Daily devotional, May 8, 2024 Genetics

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." 
Proverbs 22:6

Most of our physical features are inherited from our parents. We could either get the hair color of our mom, and then the shape of the eyes of our dad. We could take after the body structure of our father, and then get the complexion of our mom. Sometimes though we get to inherit traits neither of our parents have but our grandparent or great grandparent has. In any case as they say, it all runs in the blood. 

But unlike genetics that can be automatically inherited, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation that comes with it can never be inherited by our children by default. Yes, we may bring them to church and teach them things about God, Jesus and the Bible, but it will be up to them if they will nurture a relationship with the Lord.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." Hebrews 11:6

A good example of this is the story of the High Priest Eli, who had two sons, Hophni and Phinehas who inherited priesthood by tradition. However, these two are not like their Father, they are immoral, they misuse the offerings and they do not conduct themselves correctly. Unfortunately, Eli failed to do something about the situation. He only rebuked them instead of disciplining them by letting them suffer the consequences of their actions. As a result, their whole family was punished by the Lord.

"And this that shall come upon your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you: both of them shall die on the same day." 
1 Samuel 2:34

As parents we have the huge responsibility of raising our children in Christ-likeness. However, we have to accept that we do not have full control over our children in terms of their resolve to follow Jesus, and their decision to have and nurture a personal relationship with Him. We can only bring them up in the knowledge of the Lord, and lead them to Christ by example.

If our children will see us as joyful and content people with a good relationship with the Lord, and putting God in the center of our lives and families, then they may just be inspired to walk the same path.

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

We have to understand that in the end, only our children can decide if they will pursue the gift of eternal life with Jesus. Saved households usually mean that the head of that household pursues to share the Gospel of Salvation to everyone, either by personal sharing or bringing them to someone who can share it to them.

It is never too late nor too early to seriously share the gift of faith to our children. We can encourage them to read the bible and reflect on it. Set a good example by being faithful in doing our quiet time. Teach them how to pray wholeheartedly to the Lord, and how to start bible reading and reflecting. Bring them to church, and then let them join Sunday School or Kids Church. Expose them to godly media content, and talk about the bible and Jesus to them and let it be a normal topic in your household.

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." 
Deuteronomy 6:5-7

We can never pass on our faith and relationship with the Lord to our children, but we can always influence them and show them a good example of what it is like to live a life with God at its center.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on 1 Samuel 2:22-36 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: How do you plan to influence your child to build a relationship with the Lord?

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father, thank you for blessing me with children. I pray my Lord, that they too will grow up to have a good relationship with you. Teach me Lord on how to raise them in Christlikeness, because I want to also see them in eternity with you. Amen

The post Daily devotional: Genetics appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, May 04, 2024 Asalto

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,who satisfies you with goodso that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103:2-5

“Asalto” is a Spanish word that means unforeseen, brutal attack against enemy forces. It is much like the word “assault.” In the Philippines though, it is used in a more positive note, specifically as a surprise party for someone celebrating his birthday.

As followers of Jesus, we worship a God who is so gracious and loving that He is often a God of surprises. He delights in making His people happy, much like a father wanting to give only the best to His children.

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever." 
Ephesians 3:20-21

Like children looking forward to a surprise from his parents, we should also be willing to wait on the Lord. We should remain unwavering on our faith. We should remain joyful despite challenging circumstances, pinning our hopes on the one true God that knows everything that happens to us, as He was the one who planned out our lives.

"Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever." 
Psalm 112:1-3

In the Old Testament, there are wonderful stories of people who have been pleasantly surprised by the overflowing goodness of the Lord. While they believe that the Lord is always gracious and abounding in love and mercy, their surrendering to His divine will made God’s blessing to them bigger and more precious than they could ever imagine.

For instance, Naomi, who lost her husband and two sons, had no other children nor grandchildren, almost conceded to a life of bitterness. She came back to her hometown to seek the God she turned away from. After many years, she was again blessed with a family, and not just a family — her new grandchild became the ancestor of the great King David, from whom the line of the Messiah rooted from.

"Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a redeemer, and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age, for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has given birth to him.” 
Ruth 4:14-15

Another lovely story of God-given surprises was that of Ruth, Naomi’s hardworking and loyal daughter-in-law. She already accepted her fate of being widowed at a young age, and decided to accompany her mother-in-law Ruth and join her in seeking the God of Israel. She worked hard and served her mother-in-law, until she came to the attention of a godly and prosperous Man named Boaz, who married her. They started a family, and as mentioned above, their firstborn is one of the ancestors of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

"And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman." 
Ruth 3:10-11

And while the common theme of the two above-mentioned stories is that both started on a sorrowful note, the Lord showed in the lives of the two women that if we decide to seek and love Him, and be faithful in what He asked us to do, He will bless us beyond our imagination.

"Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile." Jeremiah 29:12-14

You see, we can never outgive the Lord our God. If we surrender our lives to Him, by offering Him our time, treasure, talent, and walk in His ways, He will prosper us. And while this may not always mean financial blessing, it will mean blessings that only He can give. This could mean steadfast love, abounding mercy, guidance, joy that transcends circumstances, and more importantly the peace that transcends understanding. 

"Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." 
Malachi 3:10

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Ruth Chapter 4 and Psalm 103:1-15 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: How did God surprise you recently?

Conversation with the Lord:   Almighty God, thank you for being a God of heavenly surprises. Thank you for blessing me beyond my expectations. For loving me even during the times I am unlovable, and forgiving me and giving me a new life. Keep me under your wings Oh God, and wrap me in your love forever. Amen.

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Daily devotional, May 3, 2024 Cloak of invisibility

“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" John 14:15-17

One of the famous magical powers in folklore and mythology is the cloak of invisibility. This cloak in essence allows the wearer to be invisible or unseen by other people. And since the wearer is unseen, he holds an advantage against his enemies, making him stronger in a sense.

As followers of Jesus, we follow a God whom we cannot see. Unlike those who lived to see our Messiah, modern-day followers like us hold on to the Gospel, His words and His works to strengthen our faith.

"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 
1 Peter 1:8-9

Not seeing God physically does not mean we cannot experience Him. As followers of Christ, we have a wonderful privilege to dwell with Him here on Earth, while waiting for our life with Him in eternity. We get to experience His love, peace, providence, and protection, through His abiding presence in our lives.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” 
Isaiah 41:10

So how do we experience this abiding presence of God? In the Gospel of John, Jesus was quoted as saying that He will dwell with those who believe in Him, abide in His commands, and keep His words. This means that if we proclaim that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, accept Him as the Lord of our life and follow His commands. we get to experience Him.

"Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” 
John 14:21

When we have an intimate relationship with the Lord, we get to see his invisible hand working in our lives. Our eyes are opened to the many graces that he pours into our lives, day by day. We get to be conscious of His disciplining in us, and the rewards that He gives us for continuing to be faithful and fully dependent on Him.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." Isaiah 43:2

We get to appreciate both the small and the big blessings that He gives us. For instance, we get to thank Him for our car, and we thank Him as well for the parking space that became available just when we are running late. We thank Him for the ability to provide for our family, and the kind cashier in the check out lane who was gracious enough to be patient with our rowdy little kids in her checkout lane. Big or small, we thank Him for all.

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." 
Psalm 16:11

There are some things though that could keep us from seeing God’s invisible hand working in our lives. These things are sins, sorrow, and guilt. When we are committing our “favorite sins” and do not want to give them up, we fail to see God’s hand working in our lives. We are too embroiled in our mud that we forget that there is a God that sees the wrong things that we do, and that sooner or later we will experience both the natural consequences of our action, and the corrective hand of God disciplining us.

When we are too embroiled in sorrow for the challenges that we face, we tend to resent the Lord. We run away from Him instead of running to Him, because of the big emotions that we feel. Our deep grief then blinds us from seeing the wonderful work of the invisible God that continues to bless us throughout our depression and grief. We only see darkness, and we do not even want to move towards the light.

When we are too deep in guilt, we also do not see God’s invisible hand working in our lives. We are too ashamed to come to Him because of our mistakes and failures, that we head in the opposite direction. The never-ending cycle of guilt and shame covers our sight from the gracious and merciful work of the Heavenly Father in our lives.

So what are we to do? We should seek Him and ingrain in our minds that He is ready to forgive us, and He will never condemn us:

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set youfree from the law of sin and death." 
Romans 8:1-2

Whenever the enemy reminds us of our failures, and why we are not worthy to go to God and seek Him, we should tell ourselves that God loves us unconditionally. That even before we called on to Him, He already decided to give up His life to save us from eternal punishment.

"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

The invisible hand of God continues to work in our lives. He is there for us. He calls us to come to Him and He sees through our joy and tears. Let us enjoy His abiding presence in our everyday lives by surrendering our lives to Him, repenting and stepping away from our sins, and living a life of fellowship and obedience.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on John 14:15-31 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question:  Do you see God’s work in your life?

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father, thank you for being so good that you continue to work in my life even if sometimes I am not aware and not thankful of your presence. Give me the gift of fully knowing you intimately so that I could enjoy your abiding presence throughout my earthly life. Amen. 

The post Daily devotional: Cloak of invisibility appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, May 2, 2024 Transparent

"'Thus says the Lord: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.'" 
Jeremiah 17:5-6

I remember back in my elementary school days, we were encouraged to use transparent bags. According to our teachers, it makes it easier for them to see if we brought to school items that we should not be bringing. Since they could see through the contents of our bags, they no longer need to take the time to open and inspect each bag.

Our Heavenly Father does not need us to have transparent hearts and minds so that He could see through us, since He already knows everything. He even knows what will happen in our lives even before we were born. BUT, like my teachers, He wants transparency when it comes to what we are carrying. He wants to hear us pour our hearts on Him. He wants to hear our thoughts directly from us, and He wants us to bring over our fears, anxietties, and worries over to Him. In fact, He is even willing to listen if we have resentments towards Him. 

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Our Lord wants to hear from us. Yes, He knows what we need even before we ask Him, but He wants us to confide in Him. He wants us to declare our full dependence on Him.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." 
Jeremiah 17:7-8

In the Old Testament, there was a woman named Hannah who prayed so hard for a child. She was barren for the longest time yet she did not give up in prayer. She was taunted for her inability to conceive, and is saddened by all the vexations she received. Through it all though, she remained prayerful. She poured out her heart, her anger, bitterness, sadness and resentments before the Lord’s feet as she prayed in His temple. One time, she was so carried away in prayer that she caught the attention of the priest, who in turn thought that she was drunk.

"But Hannah answered, 'No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation.' Then Eli answered, 'Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition that you have made to him.'"
1 Samuel 1:15-17

While Hannah’s prayer took some time to be answered, she immediately responded in faith to the promise she received. Her countenance improved and she was happy again. As followers of Jesus, we are being encouraged to hold on to the Lord’s promises, and joyfully wait on Him. Trusting that whatever the way He plans to answer our prayers, it will be all for the best.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whohave been called according to his purpose." 
Romans 8:28

So how do we pour out our hearts to Jesus? We seek Him in prayer. We read and reflect on His words. We humble ourselves before Him, confess our sins and repent on them. We worship Him with others, and spend quiet time with Him daily. When we know that the only one who can help us is Jesus, we will have the peace that only He can give.

When we put all our trust in our own efforts and strength, we tend to get frustrated, anxious, and even very depressed. We need to realize that we have a God who waits for us to call on Him, because like any Father, He delights in giving the best for His children.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Jeremiah 17:5-8 and 1 Samuel 1:1-20 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Are you transparent with your feelings towards God?

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father thank you very much for wanting to have an intimate relationship with me. Thank you for calling me to confide in you, and leave my worries by your feet. Thank you for calling me to fellowship with you. I am forever grateful that you allow me to draw near Your presence. Amen.

The post Daily devotional: Transparent appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, May 1, 2024 Transient

"Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23:6

Backpacking is always a hit for some cultures. Some even quit their jobs and go backpacking around the world. Transient accommodations provide a safe and comfortable place for backpackers to rest and spend the night, and then consequently move on to their journey.

As followers of Jesus, we must open our homes to Jesus Christ our Savior. We should welcome Him and make Him stay with us our whole lives. And the way Jesus can enter our homes is through our hearts.

"Jesus answered him, 'If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.'" 
John 14:27

And we indeed are blessed if we find ourselves dwelling with the Lord. While we look forward to our eternal dwelling place in heaven, the Lord promises His indwelling with us here on Earth through the Holy Spirit. When we delight in Him and keep His words, He will remain with us.

"For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly." Psalm 84:10-11

When we open up our hearts to Jesus, we make ourselves conscious of His will for us. We strive to abide by His commands, and stay connected to Him. We make ourselves aware that He is the source of our strength.

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love," Ephesians 3:14-17

As mothers, we have the responsibility to raise our children to welcome Jesus joyfully in their hearts, in their lives. We have to let them know that in Jesus Christ we can seek refuge from all present and future troubles. We must testify to them by telling them that we have been shielded from past crises by sheltering under God’s wings.

"For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.On God rests my salvation and my glory;my mighty rock, my refuge is God." 
Psalm 62:5-7

It is by ingraining in our children’s minds that there is a higher power, who is Sovereign, and in control of every aspect in this world, that they can become resilient amid future adversities. That they will know in their hearts, that there is hope in God. That they can rest assured that if they fail, the Lord is gracious enough to forgive and grant us the chance to renew our lives and start on a clean slate.

We can make this happen by letting our children attend Sunday school. By exposing them in worship and bible study. By normalizing conversations about God and the bible at home. By praying with them consistently and teaching them to Love God above all and by showing them that God is our priority. Most of all by inviting God not as a transient or a guest, but as a permanent dweller in our home.

“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24:15

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 84 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Have you invited the Lord to dwell in your home?

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to seek you and invite you to dwell in my heart. I want to be in your presence for the rest of my life. I want my whole family to be with you and serve you. Give me the wisdom to get on this path my Lord, and seek to be with you always. Amen.

The post Daily devotional: Transient appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, April 30, 2024 Barriers

"When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." 
Psalm 34:17-18

There was a time when pink barriers were installed all over EDSA. Some liked it because it prevented buses from unloading their passengers anywhere they like and disrupting traffic flow. Some on the other hand agree it was effective but it is a bit crude because it shows that bus drivers lacked discipline. While there are others who claim that the barriers are just a safety hazard.

In our walk of faith, we could encounter barriers too. These barriers are the inevitable challenges and difficulties we will be facing as we go through life. Unfortunately, some challenges are too hurtful or deep, that it tends to barricade our sight from seeing God’s work in our lives.

When we get too embroiled in our troubles, we tend to just focus on them and no longer see the hand of God working through our circumstances. We forget that He is faithful, and that He knows what we are going through.

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:15-16

When the Prophet Elijah was way too overwhelmed with his circumstances, he lamented his situation and just prayed to God that he would die. But God did not allow him to die. Instead the Lord fed Elijah, allowed him to rest, and gave him a new purpose.

"But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” 
1 Kings 19:4-5

In our faith journey, we can also be like the Prophet Elijah. We can have answered prayers, yet one adversity can suddenly strike us down with immense grief. When this happens, we become depressed and fail to see what is beyond our adversities. We become blinded by our problems that we cannot see God’s blessings waiting behind the problems that we face.

But if we focus on the Lord, fix our eyes on Him and trust that He will allow us to get through our circumstances, we can experience the deliverance that only our Heavenly Father can carry out for us.

"The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles." 
Psalm 34:17

So how do we remove our gaze from our problems and reset our focus on the Lord? We seek Him. We seek Him amid the troubles we are going through. We read, reflect, and meditate on His words, and allow it to nourish us. We look back into our lives and recall his past deliverance from all our troubles. We worship Him and thank Him for his faithfulness amid our frailties and failures. We surround ourselves with people who also seek Him.

“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near;let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion on Him,and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." 
Isaiah 55:6-7

When we turn our sight towards the Lord, we get to eliminate the barriers that block our hearts from seeing what really matters. We get to push down the barricades of sin that keep us from pursuing the one true source of hope, strength, and love. When we focus on Jesus, we will be able to endure.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on 1 Kings 19:4-8 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: What are the barriers that keep you from seeing God’s faithfulness in your life?

Conversation with the Lord:  Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for always giving me hope. For offering your love to me amid my mistakes and weaknesses. Allow me to seek strength from your love, and help me to fix my eyes on you. Amen.

The post Daily devotional: Barriers appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, April 29, 2024 Resignation Letter

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7

One of the most challenging letters for any person to write is a resignation letter. It takes months (even a year or two for some people) to finally draft it, takes a lot of time to get the words right, and takes a lot of editing and revision. Some even take longer to submit than to draft their letter.

In my experience though the only thing that will make penning and submitting a resignation letter easier is when I have a really good reason to do so. And I believe I am not alone in this. The strong determination to leave a job for a better endeavor or to finally say goodbye to a source of stress, can push anyone to move quickly and hand that envelope to the boss.

If only we could have that strong determination to cede the full control of our lives to our Heavenly Father, then we can have peace that could transcend the various circumstances that we face.

"The Lord of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand," 
Isaiah 14:24

When we try so hard to control all the areas of our lives, we end up tired and frustrated. We should realize that we can never be in full control — we cannot fully control our business and finances, family members, relationships, our work arrangements and officemates, the weather, the traffic, even our pets!

We have to realize though that there is someone who does control everything. Someone who has the power to create and destroy. Someone who knows what will happen, and can delay it, make it stop, accelerate it, or make it slow down. God has the reins.

"That people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things." 
Isaiah 45:6-7

And so whenever we are being gripped by fear, and worry, we should think back to every promise He has made. We should call to mind every deliverance He has carried out in our lives in the past. And we should put our hope in Him because He cares for us.

"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all." 
1 Chronicles 29:11-12

So how do we get that confidence to lay our concerns by His feet and trust that He will take care of it? We can do that by surrendering our lives to Him. By making sure that our lives are in accordance with His will for us. And we know that we are following His will when we abide in Him and keep His words.

"Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” 
John 14:21

When we make the Lord our first in everything — our schedule, our interests, our finances, our plans, and in every aspect of our lives, we turn over the control of our lives to Him. And when we know that He is the one leading us, we can be sure that we are in good hands.

"The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?" 
Psalm 118:6

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Luke 12:22-26 and Philippians 4:4-9 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Have you ceded the control of your whole life to the Lord?

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father, thank you for being in control of my life and everyone else’s. Give me the confidence to fully trust in your love and plans my Lord, wso that I could eliminate the worries and fear that are gripping me tight. Amen. 

The post Daily devotional: The resignation letter appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, April 27, 2024 The buffet

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him." 
Psalm 34:8

One of the surefire ways to get oneself stuffed is to dine in an eat-all-you-can restaurant. A smorgasbord of everything that could appeal to one’s appetite. And since most buffet restaurants are relatively costly, diners try to make the most of the price they pay for and end up overeating.

As followers of Jesus we are also being called to dine in a buffet, but not of the food that perishes. To have sustenance that will truly satisfy without feeling uncomfortably full. The Book of the Prophet Isaiah quotes the invitation:

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." 
Isaiah 55:1

This invitation to a spread of food, is basically a call to us to come to Jesus. When we hunger and thirst for righteousness, it is He whom we should seek. His words will give us both spirit and life, and when we seek, meditate and abide in it, we could live a full life.

"Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,and delight yourselves in rich food."
 Isaiah 55:2

When we partake of what the Lord offers, He also promises that we will have eternal life. In the Gospel of John, Jesus was quoted as saying to a Samaritan woman that the water that He offers is not like the water that could only temporarily quench thirst.

"Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 
John 4:13-14

So how does the Lord fill us? We will be filled with the Lord when we surrender our lives to Him and make Him the center of our lives. When we abide in Him, and make every decision of our life rooted in His teachings, we will be filled with the Holy Spirit.

We get to be filled with His peace, and we will feel content – satiated — lacking in nothing. We do not look at what others have, instead we have a deep knowledge that since we have Jesus in our life, that is all that matters.

Likewise our hearts will be at peace because our conscience is clear and our mind is filled with God’s truth. When we dig into our memories, it is filled with stories of blessings and past deliverance. When we look into our present, our daily actions are guided by God’s loving words. And when we look into our future, we are filled with God’s hope.

"So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." 
Ephesians 3:17-19

Let us a take a cue form the Prophet Jeremiah, who amidst His seeming depression, and pain, continued to draw strength from God’s word. That his focus remained on God’s words and promises, and from there he tried his best to endure.

"Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts." 
Jeremiah 15:16

And so, when he uttered the prayer, the Lord responded and assured the prophet that He will protect and deliver Him.

"And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares the Lord." 
Jeremiah 15:20

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on John 4:5-26 and Jeremiah 15:15-20 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Do you also want to be filled with Jesus?

Conversation with the Lord:  Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for offering to fill me with your love and peace. I know that it is only you who can truly fill me up with good, and as such will lack nothing. Grant me the confidence to continue seeking you so that I could live a life filled with your abundant grace and mercy. Amen.

The post Daily devotional: The buffet appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, April 26, 2024 Assembly line worker

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20

Whenever we watch news about factories or any manufacturing business, chances are, the video will show an assembly line of workers, piecing together a final product. Each person has a role – an assignment to do, so that the whole line will end up with their desired output.

As followers of Jesus, we can see ourselves as a part of an assembly line of people working to encourage more and more individuals to turn to God. That as we take to heart God’s command to encourage others to follow Him, we ought to realize that our efforts will yield fruit as we work with other fellow followers who also want to lead people to Jesus.

"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." 
2 Timothy 4:2

When we have this type of mindset, we will be less disheartened when our efforts to invite others to church or to bible study, seem to fail. We will get to accept and understand that we are just seed-planters in the Lord’s field and it is up to the Lord to touch the heart of the person we are inviting.

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building." 
1 Corinthians 3:6-9

In the Parable of the Sower, the Lord explains the four types of soil where seeds are scattered. The soil can be likened to the people, while the seeds are the Word of God.

"When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Matthew 13:19-23

If we think of ourselves as one of the sowers, then we could at least continue sowing seeds of faith and the word of God on people that we meet. And while some may be ready and others are not, we can take heart that our efforts will not go to waste because somehow, our scattering of seeds could at least make the person aware of God’s word. And since we now understand that only God can prepare and cultivate that soil for planting, then we can just go on with our effort to sow the word of God.

"As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." 
2 Timothy 4:5

If we will think back into our lives, we will realize that it took more than one person to finally convince us to build a personal relationship with the Lord. That there was one person then who invited us to church, we did not have the time back then, and so we did not go. But then after some time, another person came up to us inviting us to participate in a church event. After which another person in our life invited us to a bible study group.

Until we finally said yes to the invitation, and we surrendered our life to Jesus. If we could just be that one person in the line of the many persons that encouraged us to be by Jesus’ feet, then we could be part of God’s kingdom workers who will also encourage others to be faithful to the Lord.

"And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also." 
2 Timothy 2:2

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Matthew 13:1-8 and 18-23 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Do you lose heart when you fail to lead others to Jesus?

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father, thank you very much for assuring me that my efforts count at following your command to make disciples of all nations. Give me the confidence to continue in my efforts to plant seeds of faith to others. Allow me to be one of your Kingdom workers, my Lord. Amen. 

The post Daily devotional: Assembly line worker appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, April 25, 2024 Total Wreck

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 
1 John 1:9

One of the worst things that could happen to a vehicle is to become a total wreck. Totally wrecked cars not only mean financial loss, it is also usually accompanied by death or severe life-altering injuries. And it does not usually end there, the incident also inflicts trauma on both the victims and their loved ones.

Nowadays, the word “total wreck” does not only allude to accidents and vehicular condition, it is also being used to describe someone who feels like they are in a bad physical or mental state.

As followers of Jesus, we can remind ourselves that no matter our past and what we are going through in the present, our Savior will never see us as a “total wreck.” In His eyes, we will always be His priceless creation that He will always hold dear.

"Since you are precious and honored in my sight and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life.”
Isaiah 43:4

We may see ourselves as a failure because the world may see us that way, but in Christ, we can be victorious. His presence in our life will remind us that our worth is not defined by how other people see us. That our true worth is in Him.

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

When we are parched beyond words for other people’s care, understanding and forgiveness, our Lord offers His merciful embrace. His hand of grace. When others cannot seem to let go of our mistakes, He gives us a chance to rest, recollect ourselves, and move forward.

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

When the persons nearest and dearest to us turn their backs on us one by one, the Lord assures us that He will stay.

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” 
Deuteronomy 31:6

And while He never promises a problem-free life, He assures us help to endure our trials. He promises to be there with us, walk with us, and deliver us. That He will give us the spiritual strength to outlast our difficulties, the means to withstand our trials, and the peace amidst the storms of our lives.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." 
John 14:27

And when we think that we are at the end of our rope, when we start to believe that there is no solution to any of our problems, let us remember that our Wonderful Lord promises life. He reminds us that He came to allow us to live a purposeful existence, and that He loved us even when we were still sinners.

"I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." 
John 10:9-11

As followers of Jesus, we should always remember that there is no sin that is beyond His pardon. That He will never condemn us. And as long as we repent and step away from our sins, He will forgive us and make us new. We can start a whole new life with Him even if we see ourselves as totally wrecked and completely damaged.

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." 
Ezekiel 36:26

All we need to do is to come to Him, accept His Lordship in our lives, ask for the forgiveness of our sins and stop doing them. Start a life of obedience. It is never too late to come to Him.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on 2 Corinthians 4:7:18 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Do you feel like a total wreck? How can knowing that Jesus sees you as His precious one  help you regain your confidence?

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father, thank you very much for assuring me that no one is beyond your grace, healing and mercy. Thank you for offering me the gift of new life. For allowing me to put my concerns by your feet. May you continue to strengthen me so that I can live a life of obedience to you. Amen.

The post Daily devotional: Total wreck appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, April 24, 2024 The dictionary

"For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything." 
1 John 3:20

I was an elementary student prior to the Google era, and so Mr. Webster is the one I sought for when I do not understand a certain word. My mom bought me a really big and thick dictionary and she taught me how to use it. I was amazed at how many words that big red dictionary held, and I often wondered how long it took them to compile all that information.

As followers of Jesus, we can rest assured that our God needs no reference tool just to understand us. He is all-knowing that He knows our thoughts and actions even before they are formed.

"O Lord, you have searched me and known me!You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways." Psalm 139:1-3

In one of his more popular Psalms, King David shared his amazement at how God fully understands us. That He is gracious enough to know where we are coming from in terms of our responses to various situations in our lives, hence King David’s prayer and praise:

"Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;it is high; I cannot attain it." 
Psalm 139:4-6

Our God understands everything that we do because He can see through our hearts. He is the God who sees, and just as we cannot hide anything from Him, He also sees everything that we do, and everything that other people do to us. We do not need to burden ourselves to explain too much because He hears all of our cries, and sees well beyond our tears. In fact, He knows what we need even before we ask Him.

"And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." 
Hebrews 4:13

Moreover, Jesus knows what we are going through because He has gone through hurts and various difficulties too. He knew how it is to hunger and thirst, be tempted, be ridiculed, be betrayed, face death, be persecuted, and endure hardship and sufferings. He knew how it is to say goodbye to his loved ones and leave them behind. He is not AND will never be indifferent to our pains.

"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin." 
Hebrews 4:15

God fully knows how it feels to be human, and so when we pray to Him, we can trust that He can empathize. So when others do not understand us, and when we sometimes feel like we do not even understand our own selves, we can take heart that there is someone up there who knows, who sees, who understands, and yet continuez to love us for who we are. He knows our backstories, and yet He still invites us to come back to Him, and form a loving relationship with Him. 

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” 
John 16:33

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Hebrews 4:12-16 and Psalm 139 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Do you feel like God understands your circumstances and pain?

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father, thank you for assuring me that you know me inside out. That you know my mistakes and yet you love me. That you see my efforts to be a better person for you. Give me the strength and confidence to continue pursuing you. Amen.

The post Daily devotional: The dictionary appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, April 23, 2024 Statistics

"Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life." 
Isaiah 43:4

During calamities and even in the recent pandemic, fatalities are reported through death tolls. Numbers upon numbers of people who succumbed to a tragedy are publicized, nameless and faceless for brevity’s sake and ease of reportage. News anchors highlight the fact that everyone should be careful, because once you perish, you will just be a number in the statistics.

And while the world just labels each death as just a number, we can be sure that each person — if He happens to be a follower of Jesus — will be known by the Heavenly Father by name.

"Precious in the sight of the Lord, is the death of his faithful servants." 
Psalm 116:15

As children of the one true God, we are given a new identity by our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been dead to sin and alive in our Savior. We have shed our old lives marked by sin, and a life of pursuing and abiding in Him.

"“You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” 
1 Peter 2:9

Our Lord assures us that He knows each one of us. That He cares for everything that happens to our lives. That we are not just part of His creation, but we are  significant to Him and we are loved.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." 
Isaiah 43:1-3

That He sees our pains and struggles, and ensures that all these will be for our own good. That He makes sure that no tear is wasted.

"You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?" 
Psalm 56:8

When we feel like God does not hear us, and does not even know where we are, we should remind ourselves that we are where God wants us to be. In the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul explained to the Athenians the vastness of God’s power that pre-determined every detail of our lives:

"And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us," 
Acts 17:26-17

In fact, our coming to Him is likewise recorded as He takes note of each of us that have accepted His lordship in our lives. Psalm 87 mentions how God has adopted us in His family:

"'I will record Rahaband Babylon among those who acknowledge me— Philistia too, and Tyre, along with Cush—and will say, ‘This one was born in Zion.’Indeed, of Zion it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High himself will establish her.”The Lord will write in the register of the peoples:“This one was born in Zion.” 
Psalm 87:4-6

We are not insignificant to the Lord. We are not just a number. We are not just part of a census of name and location. We are God’s one and only, much loved and much cared for — and we should always remind ourselves that.

"And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." Ephesians 3:18-19

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 87 and Ephesians 3:14-21 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: How do you remind yourself that you are significant in God’s eyes?

Conversation with the Lord:  Almighty Father, thank you for always assuring me that you love me and I am a gem in your eyes. Thank you for looking beyond my failures, imperfections, fears and anxieties. Give me the confidence to continue to seek you, so that I could soak up in your presence and feel your love abound. Amen.

The post Daily devotional: Statistics appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, April 20, 2024 The long aisle

"You shall no more be termed Forsaken,and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married." 
Isaiah 62:4

My friend jokingly says that the longer the aisle in a church, the better it is for wedding ceremonies. He explains, the longer the walk, the longer the chance for a person to think about the life-changing decision he is making. That the length of time it will take to get to the end of the line will be helpful in case he changes his mind and decides to run away.

As followers of Jesus, we can take heart that no matter the length of our life journey and what it entails, what is important is we know who is waiting for us at the end of our faith walk. That we are looking forward to eternity with our one Eternal Bridegroom who has been faithful to us since day one, and will never turn His back on us.

"I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." 
Isaiah 61:10

We must keep in mind that no matter the heartbreaks and challenges we experience in our lives, there is a good future that awaits us. That no matter who betrayed our trust, left us out in the cold, and broke our fragile heart, there is a one true God who sees through our brokenness, heals us, and makes us new.

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

That we must be confident that no matter our past sins, mistakes, and failures, He is faithful enough to forgive us as long as we repent. In the book of Hosea, God used the prophet’s life to demonstrate His love to the Israelites and His desire to re-uphold His covenant with them.

"I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you inrighteousness and justice, in love and compassion.I will betroth you in faithfulness,and you will acknowledge the Lord." 
Hosea 2:19-20

And just as a bride’s life-changing choice looms before her as she walks towards the altar, may our God-honoring choices lead us to the Lord. May it sanctify us enough to stand before our Eternal Bridegroom at the end of our faith walk.

'Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure'—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.'" 
Revelation 19:7-8

So what do we have to do to make sure that it is the Eternal Bridegroom that awaits us at the end of our lives? Well, we have to forge a good relationship with Him as early as now. We can do this by setting apart time in our daily lives to commune with Him through prayer and quiet time.

We should try to get to know Him more by reading His words and reflecting on them. Reflecting on how we can live out His teachings. Moreover, we can nourish our relationship with Him by allowing ourselves to get acquainted with His promises and be bold enough to claim them for ourselves. Lastly, we can form that strong bond with our Creator by worshipping Him, and seeking Him alongside other believers.

"And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." 
John 17:3

Equally important is to live out our faith and abide in Him, will help us remain faithful to Him. It is by having this intimate bond with the Lord will we get to ensure that it is our Eternal Bridegroom that awaits us on that day.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Isaiah 62:2-5 and Hosea 2:10-23 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Can you give your heart wholly to the Lord?

Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for giving me the gift of Eternal Life. Your presence in my life and your promise of eternity is what helps me get through all the challenges in my life. I love you Jesus. Amen.

The post Daily devotional: The long aisle appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, April 20, 2024 Exact Location

"And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us" 
Acts 17:26-27

Every avid online shopper and digital merchant has mastered every bit of description he can give to direct a customer or courier towards his place. Every landmark is important, every street name a must.

As followers of Jesus we have to take heart that we are exactly where God wants us to be. That since He is sovereign, He chose where we will stay, where we will build our home, and live our lives. In the Book about the Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul addressed Athenians and explained to them Who God is, His power and divine plans for every being:

"And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us," 
Acts 17:26-27

Sometimes, we may feel like we are not happy or at least thriving in one place. We wonder if there might be somewhere out there where life could be better for us. Where we could get the best out of life, and where we will be surrounded by more sensible people.

In times like these, we should remind ourselves that God is in control and that He has long planned out the blueprint of our life. Just like the above mentioned passage from the Acts of the Apostles, we have been planted where we are so that we could seek and find God. We just have to trust in His plan for us, and intentionally seek Him and build a relationship with Him.

"My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me,when as yet there was none of them." 
Psalm 139:15-16

One of the proofs that God is in control of where we live our lives is the story of Philip the Evangelist. Philip was guided by the Angel of God as He preached and performed miracles in Samaria, Jerusalem and Gaza, even up to Caesarea. Upon baptizing an Ethiopian Eunuch, he suddenly found himself mysteriously on another place to preach the Good News.

"And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea." 
Acts 8:39-40

If we will think about Philip’s story, then we can be sure that as long as we abide by the Lord and follow His will in our life, we will be exactly where He wants us to be. That we may experience persecution and challenges right where we are, but as long as He is with us, we do not have to worry because He will help us endure.

Now if we find ourselves still wondering about our purpose in life, and if we are indeed in the right place, then we should ask ourselves if we are living aligned to God’s purpose. Are we abiding in Him? Are we living out His mission for us?
Most of the time, we are at a loss because we do not seek out God’s guidance in our life. We head towards the direction that we think is best for us, without even considering which path the Lord wants us to take.

Let us take the time to seek Him by dutifully praying to Him daily. Intentionally allot time to read and reflect on His words. Be with other people who are seeking Him and studying the scriptures. Worship Him weekly alongside other believers.

It is by nourishing our relationship with the Lord where we will get to be in tune with His plans for us, and we get to fully trust and be confident of His love.

"The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken." Psalm 16:6-8

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Acts 8:26-40 and Psalm 139:7-18 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Do you believe that you are exactly where God wants you to be?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you for putting me in a place where I could fully maximize your plans for my life. Help me to follow you out of love and obedience, so that I could live a life that is glorifying to you. Amen. 

The post Daily devotional: Exact Location appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, April 19, 2024 To the left, to the right

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

I am not so sure about what Gen Z people will call it but my generation calls a person who “bursts bubbles” as a K.J. or Kill Joy. It could be a person of authority like a strict teacher, it could be an elder in the family like a parent, or an older sibling, or it could even be a conscientious friend.

Someone who will not think twice to point out the wrong but seemingly fun and harmless things that are being done by others. Someone who is responsible to put an end to meaningless or even hurtful pursuits.
But in hindsight, kill joys are not really killers of joy. They are just standing for what is right, and are just trying to shine their righteous light to eliminate darkness at least where he or she is.

"For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” 
John 3:20-21

If we take a closer look into our lives, we may see that sometimes, we are the killers of our own joy. We tend to compare our lives with others, and covet what we do not have.  The recent World Happiness Report showed data that for the first time in 20 years, one of the world’s richest and most powerful countries, the United States, failed to make it to the Top 20 happiest nations. It fell out of the top 20 because American Millennials reported a drastic drop in happiness, which experts attribute to social media use.

Talk about the famous quote of their 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt, who famously said that “Comparison is the thief of joy.” A thief of joy indeed.

As followers of Jesus, we are being encouraged to focus on our own lives and work for His glory. To not compare ourselves and our skills and gifts with others.

"Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding." 
2 Corinthians 10:12

That same theme of not looking to another, was somehow carried out in his letter to the Thessalonians. In that epistle, St. Paul urged believers there to mind their own business as they strive to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord:

"But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one." 
1 Thessalonians 4:10-12

And when we live our lives quietly, and we faithfully seek Him, and abide in Him, God promises that we will have contentment in our hearts. That we may not be the richest person in terms of material wealth, but we will feel that we lack nothing.

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." Psalm 34:8-10

Once we have discovered that God is the true source of joy, we will learn to see situations and things in a different light. We tend to align to His will, and see beyond what the world sees. And as we delight in His word and guidance, we will have the kind of joy that does not dissipate in our hearts. The joy that cannot be robbed from us, and may not even be understood by those who have yet to know the Lord:

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
Psalm 16:11

We live miserably because we keep on regretting our failures, and we let anxiety rule our days because we refuse to cast our worries on our Sovereign God. We lack joy because we keep on comparing ourselves and our own personal progress with others. It is high time that we give ourselves the chance to experience the joy offered by our one true God. Our God who is faithful to deliver us, who is more than glad to make us joyful, and who loves us despite our many mistakes and failures.

"Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls." 
1 Peter 1:8-9

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 34 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Have you discovered the true source of lasting joy?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you for being the real source of joy in my life. Allow me to see things differently, and focus on just seeking and abiding in you. I want to treasure in my heart, the joy that only you can give. Amen.

The post Daily devotional: To the left, to do right appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, 18 April 2024 Fruit Ninja

"Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in him." Proverbs 30:5

One of the earlier game apps that I enjoyed playing was Fruit Ninja. For those who are not familiar with the game, it basically just lets the player slash the fruits flying out from the bottom. And as the game progresses, the fruits appear out of nowhere at a much faster pace, forcing the player to slash fruits much quicker, and strategize about which fruit to slash first so that nothing will go unslashed.

As followers of Jesus, we too, have a sword that could slash sin, negativity, fear, anxieties, and sadness from our system. It is called the “Sword of the Spirit,” and according to the Apostle Paul this is the weapon that we can use to fight the schemes of the enemy:

"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints," 
Ephesians 6:17-18

The Sword of the Spirit is one of the elements of the whole armor of God that Apostle Paul talks about in his letter to the Ephesians. There he mentioned that followers of Jesus face real spiritual battles and only the Armor of God can help us survive such.

"Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," Ephesians 6:13-17

And indeed, the word of God helps us battle sins and the devices of the enemy. When we regularly feed ourselves the truth of God’s Word, our hearts tend to be more resilient from negative emotions, and the urge to sin. Since we know the truth, we are reminded constantly about sticking to it, and living our faith.

For a genuine believer these words spring out of the mind and the heart daily and more especially during stressful and trying times. The words can also be read in the person’s daily bible reading time, mentioned in an app or book devotional, randomly mentioned by a friend,repeated during a Sunday Sermon or group bible study or could even be heard in praise songs.

The bottomline is, the Lord gives us His words as assurances, so that we could endure the challenges that come our way.

"For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." 
Romans 15:4

And this is the reason why we are being encouraged to memorize bible passages. By meditating and trying to remember God’s words and His promises, we get to protect our hearts and minds from spiritual attacks that could derail us from living a peaceful life that is pleasing to God.

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." 

Hebrews 4:12

Having our “sword of the spirit” ready to use and on standby does not only benefit us. It also helps us to encourage others. We can remind those around us who are feeling weak and depressed that they should lean on the truth of God’s word.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." 
Colossians 3:16

So how do we harness this weapon the Lord has made available to us? Simple. We should delight in His word. We should set aside time to read and reflect on it. Get together with others to study it. Worship and intently listen to weekly church sermons. When we show interest and delight in the word of God, our Savior smiles down on us. Because it is when we seek Him, will He reveal ourselves to us.

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:12-13

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Ephesians 6:10-20 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Do you try to read and memorize the word of God?

Conversation with the Lord: Almighty Father, thank you for giving me your words to lean on, especially during my most trying times. Please continue blessing me with the time and the opportunity to study and meditate on it more, so that I could have a ready response to any spiritual attack that I will face. Amen. 

The post Daily devotional: Fruit Ninja appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, April 17, 2024 Summer Song

"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!" 
Isaiah 30:18

Whenever I hear Bob Marley’s song entitled “Waiting in vain,” I feel like I am being transported into an island paradise. It gives me the perfect summer vibes. A closer look at the lyrics of the song though will make you realize that the song is kind of sad. Here goes a clip: “Tears in my eyes burn, tears in my eyes burn. While I’m waiting, while I’m waiting for my turn. See. I don’t wanna wait in vain for your love.” Sad, right?

As followers of Jesus, we will never be put in such an awkward, frustrating, and lonely position. We do not even have to wait for His love, because He first loved us — imperfections, weaknesses, sins, failures, and all!

"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Now, it is a totally different thing when we would say that it is taking too long for God to answer our prayers. Well, it may be a surprise to you but the moment He heard your plea, He responds to it right away.

The thing is He answers the best way possible, and since He has a drone-like view of our life and our world, His response will not always be the kind of answer we think it should be. And yes it may be unpredictable, but we can trust that His response will be for our own good.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your waysand my thoughts than your thoughts." 
Isaiah 55:8-9

As we wait for the Lord to answer our prayers, we should reflect on what He is possibly telling us. Is He telling us to wait because we are not yet prepared to get what we have been praying for? Is He telling us ‘no’ because what we have been asking for is not good for us in the long run? 

Either way, we should remind ourselves that our Creator knows what we need even before we ask Him. That He will do what is best for us. Since He is the Beginning and the End, and He made the blueprint of our lives, He knows the best course of action on a given situation we are facing.

"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

But how do we know His answer to our prayers? How do we know how much longer to wait and pray before giving up?

Well, we will know the answer by continuously praying to Him, and listening to what He has to say. When we have a loving relationship with our God, and we take time to communicate with Him and read and study His words, we will hear His answers. We will know His will and we will receive His guidance.

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." 
John 10:27-28

Just like human relationships, forging a bond with our Lord and Savior takes time and effort. We have to prioritize Him in our daily schedule by setting apart time to pray to Him. We also have to dedicate time to read the bible and reflect on what is written on it and what the passages mean to our life and how we can apply it. We have to go worship Him on Sundays, and have fellowship with other believers who are also seeking Him. We must give him the center stage in our mind and heart.

"The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." Lamentations 3:25-26

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 130 and Lamentations 3:21-33  to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Are you still waiting for the Lord’s response to your prayer?

Conversation with the Lord:   Heavenly Father, thank you for assuring me that you are only doing what is best for me. Give me the confidence to just continue trusting in you and praying that my will be aligned to Yours. Amen.

The post Daily devotional: Summer song appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, April 16, 2024 Through the cracks

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7

One of the most common offenses of the children of my generation is breaking something at home. It could be a flower vase, a figurine, a plate or a favorite mug. Out of fear balanced with child-like hope, we try to fix the broken thing by piecing it together. But we all know that this is close to impossible. And even if it can be done, the cracks would show.

Followers of Jesus like us, have or will experience brokenness at one or even several points in our life. It is a given fact that we will go through challenges and difficulties, even if we have anchored our lives in the Lord. In the Gospel of John,  our Savior Himself told us that such seasons are part of our earthly existence:

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world." 
John 16:33

The problems that we have gone through usually change how we live our lives. It can traumatize us, cause us to get depressed or anxious, and can leave wounds that take long to heal. Some come out victorious and resilient, while others have a hard time coping. It can alter our mindset either positively or negatively depending on how we take it.

Truth be told though, traumatic events, which shatter our sense of attachment and security, hardly cause someone to feel positive right away. It usually takes time to get back to our normal selves — if we ever will. And so the scientific community usually recommends relaxation techniques that could at least negate our stress levels.

Psychotherapist Anne Power suggests that when we are about to go into full-on stress mode we should try to regulate our emotions by slowing down. She says we have to consciously try to breathe slowly and lower our heart rate, explaining “when we feel safe, that is when learning can take place,” hence we can discover opportunities for growth.

But what should we feed our mind as we try to slow down and relax our pace? What do we tell ourselves amidst the chaos around us, and the developments that shake us to our core? How do we move on victoriously amid the problems?

One good story in the Old Testament was the context of how Psalm 43 was written. In the midst of his depression, King David, reflected and tried to calm himself down. He wrote:

"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,my salvation and my God." Psalm 43:5

Through His brokenness, King David tried to make sense of his situation. He tried to calm himself by anchoring his hope on the Lord. The Lord who to King David’s mind, has the power to vindicate him, and take him out of the darkness that he is in.

"Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God." Psalm 43:3-4

Going through sadness, fears, and anxieties are not a sign that we have a weak faith. As one Jesuit said “the beauty of believing is not in the absence of doubt but in the courage to respond in faith even in the midst of the tension of unbelief, uncertainty, and brokenness.”  That as we reel from our fears, grief and anxiety brought about our brokenness, he said that we should allow Christ’s light to shine through our cracks.

One of the most quoted verses in the bible can be found at Matthew chapter 11, where Jesus calls on the weary to come to Him:

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Let us heed our Savior’s invitation to lay our fears, and anxieties on His feet. He may choose to not solve our problems right away, but He will definitely respond the best way He could, and for our own good. Let us slow down, and take our time to talk to Jesus about our cares and concerns. Let us listen to what He has to say by intentionally seeking Him through bible reading and reflection, regular churchgoing, and fellowshipping with other followers. Let us fill our minds with His love, because like any creation in this world, only our Creator can perfectly mend our brokenness.

"But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed." 
Isaiah 53:5

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 43  to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Is your brokenness keeping you from reaching out to God?

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father, thank you for being there for us. For allowing us to anchor on your love so that we will not be swept away by the storms of our lives. Give us a trusting heart, so that we too can help others to trust more in you. Amen.

The post Daily devotional: Through the cracks appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, April 15, 2024 The watchtower

"Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine." 
Psalm 33:18-19

Watchtowers are useful structures that have stood the test of time. In ancient times it was used to ensure the protection of a city against invaders. Guards are stationed in the tower to watch against threats to their kingdom or territory. In the medieval times, and up until now, it was used to watch over prisoners, especially in big detention areas. It is also currently being used in mountainous and heavily forested lands to detect wildfires at its earliest stage.

As followers of Jesus, we can rest assured that our Heavenly King watches over us 24 hours a day, seven days a week. He watches us to ensure our welfare and protection. His eye is on us to see to it that His divine will in our lives come into fruition.

"The Lord watches over you—the Lord is your shade at your right hand;the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night." 
Psalm 121:5-6

As the God who sees everything, He assures us that He hears our pleas. He guarantees us that He knows everything and that we should not fear because His love covers us:

"You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me." 
Psalm 56:8-9

Apart from His protection, His watchful eye is also meant to guide us and keep us on the right track. In Psalm 32 where King David in part spoke prophetically about God’s response to the restoration of their fellowship, God assures that His gaze will be our guide. This is akin to a parent letting his child know what the right thing to do is in a given situation just by only looking at him and the environment they are in:

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you." 
Psalm 32:8

And since His eye is on us, we need not be afraid of what other people will think of us. We will not be afraid of what others will say about us as long as we try our best to abide in the Lord.

"The Lord looks down from heaven; He sees all the children of man;from where He sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them alland observes all their deeds." 
Psalm 33:13-15

If we trust that the Lord sees everything that we do, and sees what is in our hearts, we can go through life without overthinking about other people judging us for what we do. We can get rid of that anxiety that cripples us from doing what we think is right. Besides, God promises us that our efforts to do good things will not go to waste:

"But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." 
Matthew 6:4

The Lord is a relational God. He sees us and everything we do. He sees the good that we do, and He sees our sins. These truths should at least further motivate us to continue nurturing the relationship we have with Him. It should assure us that He loves us so much that even if He knows our failures, weaknesses and waywardness, He still chooses to love us.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 33:13-22 and Psalm 121:3-8  to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Have you ever felt like God does not see you and your sufferings? Or the good works that you do?

Conversation with the Lord: Almighty Father, thank you for watching over my life. For assuring me that your loving eyes are on me and that you protect and counsel me. Give me the confidence to continue doing what is pleasing to your eyes, knowing that your joy should be my strength. Amen.

The post Daily devotional: The watchtower appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, April 13, 2024 Plant a seed

"But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect," 
1 Peter 3:15

In our faith journey, there comes a time when we feel like giving up on someone who has yet to heed our advice to follow Christ. We see the person suffering, we hear her complain, and she continues to ask for our advice, but what we say falls on deaf ears.

And while this may be frustrating, we should take heart that as followers of Jesus there are also limitations as to what we can do. While we are being called to spread the good news of salvation, acceptance of the gospel is something that is decided only by the person concerned. We have to accept that we do not have control over the timing or manner of her acceptance of the truth we are telling her, and only the Lord can open her eyes to it.

Let us take into consideration this passage from St. Paul the Apostle’s First Letter to the Corinthians:

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building." 
1 Corinthians 3:6-9

Our God controls everything. He could even choose to harden the heart of people to teach them a lesson (Romans 9:18). And while He loves us, there will come a time when He will let us endure the natural consequences of our sins so that we can come to our senses and realize that salvation and peace can only be experienced through Him.

"And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh," 
Ezekiel 11:19

Like our earthly parents, our Heavenly Father disciplines us by allowing us to experience His corrective hand, and the natural repercussions of the attitude we refuse to change and our persistent sins.

"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?" 
Hebrews 12:7

And so when this correction happens, the person being disciplined can hopefully come to her senses, get sick of her sins, and turn towards God. As an onlooker, we can only assure the person that there is salvation in Jesus, and as long as she is willing to confess and repent of her sins, the Lord is faithful enough to cleanse her from it and make her new. 

As the earlier passage mentioned it may take one, two or even more attempts to get her to accept the idea. She may not believe us at first, but if there will be others who will plant the same seeds of faith in her, then hopefully she will hear it when the Lord calls her back into His arms.

As St. Paul the Apostle says it is but realistic to see that people who do not know the Lord will not really think the same way believers think.

"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned." 
1 Corinthians 2:14

With the above passage, we can then surmise that our role is to faithfully and tirelessly plant seeds of faith that would hopefully bloom and inspire those around us about the truth that saves.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Hebrews 12:4-12 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Are you getting tired of sharing the gospel to someone who seems to reject it?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, I praise and thank you for giving me the opportunity to spread the good news of your salvation. Please give me a heart that endures frustrations when I mourn about other people’s rejection of the Good News. Give me an understanding heart that could move on and keep on planting seeds of faith on others. Amen.

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