Friendship: Brotherhood

A friend loves at all times, 

and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

Prov. 17:17 NIV

Friendship is a gift from God. It is a gift of pure joy that can be found in a relationship that is filled with adventures and happiness. It also gives comfort and assurance to those who are troubled. That is why, one must find a good friend that loves and cares not only during the glorious days but also during the tough times. A true friend “loves at all times”, he or she will never leave you even in times of difficulties and sorrows. He or she is the friend who stick around no matter what happen. A true friend is like “a brother” or sister. He or she is like a family that is always there and will accept, forgive and understand. God wants us to have real and faithful friend. He wants us to cherish this gift of relationship that is why we must be careful to choose our friends. Find the ones that are true and will be like a brother or a family. Find the one who believes in God and will tell you to do right and will not lead you to do wrong. Find someone who is a friend that loves at all times.    

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Friendship: Beware of Gossip

A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. Prov. 16:28

Chatting and talking with our friends makes our day better. We talk to our friends all the time. It doesn’t matter what, when and how. Sometimes, we call and chat with them over the phone for hours or sometimes meet up just to talk and spend time with them. This build the relationship with our friends.

However, not all talks and chats are beneficial. Some can be harmful, hurtful and devastating. Especially, when we start to talk about other people’s negative characters and features. Though many would enjoy criticizing another person negatively behind their back, this is not good and beneficial to our relationship with them. This not only impacts the subject but also ourselves and the friends we gossip with. Gossip can ruin our integrity as a friend and ruin our relationships. It is sad to know that twenty to thirty more years of good friendship can be broken and ruin because of gossip. This is true and most people experience it. Most would end up having more enemies than friends. That is why we must avoid gossiping and especially the gossipers. Do not be friends with those who does not care and are not sensitive to the feeling of others. We may enjoy gossiping at one point of time, but in the end, all it does is hurt and destroy someone. We must talk to uplift not to destroy. We must express blessings and not curse. We must build friendship and not ruin it. We must love our friends with all our hearts. We must be careful with our words. We must not gossip.

If you have been gossiping, it is not too late. God wants you to make good friends. Therefore, confess this sin to God and ask him to better your relationship with others. Let God bind the friendship that you have started and make it a wonderful and meaningful one. Have a blessed and wonderful day with your friend. God Bless!    

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Friendship: Friendship with the World

“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” James 4:4

Friendship is one of the best relationship we can ever find. However, not every friendship will benefit us well. Some friendship can affect us negatively. A good example of that is being friends with the world. This means loving and embracing the worldly and sinful things that it offers. Being friends with the world is “enmity against God”, for God does not tolerate sin. God is blameless, holy and righteous. He is without flaws. That is why God does not want us to indulge ourselves with sin.

God wants us to be righteous like he is. He wants us to see ourselves as his reflection. Therefore, we must follow God and avoid the sins of this world. The devil is always waiting for an opportunity for us to sin. He will make sin pleasant and good to deceive us so we may fall on his temptation. But as believers and followers of Christ, we must look away and never entertain the friendship that this world is offering. For in the end, the sinful world will perish and only those who are friends with God will be saved. But thanks be to God, that as long as we live, we have hope in him. We can always repent and turn away from our sins so we can be friends with him and be saved. Amen.

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The Power of Jesus

"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive."

1 Corinthians 15:22

     How wonderful it is to know that Jesus did it all. I can only imagine how difficult the process of atonement for the people of the Old Testament was. But thanks be to God our Father that he gave his only begotten son Jesus Christ to pay for our sins. Yes, indeed! He paid it all! With his own precious blood on the cross of Calvary. Because of the blood Jesus that was shed on that cross, we are now made alive in Christ. For we have all died because of sin but thanks be to God that we can shout hallelujah. Only through the blood of Jesus Christ that we can be made alive. He paid it all once and for all. That is why all who believe can enjoy a perfect eternal home filled with happiness and no sorrow. This is the power of Jesus. This is the power of the lamb of God that took away the sin of the world. Amen.

                                                         Praise be to our God!

I Call on the Lord in my Distress, and He Answers Me. Psalm 120:1

I was watching CSI this afternoon and it amuses me even now how quickly the authorities respond to a 911 call. They treat every situation with urgency and importance. They selflessly rescue everyone without even thinking that their lives could also be in danger. Even a kid at a very young age is already taught how to dial the number so in case of an emergency situation, he or she can be able to call for help. That is why here in the United States, whenever there is a car accident, a disaster or any kind of emergencies, 911 is the best number to call for it is the number set by the government to ensure that every citizen can get help whenever, wherever it is needed. However, not all emergencies can be taken care of this agency. There are urgent matters that only God can address. That is why God has also designated a lifeline for everyone to reach. Sadly, nowadays, even an adult doesn't even know how to use this God-given lifeline. Let's look at this verse closely: 

     "I call on the Lord in my distress and He answers me."

There are two things that I would like to share today: 

1. Acknowledgment of our trouble and weakness. As the psalmists says, "I call...in my distress". He accept the fact that he is in distress and like him, we must acknowledge our situation and see the need for help. Most of the time, we don't see the need for prayer so we don't pray. Our hearts are arrogant filled with sin and pride thinking that we can make it on our own so we feel like we do not need anyone not even God. But that's a big mistake. We need others and we especially need God. We need to confess our sins and tell God of what is troubling us.  

2. Acknowledgment of God's power. As the psalmist calls"...on the Lord...and He answers me." We must acknowledge the existence of God and the power of God in our lives. It doesn't matter how big or small your problem is, God can still help. God answers prayer and God always care. Notice that all the words in this verse are in the present form of the verb, which means God respond the same time we call. Like 911 24/7 emergency hotline, God prioritize every call and prayer that we have. He knows every cry is urgent and needs immediate attention and care. That is why we can pray anytime, anywhere and however you want it to be. What God wants is for us to call with sincere heart with faith that acknowledge his power over all our troubles and fear. Believe in his mighty power. Believe that God can do exceedingly what he has promise and that is to be faithfully listening and answering our prayers.   

Something to do: 

            Today, take some time to pause and pray. Let God know your needs. Let God know your situation. Call upon God in your distress and he will answer you and save you from all your troubles. May God bless you today!

The Power of Faith in God through Prayer

Jesus Cursed the Fig Tree (Mark 11:12-14)

            The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the seasons for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it. 

The Withered Fig Tree (Mark 11:20-25) NIV

“In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart but believes what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Jesus showed his disciples that there is no such thing as impossible when we ask God in faith and proclaim our faith in prayer. In this passage Jesus demonstrated the key elements of an answered prayer:

1. Have Faith in God

a. Faith - “Have faith…”

We need to have faith when we pray. We need to believe and hope that our prayer will be answered. We need to believe that it will be done.

b. God - “…in God”

 Notice that Jesus specifically said to pray in God. Not to any saints or anyone else but God. Because it is only God who can answer our prayers. He is the only one who can see our hearts and hear our prayers even when we pray in silence. Therefore, we must have faith in God alone.

2. Believe and not doubt

a. Believe- “believes what he says will happen” This is very important. Now that we know that we need to have faith in God, we must believe that God can do it and that our prayers will happen. That is why Jesus says it again by saying “believe that you have received it”. We must know who our God is. God is not just anybody, God owns the universe and everything we see. There is nothing impossible for him. So, whatever you need, believe that God is able to give it to you. “and it will be yours.” How wonderful it is to know that someone like our God would give extra special attention to our needs even the things that we want. God made us special and he wants us to know that as a Father, we can call on him through prayers and tell him what we need in our lives and believe that he can provide everything to us, even the most impossible things we can ever think of.

b. Doubt - “Does not doubt in his heart” Aside from our sins and wrong motives, this is one of the main reasons why so many of our prayers get hindered or delayed. This is because we are playing hide and seek with God. Sometimes we believe but sometimes we doubt our prayers. Doubting God is a sin and we must ask for his forgiveness every time we think that God is not able. For doubt is the absence of faith and without faith how are we able to believe that God can help. Therefore, doubt must be eliminated. We can do this, by counting our blessing, by giving thanks to God and by sharing our faith and blessing with others. So, when times comes that you feel like not doubting, there will be more things to remind you of God’s faithfulness.                

3. Forgive – “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Forgiveness is not easy, we need more than courage to forgive. We need to be selfless and humble. Moreover, we must lay it all to Jesus. We may think that a lot of people do not deserve forgiveness especially when they have done terrible things we cannot even imagine. But God said, we must forgive so that our sins must also be forgiven. We must pray for those who have wronged us, for Jesus will be our reconciliation.

If we go back to the story of the fig tree and the example of Jesus of the mountain throwing itself to the sea. We may wonder why he would use these kinds of examples. The mountain throwing itself to the sea seems so silly and humorous. But with wisdom, Jesus is just trying to imply that there is nothing impossible for God. That God has no boundaries and that even the mountain will obey him. Therefore, pray in faith in God. 

SOMETHING TO DO:

If there’s anything today that you would like to ask God, come to him in prayer and tell him everything that is in your heart. Tell God everything that you are longing for. It could be about a job, a broken relationship that you would want to be fixed, a dying marriage that you would want to be revived, or a tragedy that you want to move forward from. However big or small it is, God is always there to listen and yes! He would love to help you, just pray with faith in God, believe and not doubt, believe that you receive it and it will be yours. And when you pray, remember also to forgive. These are the words of Jesus. Pray and receive his answers today.

Success: There is Nothing Impossible with God.

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."  Proverbs 16:3

Question: As of this moment, can you consider yourself successful? Yes/No

Answer:  You can use the comment box for your answer.

Question: In which area of your life do you think you succeed?

Answer: You can use the comment box for your answer.

Question: Which area do you think you failed?

Answer: You can use the comment box for your answer.

Question: Which area are you still working on?

Answer: You can use the comment box for your answer.

As we all know "Success" is the accomplishment of something that you have been working on, for example a goal of losing 20 lbs. or a dream to become a professional in your line of work. Whatever it is, it is natural for us to aim success in our lives. However, success does not come easy. Many have spent much time even a life-time before they actually can say that they are successful. Some succeed at work but fail in marriage. And sadly even though they tried the hardest, some don't achieve it at all. Why? What is wrong? In this topic, we will see what God says about how to be successful and not only for just one aspect of our lives but in everything:  

• First is we need to "Commit" or have a sense of commitment to succeed. Have you ever known someone who does not have a sense of commitment? You can tell that there is something wrong with his/her life. It is like driving a car without knowing where to go.
• Second is to succeed in all aspects of life our commitment should be"to the Lord" our creator.  We need to seek him and his Words. We need to know what he thinks about our decisions. Whether it is small or big, the decision that we are gonna make should not only be decided by us or by our family, but we must also consider God's opinion. God can always help. His wisdom is supreme.

Why we should commit to the Lord?

• Because he is the Alpha and Omega and he knows everything, the past and even the future and he knows what will be the ending of everything. He knows if it will be good or not.

Just imagine God as the driver who knows the road so well that he will never accidentally drive you to a cliff and fall.

That is why..

• Third, we must commit to the Lord "whatever we do" meaning "all", no restriction, no reservation. Whether it is financial, family or even in our daily decision makings because God knows best.  Sometimes, some part of our lives are not doing good because we never ask God to help us with it, or even if we pray for it, we still do it our way not God's way. If we commit everything to the Lord, then the next word says..
• Fourth, "And your plans will succeed". "And" (used to connect words of the same part of speech, clauses, or sentences that are to be taken jointly) so success is always a part of obedience to his Word that is why the scripture joined the phrase "your plans will succeed" with committing or trusting God.  

Committing to Lord can change and better our lives. God does not want us to waste our lives to something that is not even good for us. If we commit ourselves to him, he will give us hope and open our eyes to what he thinks is best. If we commit to him, we must totally rely on his capability. We need faith in order to do this, we must believe and trust him.

Remember, God will never put to shame those who trust in him.

Therefore... "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Amen.

SOMETHING TO DO:

Now, remember the last question,  "Which area you are still working on?" Whatever area that is, commit this to the Lord and see how God works.   

PRAYER:

Dear Lord,

Thank you for everything that you have done for me at the cross. Thank you for saving me. Today, I want to commit myself to you, I know that you are my God and that you care for me, but I haven't committed myself to you lately. Please help me that you will be the center of my life. Please take over and help me succeed, not only in one part but in all aspects especially those that are not pleasing  unto you. Oh God, I cannot do this alone. Help me with everything. This is what I pray in Jesus name, Amen.  

Beginner's Guide to the Bible

Introduction to the Bible

This page is for new Christians and for people who are interested in studying the Bible. This is just the basic but is very important in navigating from cover to cover. To make it simpler and less complicated, I have enumerated the following for you:

1. Protestant: There are 66 (Canonized) books in the Bible.

2. The Bible is divided into two. First is called "The Old Testament" and the second part is called "The New Testament".

3. The Old Testament consists of 39 books.  

     A. (5) The Pentateuch /The Laws.

• Genesis
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Deuteronomy

    B. (12) History

• Joshua
• Judges
• Ruth
• 1 Samuel
• 2 Samuel
• 1 Kings
• 2 Kings
• 1 Chronicles
• 2 Chronicles
• Ezra
• Nehemiah
• Esther

    C. (5) Poetry

• Job
• Psalms
• Proverbs
• Ecclesiastes
• Song of Solomon

     D.  (5) Major Prophets

• Isaiah
• Jeremiah
• Lamentations
• Ezekiel
• Daniel

     E. Minor Prophets.

• Hosea
• Joel
• Amos
• Obadiah
• Jonah
• Micah
• Nahum
• Habakkuk
• Zephaniah
• Haggai
• Zechariah
• Malachi

4. The New Testament consists of 27 books.

    A. (4) Synoptic Gospel

• Matthew
• Mark
• Luke
• John

   B. (1) History

• Acts

   C. (9)Pauline Epistles' (To the Church)

• Romans
• 1 Corinthians
• 2 Corinthians
• Galatians
• Ephesians
• Philippians
• Colossians
• 1 Thessalonians
• 2 Thessalonians

    D. (4)Pauline Epistles' (To his Friends)

• 1 Timothy
• 2 Timothy
• Titus
• Philemon

    E. (9)General Epistles'

• Hebrews
• James
• 1 Peter
• 2 Peter
• 1 John
• 2 John
• 3 John
• Jude
• Revelation

How to Read/ Find the Scripture within the Bible:

When the pastor asks to turn your Bible to "Genesis 1:1" this is how to find it.

"Genesis 1:1" The word in red is the name of book where you can find the scripture.

"Genesis 1:1" The first number after the name of the book is the Chapter.

                         This number is bigger and can be seen usually at the beginning.

"Genesis 1:1" The number after the colon is the verse. This number is smaller than the Chapter.

                         This is usually found at the beginning of every sentence or paragraph.

Please see the illustration below:

God's Love and Faithfulness is New Every Morning.

First Thing in the Morning

Lamentations 3:22-23 and Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

Waking up being consumed by my first five minutes stressful thoughts of how to manage my life and all my responsibilities makes me like I don't want to wake up anymore. This kind of feeling is not only unique to me but to all. For some, this feelings could be once in a while, but sadly for most, stressful mornings could be daily. Like a husband stressed by his unwanted job or a single mother with three kids to feed, or maybe a college student trying to earn a degree. Stressful mornings affect not only ourselves but also the people that we live and work with. Moreover, that first five minutes of stressful thoughts can also affect your whole day.  But this is so contrary to what God wants our mornings to be. According to Lamentation3:22-23 (NIV): 

^22" Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.²³ They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Also in Isaiah 40:31 (NIV):

"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."

God is faithful and wants us to experience his love and faithfulness. But how are we going to experience his love and renewed strength every morning? As mentioned in the Scripture in order for us to have our strength renewed, we must HOPE IN THE LORD. This is a promise with a blessing from God. You must believe in God and hope in him then comes this unexpected rescue. Nothing is too small nor too big for him. God can do the impossible. Some think that their problem is too small for God to notice or to big and impossible for God to accomplish so instead of praying and reading the Bible first thing in the morning, they would rather consume themselves thinking of how to resolve their problems.  

The Bible itself proved and noted people who believed and hoped in God and have experienced the miraculous outcome of doing so. The same God that have done miraculous signs and wonder in the times of Abraham, Moses and Jacob is the same God that is present right now. The faithfulness and grace of God is new every morning and that is all we need. IF WE HOPE IN GOD, He will: 

1.  Renew our strength.

God will replenish our soul and will give us a renewed strength daily.

2.  We will soar on wings like eagle.

We can climb and reach for our dreams and though we may encounter the wind of troubles and hardships possibly come our way but like an eagle trying to reach the sky, we will soar, as God promised.

3. We can run and not grow weary.

Like an athlete supported by a coach and is aiming for the goal. We can run and know that our mighty coach is there leading and is present in every step of the way and in no time we can finish the race.  

4. We can walk and not faint.

As God is with us, we will never walk alone.

How wonderful to know that God is faithful and all his promises are true. Therefore, base on my experience, there is a huge difference between spending your morning with God from trying to figure life by yourself. My husband and I always pray in the morning and it makes a huge difference from not praying at all. For instance, when my husband and I forget to pray, all kinds of worriedness come to both of us, but when we pray we always experience peace. So I recommend the following: 

1. SPEND the FIRST 5 to 10 MINUTES of YOUR MORNING with God.

2. Read a verse or chapter of the BIBLE. I recommend Proverbs and Psalms for the beginners.

3. PRAY. Just tell God anything that is in your heart. Pour out your stress on him and ask him to be with you all throughout the day.

EXPERIMENT:

If you are not sure if it is true or not. Try to experiment and compare, A MORNING WITH GOD and A MORNING WITHOUT GOD. You will know the difference.

TODAY'S PRAYER:

Dear God,

Life is tough and it seems like even in the first five minutes of my day I am already consumed with all the daily stress of my life. Please show me how to believe and trust you. Please let me experience every morning and see the difference you can make and if my faith is not enough to believe, please show me who you are so that I may believe and worship you starting today. In the mighty name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

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