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Meekness and lowliness aren't for weak

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  Meekness and lowliness are dirty words in our culture. People associated them with weakness. But the Bible never associated them weakness. Just the opposite, meekness is power under control and lowliness is the path to greatness. We must learn that to be the greatest you must be the least.  The picture that comes to my mind when it comes to meekness and lowliness are the old kung fu movies . In the movies there are always bullies who are loud. They are strong and champions in their art. In their pride they think they can unbeatable. Then there is always this old man (or a young protagonist) who looks weak and unassuming. While the bullies are loud in their boastfulness, this old man tries to be unassuming as possible and even leave the area. The bullies thought this is weakness and tried to hurt the old man much to their regret. That lowly and meek old man happens to be some secret super martial arts expert.  Not all of us know martial arts. I am not. You probably a...
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Positional vs experiential forgiveness

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  I believe the Bible teaches 4 types of forgiveness.  First there is forgiveness at the Cross when Jesus died for the forgiveness of sins of the whole world. He is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. At the Cross, He removed sin as a barrier between God and man. Sin is no longer the reason why man cannot be with God. Instead the issue is have you believed in Jesus. If you do, you have access directly to God.  Then there is forgiveness at the point of faith just like Peter preach in Acts 10 . When we believe in Christ, all of our sins are forgiven. All the benefits of the Cross were credited in our account. We start the spiritual life with zero sins. This enables God to fellowship with us and to credit righteousness in our account. This happens only once. Once justified, justified forever.  Then there is familial forgiveness when believers confess their sins to God the Father. This happens as often as we recognize personal sins in our life and confess ...
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His mercy is new every morning

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  Lamentations 3:22-23 [22]The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. [23]They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. I hope you have thanked God this morning. Every morning that we wake up is God's grace in action.  Every morning is a demonstration of God's loving kindness and mercy. No matter your failures yesterday, if you wake up today, God is giving you a chance to redo. You didn't used up all of God's loving kindness and mercy yesterday. They are renewed every morning. There is more from where it came from.  Every morning is our chance to enjoy the love of our families. I thanked God that he wakes me up every morning to enjoy the rest of the day with my loved ones. Tomorrow is not promised so seize the moment. Date your wife, bond with your children, do things together. When we wake up, we are given the chance to record life and enjoy them later. We called them memories.  Every morning is a chance to overcome an...
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Perfect timing

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  In boxing, as well as in life, perfect timing is everything. Perfect timing wins wars, lands a project and earns prizes. And if you have been a Christian for awhile now, I am sure you have many experiences of how God came through at a perfect timing.  The problem is we have our own timing. James wrote of certain people who made plans apart from God: James 4:13 [13]Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."  James condemns this kind of man. He reminds him that you don't even know how long you will live or if you will even be alive tomorrow. This is just boasting, pride, on our part. This is our way of playing God.  Instead James admonished, James 4:15 [15]Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." Our job is to know God's will and align our plans and desires along that will. That includes time orientation.  Some...
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Pain gives us depth

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  We don't want pain. But if we are honest, it is under pressure testing of pain and failures that we discover the stuff we are made of. We achieved growth when we come to the end of ourselves and we learned to trust God for all things.  Yes it is painful. But it can also be edifying. Pain is the best pedagogue . Without realizing and accepting our own limitations and embracing God's power and grace, we won't grow to become the person God wanted us to be.  Athletes can practice their combinations and bag work all day. But without sparring and actual competition, there's no way to know what he can actually do. The same things happens in our life. We won't learn grace if we never actually step into the arena called life, experienced getting licked and depending on God's grace to remain standing. If the only thing we know is prosperity and success, we'll become complacent and weak. More importantly we will never know God's resurrection power .  It is only t...
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God will vindicate us in justice

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  By this time, naranasan na siguro nating lahat na maging biktima ng inhustisya , ang maging bahagi ng agenda ng ibang tao.  Ang ating natural response ay gumanti. Ang natural nating response ay ipagtanggol ang ating mga sarili at habulin at papanagutin ang gumawa ng mali.  Ang pamahalaan ay itinatag upang ipagtanggol ang matuwid at gantihan ang masama ngunit madalas ang pamahalaan ay inutil sa ganitong mga sitwasyon.  Dahil dito madalas na nilalagay natin sa ating mga kamay ang batas.  Stop! Binabaon lamang natin ang ating mga sarili sa mas malaking problema.  Kailangan nating magtiwalang hindi tayo pababayaan ng Diyos . Ang Diyos na hustisya ay sisiguruhing makakamit natin ito sa huli. Ang pananahimik ng Diyos ay hindi inhustisya, ito ay awa, upang magkaroon ang lahat ng pagkakataong makabalik sa Kaniya.  Dumating si Jesus upang tubusin ang sanlibutan sa pamamagitan ng Kaniyang dugong nabubo sa krus. Ang sinumang sumampalataya sa Kaniya ay hindi ma...
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Attitude is important

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  We are prone to major on what is external. When we measure success, we measure education, money and position. When we describe suffering, we focus on adverse circumstances or failed undertaking. But one thing we usually forget is God is in full control and a Christian with good attitude will be able to do well in both prosperity and adversity.  In the words of Paul , I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.  This is not a promise that simply by believing in Christ, you can become an NBA player or that you will pass the exam without studying.  It is a promise that through Christ you can survive (and thrive) in both prosperity ("full") and adversity ("empty").  When we are prosperous, do we have the humility to enjoy it without taking credit from God? Can we enjoy prosperity without falling into the thinking, "I am a self -made man ?" When we are in adversity, can we accept it with joy and say with Paul, "Therefore I am well content ...
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Function comes from position

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  Be holy for He is holy.  That is the goal for every Christians. We wanted to reflect the Father's holiness .  But when it comes to execution, Christians don't agree. Many focused on behaviour management. I guess because it is easier to see and Christians can be so performative. Many Christians think that holiness equals the number of Bible studies you attend, the prayer meetings you joined or the length of your prayers. I beg to disagree. Many unbelievers do this, and most are even more faithful than Christians because they think this is how they are saved.  In the words of a very wise theologian, long dead: Anything that an unbeliever can do is not the spiritual life .  The spiritual life requires a supernatural execution and that is why we need the Holy Spirit . Without the Holy Spirit, we can't live the spiritual life.  At point of salvation , the Holy Spirit puts us in Christ , and we share His eternal life , His holiness and His sonship, among many o...
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Self-care tip: Read your Bible

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  Self-care is a buzz today. Lahat ay ine-encourage na alagaan ang sarili. Nag-ehersisyo, healthy diet, stress free environment, at mga supplements. Yet there is one fundamental self-care tip na madalas malimutan. And that is caring for our soul.  Gaano ka ka-invested sa iyong personal na soul care ?  We spend a lot on healthy foods and supplements but naalala mo man lang kayang pakainin ang iyong kaluluwa? Ang Salita ng Diyos ang nagbibigay ng spiritual growth at nagbibigay ng proteksiyon sa ating mga isipan laban sa stress ng pang-araw-araw na pamumuhay.  We spend a lot on gym and home gym equipment to build muscles but have we invested the same sa ating spiritual muscles? Spiritual muscles grow when we use the Word of God to grow our faith in the midst of trials. Ngunit marami sa ating lumalayo sa Diyos kapag nahaharap sa mga pagsubok ng buhay.  We spend money for travels to find peace but ilan sa atin ang nag-i-invest sa prayers ( Philippians 4 )? It does...
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Peaceful heart even in raging storm

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  Madalaling mag-claim na "God is good" when everything is going right in your life. Ang tunay na sukatan ay kung masasabi mo ito when you're in the middle of a storm .  I am afraid napaka-soft ng mga Christians natin. Masaya tayong maglingkod kapag malusog ang katawan, may perang dumarating at matagumpaybang buhay. Ngunit sa sandaling dumating ang problema, ang ating reaksiyong ay indistinguishable sa mga hindi mananampalataya.  Ilang Cristianong tumigil maglingkod dahil sinisisi ang Diyos sa pagkakaroon ng sakit? Ilan ang hindi na nagsisimba nang magkaroon ng problemang ekonomikal ? Ilan ang tumalikod sa pananampalataya dahil sa pag-uusig ?  Ang mga kamay na masiglang kumakaway sa pagpuri ay nauunang kumaway mamaalam when things don't go their way. Ang mga labing nauunang mag- "I love you Lord" ay unang tumatakwil sa Kaniya kapag dumating ang mga pagsubok ng buhay.  Sa halip na gamitin ang mga pagsubok ng buhay bilang oportunidad upang gamitin ang doktrin...
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