Whom have I in heaven but You?

Our Daily Journey: Tattoos Aren’t New | Romans 6:1-11 We are no...

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:07:56 +0800

Our Daily Journey: Tattoos Aren’t New | Romans 6:1-11

We are no longer slaves to sin. Romans 6:6

How well are you living out your identity as a slave of Jesus and no longer a slave to sin? What needs to change?
This question made me remember what our pastor at church said today: It’s not about what we do, but what Christ had already done. Looking at my life, even though it is obviously different from my pre-follower of Christ days, I am still not perfect. Sure, I go to church, I volunteer at ministries, I encourage people with God’s Words, I do my best to obey Him, I try to be nice to everyone, but there are still times when I make mistakes. I still sin. But I am thankful to God because He knows how weak I am. My salvation is not dependent on what I have to do, but on what Jesus Christ did on the cross. Whatever good works that I do now, it is in gratitude of the grace and mercy that God gave me, even though I did not deserve it.
However, Paul clearly states that salvation does not give us a license to sin. Jesus Christ should not only be our Savior, but the Lord of our lives. When we truly understand the gift of salvation, we realize that although good works can never save us, it is actually a proof of a person’s genuine desire to follow Christ. I may never be perfect, but I have experienced the transforming love and grace of Jesus. Therefore, it is my desire, not duty, to take drastic changes in my life to be able to put a smile on His face. The sinful things I did before has to stop. Lying, cheating, and purposely hurting other people should stop. It is not because I have to do it to earn salvation, but because I have already earned it, and I can’t even start to comprehend the cost of having my sins washed away by Jesus.

Our Daily Journey: Pushed Away | Galatians 6:1-10 Share each...

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 08:02:00 +0800

Our Daily Journey: Pushed Away | Galatians 6:1-10

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

How have you been too dependent on people? What happens when we place our security in another person and not in God?
Last November, I hit a hard wall when I had to take a break from studying at the university. My parents had promised to help me in my finances, but they failed to keep their promise due to unforeseen circumstances. They didn’t do it on purpose — but I felt so disappointed. I had trusted them to keep their promise and my education was affected.
God spoke through this devotional by reinforcing His command that our faith must be in Him and not in people, even though they are my parents. I was so confident that my parents would do what I wanted that I failed to pray to God about my finances. I trusted worldly ways of earning money, instead of trusting God’s provision. He reminded me of this today: Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence (Jeremiah 17:7).
I’m not saying that it’s wrong to trust other people, but God is clear that He is the only one who can never fail us. People can disappoint us — friends, parents, siblings, spouse, children, etc. But God will never let us down. Maybe sometimes He won’t give us the things that we ask for, but that’s because He knows what’s better for us.

Our Daily Journey: Groundhog Day | Ecclesiastes 1:1-10 Whenever...

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 08:03:00 +0800

Our Daily Journey: Groundhog Day | Ecclesiastes 1:1-10

Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone— especially to those in the family of faith. Galatians 6:10

Complete this sentence: My purpose in life is ___________________. What’s one good deed you can do for a colleague, friend, or neighbor this week?
My purpose in life is to follow God and do whatever makes Him smile.
Reading through today’s passage, I was amazed at King Solomon’s conclusion. This is something that I wouldn’t expect from a king who lived in splendor and glory. But he is right — life becomes so repetitive, and one day we’ll all wake up and realize how meaningless it is. We are born, allowed to spend several decades on earth, and then that’s it for our mortal life. There are only two choices in this repetitive life — to play along and do the mundane tasks given to us each day, or to live each day to its fullest by being a blessing to the people around you.
My life on earth is short, but God used this article to help me to think — how have I been a blessing to the people that I know? Have I grown cold by going through life’s daily routine, that I have forgotten how to touch other people’s lives? I know that I can’t be a hero everyday, but I pray that even in small ways, God will allow me to see different ways to make a difference in the lives of others. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith (Galatians 6:10)
You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father (Matthew 5:14-16). As Jesus’ follower, I wasn’t called to live an insignificant life. I am meant to be a salt to the earth, and live a life like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. I was called to make a difference, and whether it is in big or small ways, I know that I can give glory to God if I do it.

I feel so blessed to have a discipler who helps me assess, scrutinize, and check the real status of...

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 05:01:01 +0800

I feel so blessed to have a discipler who helps me assess, scrutinize, and check the real status of my heart. We had a “date” last night and as we talked, she helped of examine what was in my heart. Am I really doing okay? Am I escaping some things by focusing too much on work? Have I really been able to let go of a past hurt? Am I creating lies for myself to believe in? Is there something that I need to confess to God? Have I been making excuses to cover up for my pride? What are the real motives behind my actions?

Thank you God for the gift of accountability between me and my discipler.

On giving, and trusting God

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 06:44:00 +0800

Remember the Spiritual Gifts mentioned in the Bible? Some are leaders, some are teachers, some are encouragers, etc. If I’m going to be honest, the gift that I never really understood was the gift of giving. I wasn’t much of a giver, and it was only recently that I started faithfully tithing out of love for God, and not due to obligation. But you know what, I thank God because He is a patient Father who teaches His children with love.

I have this one cousin who gave birth to a baby girl a few weeks ago. She’s just 19, the father doesn’t have a job, and my cousin’s own father (my uncle) left them, which caused them to be financially unstable (he was the main provider for the family). She knows she had made some wrong decisions, but I know that now is not the time to tell her about that. She already knows it, she is mending her relationship with God, but the situation still remains — she hardly has money to feed the baby and visit a pediatrician. The baby has been sick for a few days now and hey boyfriend doesn’t seem to care much about the situation.

When I heard the news, I mentally ran through my expenses for this month and I knew that I only have enough for my daily allowance for food and transportation, and to pay off my bills. However, I knew that God was touching my heart to give. No, not to lend, but to give. I love my cousin but at that moment, I had a difficult time saying yes. What about my expenses, Lord? What if I run out of money before the end of the month? With all these questions, God’s answer was, trust Me.

I told her that I was going to help her financially, and gave her PHP X,XXX. Now, that’s the biggest amount that I have ever given someone, and still, I was worried about my own expenses. When I told her about it, she was in tears while telling me that she was just praying to God for help.

It felt so good to be used by God to help somebody else. God is powerful — He doesn’t need me to be able to help my cousin. He can just make money fall right into her palms, but on that day, God gave me a new lesson. He didn’t just bless my cousin… He also blessed me by giving me an unexplainable joy deep in my heart. It is joy that comes from knowing that despite my imperfections, God loves me and wants to use me to bless other people. He also helped me to stop doubting and questioning His provision, but to just trust Him even if I don’t understand things.

Truly, God is amazing. :)

Our Daily Journey: Ultimate Allegiance | John 8:31-58 Are You...

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:04:33 +0800

Our Daily Journey: Ultimate Allegiance | John 8:31-58

Are You greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do You think You are? John 8:53

Which religious heroes are you prone to idolize? How have your thoughts, words, and actions revolved around them rather than around Jesus?
Thankfully, I haven’t really gotten close to idolizing religious personalities more than Jesus. I am thankful to God, though, for the church that I attend right now, and the pastors, and my discipler. God had shown me that there are no accidents and coincidences when He brought me to that church, and He used that church and the people there to make me really know and love Him. However, I know that if I exalt these organizations and people too much, then I am in danger for idolatry. I pray that I will only look up to these people and set them as examples, and not ‘worship’ them more than I worship Jesus. This devotional also reminded me that I should pray for them. Having grown up in a family with full-time church workers as parents, I know that the danger of working without worshiping is always present. I will pray for our leaders at the church, that they will always put serving God as a priority, and not serving themselves. The same holds true to every Christian. There is the danger of pride, of forgetting that it is through God that we live, move, and have our being.
He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less (John 3:30).

Our Daily Journey: An Unlikely Route To Life | John 20:1-9 For...

Sun, 08 Apr 2012 08:01:22 +0800

Our Daily Journey: An Unlikely Route To Life | John 20:1-9

For until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. John 20:9

What do you need to die to today as you choose life in Jesus? How does Jesus’ resurrection affect your view of the present and the future?
I have been feeling spiritually down in the past few days. I felt like a failure for succumbing into temptation, to returning to a sinful habit that I had in the past. I felt bad for letting Jesus down. I even felt unworthy to read the Bible and spend some time with Him today, until I realized that this is the enemy’s lie. As I read through today’s devotional, I was once again reminded that I didn’t have to prove myself to God. Jesus paid the price for my sins, and although this is not a license to do anything I want, I know that I have been cleansed, forgiven, and saved. It’s all thanks to the sacrifice that Jesus willingly went through. As one Christian song says: Thank You for the cross, Lord / Thank You for the nail-pierced hand! I know that I am forever secure in God’s arms. There is hope for everyone who trusts in Jesus. There is a chance for renewal, cleansing, forgiveness, and a fresh start at life!

Our Daily Journey: Inside Information | Luke 18:31-34 Taking the...

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 08:00:05 +0800

Our Daily Journey: Inside Information | Luke 18:31-34

Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, “Listen, we’re going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true.” Luke 18:31

If you had been one of the disciples, how would you have responded to Jesus’ words about the coming events? How has Jesus prepared you for the future?
If I was one of the 12 disciples, I would have been really shocked to know what was ahead of me. I would probably even think of running away. I wouldn’t know what to feel if Jesus showed me that someday, He, the shepherd and leader of the disciples, would someday leave us to do work that would subject us to much persecution.
This is the reason why I thank God that He walks with me one step at a time. Sometimes I get frustrated and impatient when I am in a hurry to know what would happen in the future. I want to know where my life is going so that I can prepare myself. However, it would probably be scary. If I knew when I was a young child that I would someday be “robbed” of all the comfort and luxury that I have experienced, I would probably not want to have anything to do with God. God is good, though. Your word is a lamp to guide my feetand a light for my path (Psalm 119:105). A lamp can be dim and would probably only lighten up a few steps ahead of me, but that’s how God wants it. He wants me to trust in Him with every step that I make, even though I cannot see what lies ahead of me. In my life, He let me walk through periods of trials and problems so that He can strengthen my faith in Him.
I may not know what the future has for me, but God does, and that is enough for me to trust and obey Him to wherever He leads me.