Daily devotional, Jan 2, 2024 Foolish Vows

“If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin." Deuteronomy 23:21

The song “Broken Vow” is one of the saddest songs I have heard. It tells of a story of a woman who was asking her loved one why he broke his promise to her. The song got popular in the early 2000s as it was used in the hit Taiwanese TV Series “Meteor Garden,” and was recorded by multi-awarded American singer Josh Groban. 

Most likely, it became a hit because like many sad songs, a lot of people were able to relate to it. After all, how many of us have experienced such sad fate, and how many of us have personally broken promises we have made?

This 2024, let us refrain from making foolish vows that do not only hurt us, but hurt others and ultimately our Lord and Savior. For instance, how many times have we prayed earnestly to the Lord that we will refrain from committing our favorite sins just so he could take away our problems? And once we have already been freed from our affliction, we go back to our old ways, and forget what we have vowed before God.

"When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay." 
Ecclesiastes 5:4-5

In the above passage, the writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes echoed reminders from the Old Testament about making vows to God, adding that it would be better not to promise anything at all than renege on such. 
In the New Testament, Our Lord Jesus Christ himself emphasized this too, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew:

"Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil." 
Matthew 5:33-37

So let us not allow ourselves to make the mistake of promising something to the Lord or to anyone, and not following through. It is never wise to do such because it only means we do not have enough faith to offer a sacrifice to our Lord. It also shows that we do not have integrity to fulfill our commitments. It manifests as well that we are not credible enough because we cannot make others believe us without swearing to higher powers.

"Let not your mouth lead youinto sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear." Ecclesiastes 5:6-7

And in this season of making New Year’s resolutions, let us also keep ourselves from making personal commitments that we have no plans or mental resolve to uphold for the rest of our lives. Even seemingly trivial or harmless resolutions like eating healthier, exercising, or improving one’s character could hurt us when we do not stick to it.

The impact of a less healthier body and mind, will soon take a toll on one’s being. Apart from the practical impact, the fact that we are getting ourselves used to breaking our own personal commitments can make us callous over time when it comes to fulfilling our obligations for personal and spiritual growth.

If there’s anything that we can try to do this 2024 it is to keep worshipping the Lord in both the good times and the bad times. We have to pray and thank Him for the past, present, and even future blessings, and do His will as we await His plans to materialize in our life.

"Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!"
 Psalm 31:23-24

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on  Ecclesiastes 5:4-7, and Numbers 30:1-16 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: What vows did you make before the Lord that you have been holding unto until now? Are there any that you have failed to do?

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father, grant me the confidence to stick to the commitments that I promised to you and my fellowmen. I want to remain faithful to you my Lord and I never want to hurt you and others. Give me the strength and fortitude to keep my promises so that I could live a life that glorifies you. Amen.

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Daily Devotional, Nov 9, 2023 Disappearing Messages

"Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near; Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,and to our God, for he will freely pardon." Isaiah 55:6-7

Disappearing messages is a popular feature of most messaging apps. It makes messages including videos and photos disappear after a given time, or self-destruct as soon as it is viewed by the recipient. It is popular because it provides another layer of privacy for the message sender. However it may signify distrust, lack of veracity, and insincerity of both parties to the conversation

Like the disappearing messages, the Lord’s words can also vanish from our hearts when we become too stubborn to hear, understand, and live the lessons of the gospel. In the Parable of the Sower, our Savior Himself lectured about the four types of people that receive the Good News of salvation. The first type He likened to path soil where seeds of truth were not able to germinate as birds took them away:

"When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path." Matthew 13:19

When our hearts are hardened, the seeds of the Good News of peace and salvation cannot penetrate our minds and hearts, because like hard soil, our hearts are not receptive to Jesus’ truth. While we may listen to His words during Sunday Worship, or when we hear or read them in passing, it does not have a lasting effect on our lives since we are not interested in pursuing a deeper understanding due to blindness to our worldly pursuits. The Apostle Paul aptly explains this in his second letter to the Corinthians:

"And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." 
2 Corinthians 4:3-4

Examine yourself — when dealing with your problems, challenges, and even in your everyday life, does the word of the Lord echo in your ear? Or do you hear more of the discouraging remarks and negative thoughts sown by Satan himself as he whispers these lies to you?

Could it also be possible that you lack knowledge about the Lord’s promises and the truth of His mercy, goodness, and redemption because you have not spent enough time studying it?

That your day to day life is preoccupied with worldly cares hence you do not have enough energy and resolve to nurture a relationship with the Lord?

Or maybe you are guilty about the life you are living or the sins you have committed in the past, that you deem yourself unworthy of his saving grace? Whatever your reasons are for not seeking His word, know that living by it is the only way to save yourself. James, the brother of Jesus, underscored this truth:

"Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls." (James 1:21)

Unlike the disappearing messages of today, the messages found in the bible are everlasting, reliable, useful, and undoubtedly genuine words coming from the one true God:

"It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all." 
(1 Timothy 1:15)

And while disappearing messages can be used for unwholesome things like gossiping, rumor mongering, spreading lies, and even immorality, the Word of God can never be twisted to be an instrument of evil. Rather, it is only used to pursue righteousness for all:

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Let us open our hearts to the Word of God, build our lives upon it, and share it to others so that they too can enjoy eternal life with Christ Jesus.

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

Reflection Question: Is your heart receptive to God’s words? How can you make it more receptive so that you could sustain a lifestyle that pleases God?

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing me to seek you and receive assurance from your words and promises. Help me to trust you more so that I can start reaping the benefits of living a life in your presence. Amen.

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Daily devotional, November 7, 2023 Weaning a child

"But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother;like a weaned child I am content." Psalm 131:2

Somebody once said that weaning a child from either the breast or the bottle, could be one of the first real struggles and permanent adjustments we humans had to go through. Of course separating from one’s mother whenever she goes to work is not a permanent adjustment as she will come home later in the day, but weaning? It is permanent, and it can be very challenging for both the child and his mom. 

But as in any developmental milestone, weaning is a rite of passage that teaches little humans to be independent, explore other forms of nutrition, and see their mother in a different light apart from being a main source of sustenance.
In Psalm 131, King David painted a picture of a contented child that no longer seeks his mother for sustenance, but rather for the comfort of her presence:

"But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content." (Psalm 131:2)

We too, could follow the warrior-king’s example of being content with the Lord’s presence, and not seeking Him because of all that He can give and reward us. In Psalm 131:1 he says: “My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.”

As humans, we sometimes make the mistake of seeking the Lord to receive His blessings. And while the Lord will indeed bless us and will not change His mind about prospering the lives of those who love Him, we must realize that the Lord’s presence in our lives is the greatest gift we Christians could ever receive. Psalm 16:11 aptly encompasses this: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Once you have developed a strong relationship with God and have been accustomed to His presence in your life, you will notice a difference when He is not in your midst. He is still in your midst even when you have problems; but you depart from His presence when you sin or disobey Him. Yes life is not perfect, and the Lord did not promise a life without troubles (John 16:33), but when you live in the Lord’s presence, there is a calming and inexplicable peace within you that cannot be shaken off by worldly cares. John 14:27 quotes our Savior Jesus Christ promising to His disciples exactly that: “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.”

Yes, it is like the peace of a contented child who have learned that his mother remains present even if he could no longer nurse from her and get the gift of nourishment. It is the peace of giving up worldly pursuits to center one’s life to the will of the King who gives us real peace and real contentment.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites refused to go through with their journey in the wilderness when God said He will no longer go with them. “When the people heard this disastrous word, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments,” (Exodus 33:4). Without the Lord in our midst, we will find our lives meaningless, and the Israelites were well aware of this because they knew how it is to go through in their journey with the presence of God.

One of the ways to enjoy his comfort and presence is to intentionally spend time before the Lord. Quiet time can mean praying in your own room every morning, being alone in the garden of your home and praying there, or being in a quiet place in your office to talk to God, or even being before the blessed sacrament or chapel if there is one near your home or place of work. The idea is to continuously and regularly commune with God and take comfort in talking to Him about anything and everything. Jesus actually taught us how to do this: “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you,” (Matthew 6:6).

Of course you should also give time to listen to Him and this is by reading His word daily, reflecting on it, and applying it in your daily life. Weekly bible study with fellow believers, and going to church every Sunday to worship the Lord is also essential to living in His presence. Like a weaned child, we can remain dependent on God not because of His promises and gifts, but because we cannot bear to live our lives apart from Him.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 131 and Matthew 6:5-15 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Are you living in God’s presence? Do you seek Him for His gifts or for the comfort and peace of being in His midst?

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father, thank you for givng me the opportunity to seek you everyday. I want to stay in your presence not only because of every blessing you can reward me with, but because of the comfort and peace of having you in the center of my life.

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Daily devotional, November 6, 2023 White elephant

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." James 1:17

November is here and we are now approaching the season of giving. We will have Christmas parties here and there, and gifting galore. Experience tells us though that not every gift we give will be liked by the recipient, and vice versa. Hence, after the holiday season, groups of friends, office mates, and even relatives get together for a “white elephant’ gift exchange where every attendee is asked to bring a gift she received which she sees no use for, and exchange it with others.

As Christians, we are more than blessed to receive gifts from the Lord. Apart from the everyday blessings that sustain us, and the happy ones that surprise us, we have all received a “gift” from the Lord that allows us to be a blessing to others.

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 4:10-11

But unlike your usual holiday gifts which can be used in a white elephant gift exchange or be replaced in the store with a gift receipt, gifts from above are irrevocable. “For God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable,” Romans 11:29.

What God has given us and called us to do will never be taken from us. These includes the gifts and promises that He has for us since we were born “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully” (Romans 12:6-8). We can be sure that when he calls us to a specific ministry, that calling remains to be there regardless if we responded to it and did as He instructed, or not.

One of the best examples is Moses responding to God’s call to take the Israelites out of Egypt, and receiving at the same time God’s promise to be with Him on this mission: “And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain,” (Exodus 3:12). God did not renege on all his promises to Moses, and He did not revoke His calling.

One of the best preachers I know explained that responding to God’s calling does not automatically mean entering religious life such as priesthood, nunnery, or pastorhood. He said, it means using the gifts you have been given by the Lord to carry out the mission He has entrusted to us which is to preach the good news and make disciples of all nations.

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” Matthew 28:19-20.

We can achieve this mission depending on our gifts and calling. For instance if we are a student, then we can be active in Church and youth ministries. If we are a mom and we like to teach, then we can volunteer to teach on Sunday School. If we are musically inclined then why not join the choir or the worship team? If we have a knack for scheduling, organizing and administrative tasks then we can volunteer in church work and charitable missions. If we love helping out others who are struggling then we can join various ministries in relation to our existing profession or salvation experiences (drug addiction, women in crisis, prison ministry, elderly and hospice care, orphanage, etc). In the workplace, we can organize bible studies. Other simple yet impactful ways are if we have gifts in relation to the arts. For instance if you are gifted in photography, then why not take pictures of God’s creation and write wonderful reflections based from bible passages as its caption — so that your social media posts can help disseminate the Good News about Jesus? Same goes with painting, calligraphy, media arts, creative writing, and the like. We can all reach the unreached!

Now discerning one’s calling is something that we all have to find out ourselves. Our parents, teachers, and even church leaders cannot decipher that for us. By establishing and nurturing a personal relationship with the Lord, we get to be more perceptible in terms of hearing His voice, and realizing the truths He wants to reveal to us: “Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God” John 8:47.

By praying to Him everyday and spending time reading the bible, and learning about His words and life, we get to discover God’s messages to us, appreciate His gifts, and ultimately realize His calling. Let us abide by Him and carry out His mission for us.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Romans 11:29-36 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Are you aware of God’s special gift to you? Have you heard his calling so you could use these gifts?  

Conversation with the Lord:  Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for equipping me with special gifts so that I could carry out your calling, will and purpose for my life. Please allow me to discern what you have called me to do and guide me through its fruition. I love you Lord. Amen.    

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Daily Devotional, November 3, 2023 Kamikaze Pilots

"For your ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all your paths. The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast." Proverbs 5:21-22

Kamikaze pilots are known throughout history as brave Japanese men who went on suicide missions during the Second World War. Their deployment was part of the Japanese strategy to fight the Americans and the rest of their enemies. Men in their early twenties, embraced self-destruction but in the end were still unable to carry out their main mission which is to defeat the enemy.

Committing sin is tantamount to embracing self-destruction. The damage may not be imminent, but it sure will take place one day. As one preacher puts it “anything done against God is self destructive.” If we will think about it, the sins that we commit do not only hurt the Lord, it stands to destroy us as we live out its consequences. In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul reminded the church to not allow themselves to be enslaved to sin given its spiritual repercussions: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23) 

Our Parish Priest keeps on telling us that we should know how to differentiate God’s punishment versus the consequences of our actions. For instance, getting jail time for stealing could be a punishment from God, but it is definitely the result of breaking the law. The same thing with getting deep into debt. Living paycheck after paycheck deep into debt is not a punishment from the Lord, but a natural consequence of covetousness that led you to swipe your credit card and live beyond your means.

When we turn away from God, we do not only destroy our personal relationship with him, we destroy our lives too. In his epistle, the disciple James warned “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:14-15). Since sin keeps us away from God mainly because of the guilt that we feel, we tend to create a gap between us and our Creator. When we fail to abide by Him and refuse to acknowledge His presence in our lives, we tend to make bad judgments and go for wrong choices. We get desensitized in committing what we think are small sins, until we find ourselves in the path of waywardness, further away from the Lord and fellow believers. 1 John 3:6 says: “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.”

The sad thing about the Kamikaze Suicide missions is that apart from taking the lives of its pilots, it proved to be an unsuccesful strategy in defeating the enemy. Most of the kamikaze planes missed their targets. When we are in sin, we will never reach our life goals. And even if we get to reach them, we will still feel defeated and empty because worldly success is fleeting and contentment seems elusive. Let us allow Jesus to fill in that emptiness in our hearts, by repenting of our sins and surrendering our lives to Him. He is not the enemy. He did not lay commandments for His sake, but for ours. These commands are meant to protect us from destroying ourselves and the people around us. By acknowledging that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior, we can destroy sin and enjoy the victory that our Heavenly Father offers. As 1 John 1:9 says: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

We will never have peace in our hearts when we are away from Jesus. Let us summon the courage to let go of our grasp on our evil ways and hold on to the one true God who saves us from self-destruction and lets us live our lives to the fullest. John 10:10 says “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” It is never worth it to live a life apart from our Heavenly Father.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Romans 6:15-23 and Colossians 3:5-6 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Are you living in sin? Do you feel like you are self-destructing? 

Conversation with the Lord:  Heavenly Father, I place my heart on your hands and surrender my sins to you. Please take them away from me and allow me to thank you for keeping me from self-destructing. Allow me to realize that I can only live the best life if I abide by you. Amen.

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Daily devotional, November 1, 2023 Love from anonymous

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38

Last year, a prominent university in the United States received a substantial anonymous donation for its School of Nursing. This grant from an unidentified benefactor allowed deserving yet financially-challenged students to pursue a nursing career without going deep into student debt right after college. The endowment also went a long way as it did not only benefit the students, it also helped the community who is in need of more nurses to care for patients.

As Christians, we are called to share our blessings without having to inform everyone about our generous deed. This could be a challenge nowadays, as broadcasting charitable deeds in social media is almost a given, and seeking likes and positive reactions to it is second nature.

Jesus Christ Himself reminded us to refrain from publicizing such endeavors, and instead extend assistance to others quietly:

"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:2-4)

Our Heavenly Father asks us to remain humble in spite of our capacity and willingness to share our blessings. We should never brag about the good things that we have done and can continue to do because everything comes from the Lord, including the righteousness in our hearts. Proverbs 3:27 reminds us that “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.”

Apart from giving help without the klieg lights, we too have to give happily. The Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthian church about happily sharing what they have. In his second letter to them he emphasized that those who give should provide help sincerely: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver,” (2 Corinthians 9:7). In the preceding verse, Apostle Paul added that our sacrifices and generosity will not go unnoticed by the heavens: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”

Materially blessed people are even more expected to be open-handed. 1 Timothy 6:17-18 says: “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”
In the end, only the most sincere of intentions matter to our Heavenly Father. Let us be good and humble stewards of all the blessings that he has bestowed on us.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Matthew 6:1-8 and 1 Timothy 6:17-19to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: What kind of benefactor are you? Do you announce your endeavor to the world, or do you do your good deeds silently?

Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for giving us the capacity to help others using the blessings that you have bestowed upon us. Give us the spiritual discipline to refrain from calling attention to the good deeds that I do, and just do it with the aim of pleasing You alone. Amen.

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Daily devotional, October 28, 2023 Steward of Grace

"And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." Hebrews 13:16

One of the most common dreams of young girls is to become a stewardess or a flight attendant. And why not? They look lovely and poised, they are gracious as ever, and they patiently serve.

As Christians, we are also called to a life of stewardship. While we commonly hear preachings encouraging us to be good stewards of God’s material blessings, we all know that not everyone can comfortably give within their means. This however does not mean that the financially poor can no longer be steward.

In his Epistle, St. Peter encouraged believers to be stewards of whatever form of blessings he has received. “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10). And blessings do not only mean money or material possessions — it could mean time or talent. Even the poorest of the poor can give time to serve the underprivileged, and even the impoverished can share his talent, skill, or gift to the church and those who are in need.

More importantly, we can all be stewards of kindness and grace. The Lord has been so gracious, loving and merciful towards us that passing on that grace we received to others should be a default character within all of us:

"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." Galatians 6:10

There is a saying that humans are given two hands – one to be used for receiving blessings and the other one for sharing them. We should not withhold material and spiritual blessings from others because we ourselves do not deserve these graces. They are given to us because the Lord is righteous, loving and merciful.

"For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them." Matthew 25:29

Again, grace is kindness and blessings from the Lord that we do not even deserve. Since we do not deserve the Lord’s forgiveness, righteousness, spiritual and material possessions, the best way we can thank Him is by being good stewards of grace to others.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Colossians 3:12-17, to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Are you a good steward of God’s grace and mercy?

Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for being so gracious to me all my life Help me pass on this goodness to others so that I could be a good steward of your grace. Amen

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Daily devotional, October 27, 2023 Magnifying Glass

“The Lord is my light and salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?” PSALM 27:1

The magnifying glass is an excellent invention, helping people see even minute details of an object they are trying to examine. It can also act as a mini projector, and it can even start a campfire! Depending on the power of the magnifier, anyone can see the finest details and intricate design of even the smallest things.

It is innate for most of us to want to know every detail of things or events we are interested in. We tend to pour our time to examine the object, and study situations that we are curious about. There are times though that we channel this fixation on less productive things to magnify. For instance, we tend to magnify worrisome situations, regrets, and problematic issues that we encounter.

We unconsciously focus on the negatives and tend to expect things to turn out unfavorably for us. And like a magnifying glass used to start a fire, our over-scrutiny of our worries, regrets, and fears can burn us out and turn us into a weary and depressed person.

As Christians, we are urged to refrain from focusing our energy on our problems, especially those things that are beyond our control. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells us that our Heavenly Father knows all our concerns and we need not be anxious of the future:

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

In our quest for self-sufficiency we try to solve issues through our own power, instead of ceding total control to the Lord, who is sovereign above all. We over-analyze our concerns and we tend to magnify our problems, instead of magnifying the Lord’s presence in our lives. We forget that we have a Heavenly Father who created the universe and everything in it, whose power is limitless:

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

So how do we magnify the Lord’s presence in our lives? In a practical sense, it is by inviting the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. To invoke God’s spirit to guide us in everything that we do; from the choices we make, tackling matters before us, and carrying out an action plan actually to solve the challenges.

The Holy Spirit dwells among people who abide by the Lord. Those who follow His command and strive to live a blameless life. Persons who intentionally seek the Lord and acknowledge His presence day in and day out:

"And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”  John 14:16-17

There is no problem that is too big nor too small for the Lord. Let us magnify His presence in our lives, and minimize the problems that we have. Let us come to Him through daily prayer, bible reading, and weekly worship with fellow believers. Every person has a cross to carry, and God did not promise a life without problems. But if His spirit dwells in us, we can be sure that help is at hand, and that He will not allow us to perish:

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." 2 Peter 3:9

Let us take a cue from Mama Mary who exalted God’s presence in her life instead of focusing on the issues surrounding her sudden pregnancy, betrothal to St. Joseph, and the challenges that await her as she gives birth and face a life of raising our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ:

“And Mary said 'My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.' Luke 1:46-49

Whatever situation we find ourselves in, let us choose to focus on the truth that our Lord is almighty and sovereign. That He has our whole lives planned way before we have been formed in the wombs of our mothers. That He is in total control of everything, and that there is nothing impossible for Him.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Luke 1:46-55 and 2 Cor 12:6-10, to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: What do you magnify in your life? Are you choosing to magnify your problems or the Lord’s sovereignty and grace?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, I praise and thank you for being the Sovereign God that you are. For Lording over everything in this universe, and for ordaining all my days. Teach me to truly trust in you and magnify your presence in my life. I want to surrender all my cares and fears to you, because you are omnipotent and you are my savior and redeemer. Help me overcome my anxieties and worries and enjoy your peace and mercy, amen. 

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

Daily devotional, October 26, 2023 The Truth Teller

"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

One of the most famous fortune tellers in history was Marie Anne Lenormand. She was raised in a convent but she ran away and later on learned fortune telling through cards. Her loyal clientele included the wife of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, among other aristocrats of her time. She earned so much, and a type of contemporary tarot card deck was named after her. When she died, she left her enormous fortune to a relative, who burnt all her cards and divination tools as he is a devout Catholic.

Up to now, people from various cultures seek the counsel of fortune tellers to help them navigate their life issues, and predict their future. Unfortunately, these same people shun the real truth tellers in their lives, who only have their best interest in mind.

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." Psalm 1:1-2

Take a minute or two and think of the truth tellers you have came across in your life. These are the people who have told you objectively what they think of you, your actions, and of what may happen to you because of your choices. These could be your parents, siblings, an elder in the family, a friend, a teacher, a boss, or even a random colleague. Now think again, are these truth tellers still in your life? Do you still communicate with them, and how do you feel about them?

Most of the time out of guilt and shame, we get to antagonize the truth tellers in our life. Children rebel from their parents, siblings have friction with one another because of the ugly truths one spews against the other; friendships get broken when one seems overzealous to correct and rebuke. A teacher is branded as strict because she tells the truth about how the students behave. A boss is described as unreasonable because he chastises an erring underling. Villifying a truth teller is a tale as old as time, as most choose to hear what they wanted to hear, and shun the rebuke of well-meaning people.

King David had a truth teller in his life in the person of Nathan, his advisor and a prophet during his time. Nathan told David about his own wickedness when he committed adultery with the wife of his loyal soldier, and had this loyal soldier killed:

"Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites." 2 Samuel 12:9

Nathan did not mince words. He even used an analogy, and then later on blatantly explained what the analogy meant in the life of David. Fortunately, the king came to his senses and repented:

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me." PSALM 51:10-11

Nathan took a stand, and did not care whether he was speaking to someone of a high stature. God sent him, and Nathan was concerned about David. Nathan wanted David to know that he is doing something gravely wrong. Nowadays, only keyboard warriors are callous about what another person would think about the message he wants to convey. The anonymity seemed like a pill of courage for them. But us? We sometimes condone sins and wrongdoings, just to avoid altercation and hurting other people’s feelings. Some parents even think twice about disciplining their children because their self-esteem and confidence might get bruised. But this should not be so. In his Epistle, St. James reminded Christians to rebuke those who may be falling to sin:

"Let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." James 5:20

How about the presence of truth tellers in our life? Do we shoo them away? Do we cancel them? Like Nathan, John the Baptist was a truth teller who did not hold back the truth from a king who unlawfully wedded someone else’s wife. Unfortunately for him, King Herod beheaded him on the request of the daughter of his new wife.

"His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother." (Matthew 14:11)

You see, we have the power to keep the truth tellers in our life. We need them to remain on track in our spiritual growth. We need brave people who are willing to tell us when we are doing something ungodly. We need truth tellers who will lead us to the repentance that Christ requires of us:

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord," Acts 3:19

As they say, the truth shall set us free. And this truth is within our grasp: the bible tells us all of the truths we will need to know. God also uses truth tellers in our life to lead us back to Him. At the same breath we also need to be truth tellers ourselves. We should have the courage to be frank yet sincere in rebuking our fellow believers who may be falling into sin. This way, we can all rise again and spend Eternity with our King and Savior Jesus Christ:

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on 2 Samuel 12:1-16 and Psalm 51, to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Are you a truth teller? And do you still have in your life, the truth tellers God has blessed you with?

Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for sending truth tellers into my life. Forgive me for the times I may have despised them when they tried to correct me. Allow me to accept their sincere rebuke so that I could go on with my journey to your heart. Lord, allow me also to become a truth teller myself, and have the courage to sincerely correct those around me who may need to get back on their spiritual sojourn towards you and eternity. I love you my Jesus, Amen.

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

Daily devotional, October 25, 2023 The Only Regret

"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

The song entitled “Bakit ngayon ka lang” has been one of the mainstays in the singing repertoire on any videoke night. It speaks of regrets on why the singer met the person he is singing to, when his heart has already been committed to someone else. It is basically a song of regret, and to some degree, a song of betrayal.

As a Christian though, there will only be one regret that will linger in your mind once you commit your life to Jesus. That regret is your belated decision to forge an intimate relationship with your Lord and savior. That you should have tried knowing Jesus long before you became wayward; long before you were beset with the consequences of your ungodly choices; long before you needed to know your life’s purpose.

There is nothing to regret about knowing Jesus except the time in your life when you have still yet to know about Him and his loving mercy.

"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness," PSALM 30:11

It will be comforting to know though that He is working in our lives long before we decided to follow Him. That He has been pursuing us so that He could shower us with His boundless mercy and grace:

"For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me." Isaiah 45:4

It is never too late to start and nurture a close relationship with Jesus. He is always waiting for us, for our repentance. He promises that if we will come to terms with our sins, He will wash it away and take us into the shadow of His wings and guide us through life. In Psalm 32, a remorseful King David prayed:

"Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.' And you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you." PSALM 32:5-8

The same truth was echoed in St. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians: “yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:9-10)

So how do you foster a relationship with the Lord? Sit by His feet. Have intentional quiet time with Him early in the morning, before you start your day. Spend time listening to Him, by setting apart time for bible reading. At night, make sure to thank Him for His faithfulness throughout the day, and praise Him before going to sleep. Devote Sundays for worshiping God along with fellow believers, and try to find time studying His word with others, and spreading His truth to the unchurched. It is never too late nor too early to have Jesus in your life. When you come to really know Him, you will only regret the time of your life when you failed to recognize His presence.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 32, to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Do you have an intimate relationship with the Lord? If none, what hinders you from pursuing Him?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father,I praise and thank you for your loving kindness and mercy. For continuously calling and waiting on me to finally turn to you, and foster a close relationship with you. Help me remove the barriers that hinder me from acknowledging your presence in my life, so that I could enjoy time with you and live your will and purpose for me. Amen. 

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

Daily devotional, October 24, 2023 Skip ad

"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32

Having a playlist of either songs or videos is very helpful for people who work better while listening to background music or videos with topics they find interesting. You no longer need to choose each time a video is over, you can shuffle the songs, and even loop it so that you do not need to press on anything and get disturbed in what you are doing. It just goes on and on.

Our thoughts are like that too. When everything is silent, like when we are driving, or when we are about to sleep, thoughts recur in our mind, and situations that happened recently or even a long time ago get played back in our heads and elicit either a positive or negative reaction from us.  While most of us could get by and dismiss sad thoughts easily, not everyone is capable of that. Anxious thoughts and worries pervade the minds of some, and these get played back in their minds like a Youtube playlist on automatic loop.

As Christians, we are often reminded by our Church leaders that worrying and anxiety are a form of sin. It is tantamount to believing that God will not be able to help us in the distress we are feeling. That He is not faithful to His promises to us. St. Peter reminds us to bring all our anxieties to the Lord and do not allow the enemy to make us believe that our Heavenly Father will fail us:

“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. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:6-8

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus Himself tells us that there is no point in worrying. He says the Heavenly Father knows what we need and so we do not have to be anxious about our problems and provisions: “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:27)

When negative thoughts, regrets, and desperation keep on playing in our heads, we should remember to turn our eyes to Jesus. We should drown out the pervading voice that tells of our failures and past mistakes, with the voice that calls us to His mercy, righteousness, grace and salvation. Psalm 55:22 assures us: “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.”

The Apostle Paul even gave us a formula for surrendering all our worries to the Lord, and it can be found in his Letter to the Philippians:

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 5:5-7

St. Paul goes on to say that what we should focus on are good things. We should think of admirable and noble pursuits, as well as what is right and pure, instead of turning to what the world tells us to look at.

You see, even if our minds are filled with worrisome thoughts, desperate thoughts, and sometimes evil thoughts, the Lord will never tire to remind us that He is waiting for us to turn to Him. His messages are like those persistent ads in our playlist that we keep on skipping because we are too embroiled in our mud of sin, worry, and unhappiness. The devil on the other hand keeps on urging us to turn to sin so we can forget our problems. The enemy may even convince us to take our own lives because there is no solution to our woes. And sadly, some of us meditate on these thoughts instead of meditating on the truth that God wants to reveal to us. We keep on skipping those ads — messages — that remind us that the Lord came for us, redeemed us, and longs to bless us and take our worries and fears away:

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10

Let us plaster in our hearts the truth that God wants us to rejoice and be happy. He wants us to abide by Him and live a life that is genuine, pure, and peaceful. He is not promising a life without troubles, but He promises to never leave us — that He will stand in the fire beside us (Daniel 3:25); that He can calm a raging storm (Mark 4:39), and He provides (Luke 12:24). Let us surrender everything to Him, intentionally seek Him, refrain from skipping His ‘ads’ in our everyday lives, and magnify Him and His power in our hearts.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Matthew 16:25-34 and Philippians 4:4-9, to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: What keeps on playing in the playlist of your mind? Do you have recurring worries? When will you surrender these to Jesus?

Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for being such a wonderful Father for all of us. I praise and thank you that you are not wavering when it comes to calling me to come back to you and surrender my anxieties and fears to you. Help me have the confidence to just raise every bit of anxiety in my mind so that I can focus on you and live the life you planned out for me. Amen.

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Daily devotional, October 23, 2023 Saving for the future

"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" Mark 8:36

Ants are known to be one of the most diligent creatures on Earth. They work day in and day out to serve their queen by storing up food, caring for the young and protecting their abode. They all work so hard that they can bear up to 50x their body weight just to save for their future provisions. 

Like these ants, we humans also have the tendency to wear ourselves out to save for the future. The financial industry has various products that encourage adults to save money, invest funds, and make sure they have something to cover for emergency and unforeseen expenses. The problem though is sometimes we bear this burden too much that we forget that life happens while we are busy accumulating wealth and that there is eternity too.

In the Parable of the Rich Fool, Jesus tells us about a man who has stored up for himself way too many Earthly treasures, only to find out that His life was to be taken from him soon: ““But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’” (Luke 12:20). Sadly this story resonates for most of us who are preoccupied with acquiring wealth and ensuring our future and that of our loved ones. We work too hard just like ants who carry burdens much bigger than their bodies, only to find out that we did not spend enough time with our families, and we did not have time to store up treasures in heaven. 

We have been consumed by the values of this world that calls for over-accumulation of wealth, while dismissing the perils of spiritual bankruptcy. Romans 12:2 reminds us that our citizenship is in heaven and that we should remain on track in our spirituality so that we could live out God’s purpose for us: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” 

We should always remember that no matter how much we save for the future, we can never take these earthly treasures with us when we are gone: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous,” (Proverbs 13:22)

Spiritual investments on the other hand multiply in terms of our eternal life and the lives of our loved ones. If we will just take the time to leave a godly legacy to our children, give them a spiritual home by anchoring their faith in a church community that will feed their souls and encourage them to store up heavenly treasures, then we are all set for eternity. We can peacefully leave them because we know that they will not be fighting over material wealth once we are gone, instead they will continue to be bound together in love and worship to the one true God, who will sustain them and their future. The Gospel of Matthew reminds us: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal,” Matthew 6:19-20)

In the end, the best way to ensure that our children will live good lives long after we are gone, is to introduce them to Jesus. We have to encourage them to have a personal relationship with Him, and we must model the virtues of Christianity that they too can pass on to their own future children.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Luke 12:13-21 and James 5:1-6 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Where do your treasures lay? Have you stored up treasures in heaven?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, I praise and thank you for encouraging me to seek eternity with you. Allow me to recognize what is more important in life, so that I could enjoy your gift of family and loved ones. I want to bring these wonderful people to you too Lord so help me pass on a godly legacy to them, so we can all enjoy eternal life with you. Amen. 

The post Daily devotional: Saving for the future appeared first on Happy Pinay Mommy.

Daily devotional, October 21, 2023 The snail

"And with perseverance, the snail reached the ark." - Dr. Charles Spurgeon

The quote mentioned above was very visual to me. I was seeing a snail, painstakingly journeying towards Noah’s Ark, wanting to be saved from the Great Flood. To me, the author of that quote, Dr. Charles Spurgeon accurately captured God’s wonderful mercy for each of us, as he patiently waits for us to make our way to His heart.

One of the common hindrances to having a personal relationship with the Lord is a person’s guilt feelings towards his sins, failures, and past mistakes. We can hear some people say that they would surrender their life to Christ once they have “fully reformed” and have achieved a certain level of righteousness befitting a Christian. But this will never get us on track in our journey to the Lord’s heart, since we can never attain the standard of righteousness of the Lord if not for Jesus Christ. Jesus has already paid the price for the forgiveness of our sins, and all we have to do is to accept Him as our personal Lord and Savior. Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 

My favorite pastor uses the act of taking a shower as an analogy to explain how erroneous it is to think that we should be perfect first before submitting ourselves to God. He says, one does not clean himself before taking a shower because the act of showering itself will cleanse him. The same goes with surrendering our life to Christ. Jesus calls on us to come to Him so that He can wash away our sins, and be the new creation He designed us to be. In Romans 5:10 it was said: “For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

We should accept this saving grace while we can. No matter how slow we are in our journey to Christ-likeness, we can be sure that the Lord is patiently waiting for us to turn over a new leaf, and be the God-fearing person He wants us to be. 2 Peter 3:9 sums up the Lord’s willingness to forgive and patience towards us: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

He fully understands that as human beings, we cannot outrightly be perfect, and so He offers his grace and forgiveness as we strive to live a life that is pleasing to Him. Isaiah 43:25 proves how loving God is as He goes as far as saying that He can forget about all the mistakes that we have done: “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”

Let us take heart in the fact that the Lord patiently watches and waits for us no matter how slow our journey is towards Him. As long as we remain on the right track, we know that He is our Lord, and we are slowly but surely reflecting his light on others, we will reach eternity with him.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Romans 5 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Where are you in your journey to the Lord’s heart? Do you believe He is willing to meet you wherever you stand?

Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for being so patient and merciful to me, as I transform into the God-fearing person you would like me to be. I still make mistakes, and I am far from being perfect but I want you to know that I am fully committed to living a life that is pleasing to you. So please send me the Holy Spirit and empower me to change for the better, so that I can abide by you and shine your light on others too. Amen. 

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Daily Devotional, October 19, 2023 Wonderful Counselor

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

The word “guidance” is almost always positive. It means getting advice and helpful information in tackling a given issue. However, when spoken within the confines of a school, the word “guidance” suddenly turns into a terrifying one-word phrase, which usually meant scolding from both a school authority, and then later on by parents.  

Guidance counselors are usually stereotyped as a feisty ladies that breaks school fights, disciplines children, and puts school bullies where they belong. In truth though, most guidance counselors I have met can do all that without being the mean “minchin” children are scared of. School guidance counselors I have came across with both in my student and adult life were wonderful people. They usually majored in behavioral psychology, and try to understand little, immature humans the best way they can so that they turn out better adults when the time comes.

There is one Wonderful Counselor though who has been with us since day one. Whose wisdom is boundless and unfathomable. Whose guidance is never condescending, and does not illicit fear. He is fatherly when it comes to graciousness and mercy, mighty as the best protector ever, and his insights can never be rivaled. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” (Luke 9:6)

As Christians, we are being offered wisdom and guidance throughout our lives. In his letter to the Twelve Tribes, St. James assures us that we can ask the Lord for guidance: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you,” (James 1:5). He goes on to say that the wisdom given by the Lord will guide us in the correct path: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere,” (James 3:17).

When we need guidance, or help in making decisions and crucial choices in our life, let us not make the mistake of leaning on just the people around us. Yes, they may help through their experiences, but nothing compares to the guidance being offered to us by the Lord. Let us heed His counsel, because only He could lead us to the right decisions, and in righteous paths: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths,” Proverbs 3:5-6.

So how do we seek God’s guidance? Well, we should start building a personal relationship with Him. Have intentional quiet time or prayer the first hour of your mornings. Spend time reading His word, and meditate on them. Seek to expand your knowledge of Him, His character and His ways by joining bible studies and worshiping Him with fellow believers every Sunday. They say that us praying is talking to God, and we reading the bible and spending time to know about him more is Him talking to us. Soon if we intentionally put God as the center in our life, we will habitually seek Him as we make decisions on our life — both big and small.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and Isaiah 11:1-5 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Do you depend on the Lord for wisdom? What guidance do you need from Him today?

Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for offering your guidance and wisdom to us. Teach us to fully trust and rely on you for every choice that we make, and decision we undertake so that we can live a life that is pleasing to you. Amen 

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Daily devotional, October 18, 2023 Wall of fire

"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

Wall of fire, force field, electrified fence, barbed wire – these are perimeter guards meant to protect lives and possessions. Walls of the olden days are meant to keep enemies and prying eyes from launching attacks. thousands of years later, such safeguards are still being used for protection.

People also have their own personal guards, and I do not mean body men or security personnel. Each individual has his or her own, and it sort of activates as soon as he feels insecure. In a safety sense, people have this inner alarm that tells them to leave a particular area to avoid harm; in an emotional sense, it may trigger someone to clam up and just stop responding or leave the situation altogether.

Whether our personal guards are over active or calm, one thing is for sure, that the Lord has promised to protect us from both the seen and unseen danger lurking around us. We just have to ask Him: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14).

As long as we abide in the Lord’s commands, He vows to take care of us “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 118:6). He even goes as far as assuring us that He will fight the wicked who will destroy us. The Book of Deuteronomy has many of these promises, one of which is this verse: “I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run,” (Exodus 23:27),

While the enemies of today are not like that of yesteryear’s’ where we would need to physically defend ourselves, the Lord still does not waver in His promise to cover us with His mantle of protection. Most of today’s enemies would be haters, people who malign other people’s reputation for no reason, covetous people who may be plotting one’s ruin for their own gain, and plain bad people with bad intentions. What we should understand though is that the Lord protects us from these shadowy forces that hurt both our bodies and spirits, as long as we have a personal relationship with Him. This promise can be found in Isaiah 54:17 “No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”

And if in case these bad people managed to hurt us because the Lord has allowed that for some reason, we need not exact our own revenge because the Lord promises to fight for us. This promise can be found in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, the vow can be found in the Book of Deuteronomy: “Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.’” (Deuteronomy 32:35). Paul the Apostle quoted this passage in Deuteronomy in his Letter to the Romans: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord” (Romans 12:19).

God has never promised a problem-free, enemy-free life for us. What He guarantees though is that He has our backs as we journey through life: “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).

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Isaiah 41:8-20 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Have you surrendered all your fears to the Lord?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, I praise and thank you for taking away all my fears and for vowing to fight for me in my distress. Truly, I will put in your hands everything that bothers me because these are just small things to you, and as your child, I will fully trust that you will deal with these for me. Amen. 

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Daily devotional, October 17, 2023 Secret thoughts, secret actions

"Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!" Psalm 119:1

The piece entitled “Can you read my mind” is one of the songs in the Official Soundtrack of the movie Superman. It is that song that was played when Superman held the hands of a girl against the backdrop of the big full moon.  For those unfamiliar with the song or that 1978 movie, the girl in the song was asking Superman if she can read her thoughts and see the pictures she is thinking of.

Every person has private thoughts, some we want to reveal to specific people, some we choose to keep to ourselves. And as we age, and depending on our personality, we tend to develop the ability to conceal these thoughts more and more. Some even become emboldened to do things that should not be done, just because no one is looking.

As Christians we are cautioned about what we think and do when we are just by ourselves. St. Paul the Apostle said in his letter to the Romans that at the end times, the Lord will judge us for everything that we do, including those that only we know: “This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares,” (Romans 2:16). The same idea was also broached in the Book of Ecclesiastes “For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14).

So even if it is an evil thought against someone we cannot hate in the open, or omitting truths, spreading anonymous rumors or gossip online, or stealing even the smallest thing that no one may even discover, we should keep ourselves in check.
We should be conscious that everything that we do will be revealed in the end. The Gospel of Luke says this: “Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known,” (Luke 12:2).

As parents we should set an example of integrity to our children, and strive to become wonderful people whether in public or in the privacy of our own homes. We must not lead double lives of pleasantness when we are with other people, and then transform to be the mean queen when we are at home or alone with our thoughts. We should lead blameless lives in accordance to what the Lord has commanded and impressed upon us through His son Jesus Christ: “Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace,” (2 Peter 3:14). 

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Matthew 10:26-28 and Psalm 101 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Is your public life consistent with your private life? How can the Lord bridge the gap?

Conversation with the Lord: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for your never-ending mercies that lead me to paths of righteousness. I pray that as I intentionally follow you, I get to reflect your godly values into my life. Amen.

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Daily Devotional, October 14, 2023 The God that heals

"Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise." Jeremiah 17:4

I was listening to a speech the other day and what the speaker said made me think. “What has God done for you lately?” he asked, saying that the deed should not have been done many years ago, but instead very recent. He said, new testimonies are needed all the time as it means that God is present in your life.

So I thought about my answer, and I was happy because day after day I can say that God has been doing something for me. If I would be asked to share one that is a bit striking though, is maybe that one time when I volunteered for a big church project.

Like some women, I experience painful monthly periods. Like the one that you do not want to leave your home at all because you just want to curl up in a ball. At the time when the project was announced, I volunteered for it although I know that there is a chance that the week-long activity could fall into my period days. So I prayed and prayed and asked my children to pray for me too so that I could be well during those days because I really want to be part of that church work.

In my course of praying, I discovered that one of the names of our Almighty is Jehovah Rapha, which means the “God that heals.” He revealed this character in the Book of Exodus, as He provided water for the Israelites to drink: “If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.” (Exodus 15:26). And so, since then, I have been praying hard, and holding on to that characteristic and promise of our Heavenly King.

The activity week came, and yes, it coincided with the week of my period. My period should have started that same Monday of the project but for some reason my first period day came on the third day of the project. I usually experience cramps by Day 1, but the cramping came on the last day of our week-long activity. With the help of a one-time dose of pain relief med, I was able to volunteer until Friday. Was it just a coincidence? I don’t think so. It was the Lord’s mercy I believe.

What made me tear up though was how the Lord made sure I understood that He was the one who took my pain away. There was this four-year old kid in my group who had been extra clingy to me since day one of our program. Like he followed me all the time, made sure I was by his side all the time, sat at my lap each time he had the opportunity, and would just hold my hand the whole time. He was not like that with the other adult volunteers. Just to me.

At first I was just happy that he felt at home with me since the other kids were mostly adamant when their parents dropped them off. But day by day, I just got used to him being next to me. And do you know what his name is? His name is Rapha. And I really cried when my middle child pointed out how that kid’s name was just like God’s — JEHOVAH RAPHA. Yes, including the spelling. He could have been RAFA for Rafael right? But no. Every possession of him had that name labeled on it.

On the third day of the activity, I think even the project head noticed how clingy Rapha had been to me. She talked to me on the sidelines and explained to me that Rapha “was special.”

So I gave it some thought and indeed I think he really is special, but not the way the world paints it. I think that boy was special in a sense that he was like an angel, not leaving me the whole time. Clinging to me as if saying everything shall be alright. If he were indeed an angel sent by the Lord, then I would say he has accomplished his mission of not just healing me, but making me feel loved from above.

Some may see my healing story as too simple, or maybe just a plain coincidence, but for me, it is a miracle from my Heavenly Father. You see, our Lord is a God that heals both physical and emotional ailments, all we need to do is believe, abide, and ask. The Letter of Apostle James says: “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:1). At the end of the day, it is up to us to claim His promise of healing.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Luke 8:42-48 and Mark 2:5-12 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: What has God done for you recently?

Conversation with the Lord: Almighty Father, I praise and thank you for being the greatest physician, who can heal both seen and unseen wounds and affliction. I surrender all my heartaches and whatever ailments I may have, and those of my family. I know that you will heal us in your own time. Amen.

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Daily devotional, October 13, 2023 Truth in love for children

"The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction." Proverbs 16:21

As a mother, how many times have you caught yourself saying true yet hurtful things to your child? Like a criticism, that could otherwise have been said well enough to be constructive, but was so angrily uttered that it turned out downright mean and sarcastic?

I don’t know about you but I may have done that a couple of times more than I may want to admit, and so I pray for the grace to be able to tell my children truths in love.

You see, even the simplest things said harshly could end up leaving a mark on our children’s hearts. Like criticizing them about how lazy they are when it comes to tidying up their room, or how they lack initiative when it comes to studying. For some kids, these ugly truths might stick and instead of being able to rise from it,  they get to believe it way too much and live it out for the rest of their lives. 

The Apostle James reminds us to bridle our mouths as it can bring about destruction: “But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). We have to make sure that the fragile hearts of our children are protected from our venting of frustration whenever they misbehave.

St. Paul also called on the church to be more mindful of things they say to others: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29).

At the end of the day, we can still help our children improve their character by speaking the truth in love. This means, telling them what they need to know without being judgy, condescending, and most of all cranky.

We should not be on the other side of the scale though that is to allow them to become little bad people so that they will still like us as their parents and they won’t feel bad. We should instead wear our grown up pants, tell them what they need to hear in an age-appropriate manner, and talk to them while we are relaxed ourselves. Not talking while we are cleaning up the mess they made or just right after talking with the school’s prefect of discipline after we have been called in. As parents, our job is to raise God-fearing children, and we can never do this if we do not speak the truth in love to them, and certainly never if we speak it out in anger.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on James 3:1-12 and Ephesians 4:25-29 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: How do you tell your kids the truth about their mistakes and failures? Do you speak the truth in love or in anger?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me to keep myself in check whenever I try to raise my children well. Allow me to be more prudent and gentle to them in speech, so that they will grow up to be the godly people you intended them to be. Amen.

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Daily devotional, October 12, 2023 Sword of the Spirit

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

One of the most recognized weapons of war is the sword. But did you know that during medieval times, it is not as common on the battlefield because it takes a lot of training to use it, and so it is reserved for the noblest of men? Likewise, it needs sharpening after every battle, and so the knight has to go to a bladesmith who makes sure that his sword is sharp enough for the next encounter.

As Christians, we too are equipped with swords — the “Sword of the Spirit” that is. In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul encouraged the church there to put on the full armor of God in order to resist the devil’s schemes and to “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 10:17).”

By being knowledgeable of God’s word, we can decipher good and evil. We can easily spot Satan’s lies, which otherwise could have caused moral and spiritual damage in our life. “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4)

But knowledge is not enough, like knights, we should also train ourselves to follow and live the Word so that we can effectively use it in protecting our souls. We can do this by intentionally meditating on scripture day after day. Psalm 1:3-5 says “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.”

And just like the warrior that lives by the sword, we Christians are to live by the Word of God. Deuteronomy 8:3 says “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”

Intentionally seeking the Lord is important, and like fighting knights, we regularly need help from trained people and church leaders to sharpen our sword of spirit. By going to church, regularly attending bible study groups, and having fellowship with other with other believers we get to fine tune and refresh our weapon of war.

Knowing the word of God will indeed bring us to paths of righteousness, as only through it shall we know absolute truths and absolute morality.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Ephesians 6:10-18 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: Do you currently possess the “sword of the spirit?” If no, what are your plans to have it and if yes, how do you sharpen it?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, I praise and thank you for equipping us with the Sword of Spirit, which is your word. Allow us to fully take hold of it so that we can be protected from evil, and get to live a life that is pleasing to you. Amen. 

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Daily Devotional, October 10, 2023 Excruciating Rescue

"And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them." ISAIAH 42:16

Whenever we hear the word “rescue,” we immediately think of precarious situations and emergencies, where the one being rescued is in clear and present danger. But in our lives, there are crucial “rescues” that do not even involve distress or trauma. These rescues are free from drama, because the “victim” is not in pain, but having the time of his life in his comfort zone.

When we are in our comfort zones, we are oblivious to the long-term consequences of our actions and chosen lifestyle. We do not see that our daily pursuits are nothing but ticking time bombs that will shred our soul to pieces. We are, after all, happy and on cloud nine. Why would we need anyone to get us out of it? But the truth is, these comfort zones do not just prevent us from growing, it also puts us far from the Lord.

While the word “comfort zone” could not be found in the bible, the same description of this state has been repeated in it many times. God asked Abram to get out of His so that he could be the Father of all Nations (“So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran” GENESIS 12:4). And because of obedience, He lived through seeing the Lord’s promises to fruition.

God also nudged Moses to leave his comfort zone and lead Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. Of course Moses made excuses (“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” EXODUS 3:11), but in the end he abided.

In our lives, we will experience excruciating yet non-dramatic rescues from possible long-term problems. Maybe we have experienced it already but have not thought of it that way. We are suddenly reassigned to another work location, where if not for the transfer, we could have been involved in life-altering dilemmas like sexual immorality, grave misconduct, or breach in employee ethics. The consequences of such could affect our children and marriage, finances, and work records.

We could also be possibly redirected to cease our bad eating habits and live healthier by suffering an illness that could have been worse if we were not to seek medical intervention and lifestyle change. Another excruciating redemption is the death of a relationship that could otherwise lead to a stressful life decades later.

All of the above cause immediate pain, even trauma, hence we resist being rescued because living that “good life” is excruciatingly sad and painful for us. But we should always remember that God is sovereign and He does not waste any of our painful experiences and tears (“Whether for correction or for his land or for love, he causes it to happen.” JOB 37:13). Blessings in disguise usually mean long term peace and joy that follows short term pain and drama.

As long as we know who is in control, and we abide by Him, we should not be afraid where He leads us, because He has good plans for us, and He will not let us falter. (“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28) 

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Romans 12:1-2 and Genesis 12:1-9 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question:Is God rescuing you out of your comfort zone? Is it for you to abide in Him or for you to carry out His call to make disciples of all nations?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, I praise and thank you for carrying out excruciating rescues in my life. Thank you for taking me out of what I think are ideal situations, that in the end will serve as a spiritual pitfall for me. I love you my Lord and may you give me the confidence to fully embrace your great plans for my life. Amen.  

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