out what has caused me distress in the past days and I thank God for the discipline I had to go and going through. It was hard and painful. I was fearful. So I keep on seeking His Word everyday. Making sure I am able to read His promises and focusing my readings on the topics of the bible. I have acknowledge my sins and took on His promises on these verse:
Micah 7:
7
As for me, I look to the Lord for help.
I wait confidently for God to save me,
and my God will certainly hear me.
8
Do not gloat over me, my enemies!
For though I fall, I will rise again.
Though I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be my light.
9
I will be patient as the Lord punishes me,
for I have sinned against him.
But after that, he will take up my case
and give me justice for all I have suffered from my enemies.
The Lord will bring me into the light,
and I will see his righteousness.
For though I fall, I will rise again. I will be patient as the Lord punishes me for I have sinned against Him. But while I was fearful of the punishment, His very Word has also given me hope:
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God’s judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, “Abba! Father!”
— Romans 8:15
He is my Father and He is gracious and forgiving. He is patient with me, not wanting me to perish but come to repentance.
7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
— Luke 15:20
Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
Micah 7:
7
As for me, I look to the Lord for help.
I wait confidently for God to save me,
and my God will certainly hear me.
8
Do not gloat over me, my enemies!
For though I fall, I will rise again.
Though I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be my light.
9
I will be patient as the Lord punishes me,
for I have sinned against him.
But after that, he will take up my case
and give me justice for all I have suffered from my enemies.
The Lord will bring me into the light,
and I will see his righteousness.
For though I fall, I will rise again. I will be patient as the Lord punishes me for I have sinned against Him. But while I was fearful of the punishment, His very Word has also given me hope:
For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God’s judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, “Abba! Father!”
— Romans 8:15
He is my Father and He is gracious and forgiving. He is patient with me, not wanting me to perish but come to repentance.
7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
— Luke 15:20
Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
23 Jan 2018 Fighting the Good Fight of Faith
I've been trying to find time to write in the past days, and after finishing task and waiting for another to arrive, I am getting hold of this moment to write.
Sometimes in our lives, we get too caught up with work, daily routines, stress, and needs that we fail to do the important things of guarding our thoughts, minds, actions, and spiritual health. Then we'd realize we've gone too far from taking care of what matters eternally. We forget to read the Word of God. We miss to pray and devote ourselves in the Lord, and the many distractions and sins the enemy wanted to put in our ways. We justify our acts with how sinful human is, that we bear the sinful nature of human (like it's a license to sin), leading us to unknown hurts and aches we can't understand until the Godly sorrow that brings repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10) remind us to come to refocus on Him.
Being a child of God, I firmly believe in His promise that when He says He won't leave us, nor forsake us, He really won't. That when we've been tempted into neglect of important things and our sinful nature, He won't let us get drowned by it. He won't let us fall beyond what we can bear. He will provide a way out. Only we need to acknowledge that we need His power and help. The Holy Spirit will convict us. He will remind us of His love and grace until we see the light once again. Never let your heart be calloused and your hearts be hardened for if we fail to see His move and heed to His voice, it's going to be more painful and devastating.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
The verse shares that there are temptations common to mankind, the next verse was important to the succeeding and ending words for it says that God is faithful for He won't let us be tempted beyond what we can and if we are tempted he will provide a way out. I might not be able to know how He will but I know He will. His ways are higher than us.
If we fall into sin:
1. Confess to God
2. Repent
3. Accountability - Be accountable for your actions and find people who can be accountable to you.
If we fall, He will always rescue us.
Isaiah 46:4 - Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
Once we are rescued, restoration shall come when we build our lives to Him.
1. Go and sin no more. Remember His grace and the eternal rewards. The punishment from our sins was paid on the cross with the love, grace and obedience of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His grace should always hurt our hearts not to be enticed again.
2. Don't blame yourself. If the enemy is putting on shame, God is putting out the shame in us.
3. Guard your hearts and minds through the peace of God.
4. Battle sin with the battle of faith. Wear the full armor of God.
5. Live a life of satisfaction with God. Anchor your thoughts on His Word.
Sometimes in our lives, we get too caught up with work, daily routines, stress, and needs that we fail to do the important things of guarding our thoughts, minds, actions, and spiritual health. Then we'd realize we've gone too far from taking care of what matters eternally. We forget to read the Word of God. We miss to pray and devote ourselves in the Lord, and the many distractions and sins the enemy wanted to put in our ways. We justify our acts with how sinful human is, that we bear the sinful nature of human (like it's a license to sin), leading us to unknown hurts and aches we can't understand until the Godly sorrow that brings repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10) remind us to come to refocus on Him.
Being a child of God, I firmly believe in His promise that when He says He won't leave us, nor forsake us, He really won't. That when we've been tempted into neglect of important things and our sinful nature, He won't let us get drowned by it. He won't let us fall beyond what we can bear. He will provide a way out. Only we need to acknowledge that we need His power and help. The Holy Spirit will convict us. He will remind us of His love and grace until we see the light once again. Never let your heart be calloused and your hearts be hardened for if we fail to see His move and heed to His voice, it's going to be more painful and devastating.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
The verse shares that there are temptations common to mankind, the next verse was important to the succeeding and ending words for it says that God is faithful for He won't let us be tempted beyond what we can and if we are tempted he will provide a way out. I might not be able to know how He will but I know He will. His ways are higher than us.
If we fall into sin:
1. Confess to God
2. Repent
3. Accountability - Be accountable for your actions and find people who can be accountable to you.
If we fall, He will always rescue us.
Isaiah 46:4 - Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
Once we are rescued, restoration shall come when we build our lives to Him.
1. Go and sin no more. Remember His grace and the eternal rewards. The punishment from our sins was paid on the cross with the love, grace and obedience of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His grace should always hurt our hearts not to be enticed again.
2. Don't blame yourself. If the enemy is putting on shame, God is putting out the shame in us.
3. Guard your hearts and minds through the peace of God.
4. Battle sin with the battle of faith. Wear the full armor of God.
5. Live a life of satisfaction with God. Anchor your thoughts on His Word.
Monday, December 11, 2017
11 Dec 17/ Handling Apologies Even If We Are Not Yet Ready
Sometimes, it puts us in the “wrong” if we tell the apologizer with 'I’m not ready', but when we're hurt and we are not yet ready to accept other people's apology, how do we deal with the pain?
I was afraid that when people apologize, it was to ease them of the burden but that doesn't imply that their behavior is going to change.
It was my thinking that I will only have to accept the apology and move on from it and accept the other person's limitations and probably their ignorance. It was to make them feel forgiven from the things they can't do for you.
I would often say that it was even better not to feel the feeling, and worse, telling them what you felt but I realize that it isn't always learning how to accept apologies but learning to protect ourselves from disappointments, handling disappointments better, surrendering your disappointments.
Here's some key points I learned.
But first, in as much as possible, try not to start a quarrel because 'starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.' ( Proverbs 17:14) but if it happens..
1. It happens.
Disappointment happens when our expectations fail. It occurs to every one and every relationships, but as easy as saying don't expect, our core does, our plans look forward to happening, and we surmise with the words of other people.
Our thoughts must not be 'don't expect' but to put our hopes (and anchor) it with the Lord.
Psalm 130:7...put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
2. Allow to feel..because we will get exhausted with pretending we're not okay.
“Pain begs to be felt—or life will beg you to feel not one emotion at all. Emotion means movement — and emotions are meant to move you toward God.” ~ The Broken Way
3... but put limitations to your emotions. While we often dwell with pain, we can exert effort to remember all other good. Remembering how much you love the person, all the sacrifices, would help you put limit to the sad situation. Do not allow the situation to destroy relationships. Try to look forward and think that you will only have to go through it to become better at handling emotions.Your relationship matters more than the faults.
4. Objective contemplating. It is good to think about what happened in an objective manner (not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts) so we can weigh things and be better at decision making.
5. Surrender. While it is inevitable, and you can't just ignore your emotions, and so allowing it (with limitations) would help, thinking objectively and ultimately surrendering will make us better at handling disappointment.
Running from it, staying away from it, and giving in it to it are not better options. Instead, cast your burdens and give your anxieties to Him (Ps 55:20. 1 Pet 5:7) because He always care. Come to Him and take rest. Learn His gentle and lowly heart so that our souls will find rest (Matt 11:28).
I was afraid that when people apologize, it was to ease them of the burden but that doesn't imply that their behavior is going to change.
It was my thinking that I will only have to accept the apology and move on from it and accept the other person's limitations and probably their ignorance. It was to make them feel forgiven from the things they can't do for you.
I would often say that it was even better not to feel the feeling, and worse, telling them what you felt but I realize that it isn't always learning how to accept apologies but learning to protect ourselves from disappointments, handling disappointments better, surrendering your disappointments.
Here's some key points I learned.
But first, in as much as possible, try not to start a quarrel because 'starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.' ( Proverbs 17:14) but if it happens..
1. It happens.
Disappointment happens when our expectations fail. It occurs to every one and every relationships, but as easy as saying don't expect, our core does, our plans look forward to happening, and we surmise with the words of other people.
Our thoughts must not be 'don't expect' but to put our hopes (and anchor) it with the Lord.
Psalm 130:7...put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.
2. Allow to feel..because we will get exhausted with pretending we're not okay.
“Pain begs to be felt—or life will beg you to feel not one emotion at all. Emotion means movement — and emotions are meant to move you toward God.” ~ The Broken Way
3... but put limitations to your emotions. While we often dwell with pain, we can exert effort to remember all other good. Remembering how much you love the person, all the sacrifices, would help you put limit to the sad situation. Do not allow the situation to destroy relationships. Try to look forward and think that you will only have to go through it to become better at handling emotions.Your relationship matters more than the faults.
4. Objective contemplating. It is good to think about what happened in an objective manner (not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts) so we can weigh things and be better at decision making.
5. Surrender. While it is inevitable, and you can't just ignore your emotions, and so allowing it (with limitations) would help, thinking objectively and ultimately surrendering will make us better at handling disappointment.
Running from it, staying away from it, and giving in it to it are not better options. Instead, cast your burdens and give your anxieties to Him (Ps 55:20. 1 Pet 5:7) because He always care. Come to Him and take rest. Learn His gentle and lowly heart so that our souls will find rest (Matt 11:28).
Monday, October 30, 2017
30 Oct 2017
Four months ago and the year that was, I had a lot of time of time writing and contemplating before the visions came to reality, I got the job I've been praying for after a year and 4 months! The longest period I was jobless. God's provision was enough, I never thought I'd get to and from Manila with allowances from parents and sales from what I do at home.
So my first day at work was August 7. During my days in July, my going back and forth Manila went almost everyday for interviews, having meetings --even right before my birthday. I feel something's going good is on my way. I had to put an entry to IG that says I could almost feel it. I continued entrusting the Lord for His ways. I won't be able to share how many times I was overwhelmed by graces I receive, blessings I get, support I experience, the love and care I gain.
To top it all, I made peace with old friends I used to pray for redemption with. The learnings were far greater than the answer to my specific prayers. His blessings were far best than what I thought. The surrender means receiving more of what He could give.
It was in September when I graduated from worship team --His grace has sustained me to endure all those days of training. For an icing, I was blessed with what a sign from many years ago. 'Best days all ahead since that June outdoor.
I make writings as mnemonics, photos as metaphors, words as revolutionary realities.
To conclude why I wasn't able to write here: within the three months of working, I was busy adjusting, scheduling, making it big without intentions, being invited to president's office, receiving good favors, and working as if I've been working here for years. I write, I research, I make plans, I design, I photograph, I go out of office, I meet people, I teach them.
I was inspired to write again.
Saturday, July 8, 2017
08 Jul 2017
I will tell it here. I sort of stopped reading the bible (not that I fully stopped but yeah rested, which was wrong I know) in the past as I have been receiving His word about love and unity and fighting the good fight of faith and get desperate on His timing. So I allowed myself to some games, I mean all day I'm gaming, until I get to be visited in dreams to continue to love and care for the people hard to love. To be reminded to pray for them even if I cry of pain for justice, bowing to redemption, giving it all for hope.
Other aspects of my life seem pretty okay but this one's like what Paul said of a thorn. Where His grace meets me at my desperation.
Today I seek for His answers and behold, truth between us has been found and His tender love was relayed tonight. Sweet Jesus. He is gracious.
Other aspects of my life seem pretty okay but this one's like what Paul said of a thorn. Where His grace meets me at my desperation.
Today I seek for His answers and behold, truth between us has been found and His tender love was relayed tonight. Sweet Jesus. He is gracious.
Friday, April 28, 2017
28 Apr 2017
If you have seen my previous blogs and tweets, you would have known I've been reading 1 Samuel.
I learned a lot about the lives of Samuel, Saul, David and Jonathan. Yesternight before sleeping I went ahead to reading 2 Samuel.
At 1:30am, I was sleeping when I heard my Tatay called my name. He used to go out every Thursday night for Brgy duties as a Kagawad so I thought it was him who called me. I said aloud. Po? Then no one answered back but I was very sure I heard my name while I was sleeping.
I went out of bed to go to parents room. Asked my father if he came by to call me. He said no. He was sleeping and he came early from duties. About 10pm.
I went back to bed and gotten sleep with thoughts why it happened.
Came morning I realized what happened. Could it have been what I have been praying, that He speaks to me. In visions, in His Word, in dreams.
I pray that He will speak to me and also He will give me the ability to Hear.
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
27 Apr 2017
and no matter how Saul has been so mean to David, to the point the later has to protect his own life, he still had to show his kindness to King Saul.
“This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.”
1 Samuel 24:10-13 NIV
http://bible.us/111/1sa.24.10-13.niv
25 Apr 2017
David was anointed to be the King of Israel at young age (1 Samuel 16) but became one only after around 40 more years of King Saul's reign. During this period, series of court services, confusions, fleeing to strongholds from fear of being killed, fighting battles, promises, misjudgements, pretending to be insane (1 Sam 21:13), and inquiring of the Lord has happened in the life of David.
The Book of Psalm (which I read prior to 1 Samuel) was his joys and lamentations during this period. Wow!
26 Apr 2017
“So David hid in the field, and when the New Moon feast came, the king sat down to eat. He sat in his customary place by the wall, opposite Jonathan, and Abner sat next to Saul, but David’s place was empty. Saul said nothing that day, for he thought, “Something must have happened to David to make him ceremonially unclean—surely he is unclean.””
1 Samuel 20:24-26 NIV
David did not join Saul in the new moon fellowship (probably dinner) for he has been fleeing from Saul saying 'what did he do, what is his guilt that Saul is seeking His life. When Saul did not find him in his seat on this fellowship, he thought he must have been unclean.
Monday, April 24, 2017
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