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Amaziah: His heart has become proud

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  Ang kwento ni Amaziah ay makikita sa 2 Hari 14 at 2 Cronica 25 . Siya ay isang larawan kung bakit hindi dapat magpakampante ang mananampalataya sa kaniyang kabanalan. Kahit ang matuwid ay maaaring malaglag nang dahil sa kapalaluan.  He started well, 2; at mayroon siyang sense of justice, 3-4. Maaari niya sanang gamitin ang kaniyang posisyun upang maghiganti ngunit matapos ipapatay ang mga assassins ng kaniyang ama, hindi niya ginalaw ang pamilya nito.  Ngunit mayroon siyang tendency na umasa sa kamay ng tao. Sa kabila ng katotohanang sinasamahan siya ng Diyos, nagbayad siya ng tulong mula sa mga walang takot sa Diyos, 5-10. Nakinig siya sa propeta at pinauwi ang mga ito ngunit ang maling desisyong ito ay mayroong negatibong konsekwensiya.  Bagamat siya ay nagwagi laban sa mga Edomita , sinugod naman ng mga pinauwing Israelita ang mga bayan ng Juda .  Na hindi siya perpektong lumalakad sa daan ng Panginoon ay makikita sa kaniyang pagkumpiska sa mga diosdiosa...

Praying for a testimony sa harap ng mga kapitbahay

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  This is the 9th installment of prayer, Nieto-style .  After praying for the leaders of the community, sunod ko namang pinapanalangin ang aking mga kapitbahay. Mahalaga sa Cristianong magkaroon ng maayos na testimonyo sa harap ng mga hindi mananampalataya .  Pinapanalangin kong makita ng mga kapitbahay ang liyab ng aming pananampalataya . Makita nawa nila ang kasiyahan naming mga Cristiano sa paglilingkod sa Diyos.  Hinihiling kong ingatan kami ng Ama sa aming paglakad upang hindi matisod ang mga kapitbahay sa amin. Isang bagay ang itakwil nila ang evangelio dahil hindi ito katanggap-tanggap sa kanilang paningin. Ibang bagay ang itakwil nila ito dahil natisod sila sa masamang testimonyo.  Wala akong problemang tawaging snob. Pinipili ko ang aking sirkulo. Pero huwag nawa nilang alimurain dahil sa pagiging magnanakaw, lasenggero o basagulero.  Hinihiling kong gamitin kami ng Ama bilang testimonyo sa kanila upang kung kami man ay muling mag-imbita ng house...

Uzziah: Pride was his downfall

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  Azariah (also known as Uzziah ) started well. He is a warning how pride can fell even the most faithful of God's people.  2 Chronicles 26 :3-4 [3]Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem.[ 4]He did right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Amaziah had done. Uzziah started young but reign long. He also walked in righteous rule. Not as perfect as David (the standard for righteous leadership) but righteous enough to bring prosperity of God to the country.  2 Chronicles 26:5 [5]He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah , who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him.  He "continued to seek God" so he is not a casual believer. He has mentor in Zechariah. And this results to prosperity as "God prospered him." V6-15 showed that his seeking of the Lord results to him becoming ...

Prayer for the leaders

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  The 8th instalment of prayers, Nieto-style is prayers for the leaders. Matapos ipanalangin ang mga balo at maysakit, ipinapanalangin ko naman ang mga pinuno ng bayan. Ito ay bilang pagsunod sa  1 Timothy 2:1-4 [1]First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, [2]for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. [3]This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,[4]who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Hinihimok ni Pablong ipanalangin ang lahat ng mga pinuno. Hindi sinabi ni Pablong ipanalangin lamang ang mga mababait o ipanalangin lamang ang mga binoto ngunit ipanalangin ang lahat ng nasa kapangyarihan, mabuti man o marahas. After all, tayong mga Cristiano ay magkakaroon ng katahimikan kung tahimik ang ating bayan.  Ipinapanalangin kong una ay magkasundo sila at huwag nang mag-away-away ...

Prayers for the sick and the windows

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  This is the 7th installment of prayers, Nieto-style . This time the prayers are directed for the sick and widows .  I named all the sick and widowed members of the local church by name. Maliit lang ang aming congregation, less than two hundred at full strength (na natitipon lang to our shame kapag may kainan) so I can easily name them one by one.  I have a permanent list of sick people. Sila yung mga matatanda na at marami nang iniindang sakit. From time to time, may nadaragdag at naaalis na maysakit.  Pinapanalangin ko ang bendisyon ng mapagpala at mapagpagaling na kamay ng Diyos sa mga kapatid. Hinihiling kong hipuin niya ang mga pisikal at mental na karamdaman ng mga kapatid, na hindi ito makahadlang upang sila ay mag-aral ng Salita ng Diyos. Alam kong may hindi nakasisimba dahil nahahadlangan sila ng kalusugan. Hinihiling kong huwag itong mangyari sa kanila. Hinihiling ko ring kung may nag-aalaga sa kanila, ang mga ito ay hindi mahadlangan sa kanilang pag-aaral...

Lot: A warning to worldly believers

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  2 Peter 2:7 [7]and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men... I will be honest: kung ang pagbabasehan ko lang ay ang kwento ni Lot sa Genesis 11-19, hindi ko iisiping si Lot ay matuwid. Ngunit dahil sa ang Kasulatan ay hindi nagkakamali dahil sa ito ay kinasihan ng Espiritu Santo, wala akong magagawa kung hindi tanggaping matuwid si Lot.  Nagsimula ang kwento ni Lot sa Genesis 11 nang isama ni Abram (later Abraham) sa kaniyang paglisan sa Ur ng Caldea. One can say that this is partial disobedience sa parte ni Abram, something na hindi inutos ng Diyos dahil hindi naman si Lot bahagi ng sambahayan niya. Maybe kung hindi niya dinala si Lot, baka naiwasan niya ang maraming heart breaks nang paghahati ng lupain, ang nesesidad na saklolohan siya nang maging bihag ng digmaan at marahil hindi siya madaramay sa kalagayan ng Sodoma at Gomora. Marahil nahipo ng compassion si Abram. Ayaw niyang maiwan si Lot na nag-iisang manampalataya sa Ur. ...

Solomon: Everything is meaningless

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  1 Kings 3:6-9 [6]Then Solomon said, "You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. [7]Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. [8]Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. [9]So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?" Ecclesiastes 1:2 [2]"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity." Consider these two statements. They are made by the same person, several decades apart. The diffe...

Prayers for Free Grace ministries

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  This is the 6th installment of prayes, Nieto-style.  After praying for the (my) enemies, I prayed na ang mga local churches (in our immediate fellowship) na maging mga ilawan at haligi ng katotohanan sa kanilang mga komunidad na kinalalagyan. I would like to pray for all churches by name but that is imposible, so I limited myself to 4 or 5 I knew were of the same mind. I prayed that whatever I prayed for these local churches are also true for other local churches that named Christ as the only Savior.  Then I prayed for international and foreign ministries. Isa sa mga blessings ng FB ay nakilala ko ang maraming foreign ministries and ministers na may malayong abot. Hindi man namin maabot ang kanilang mga lugar, through prayers I am hoping that we can join in their ministries. I prayed na mas marami silang unbelievers na maabot ng gospel at maraming believers ang madala nila sa maturity through their Bible teaching ministries.  I also prayed for local propagation of ...

Jeroboam: a Revisionist Yahweh worship

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  1 Kings 11:31-39 [31]He said to Jeroboam , "Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes [32](but he will have one tribe, for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen from all the tribes of Israel), [33]because they have forsaken Me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon; and they have not walked in My ways, doing what is right in My sight and observing My statutes and My ordinances, as his father David did. [34]Nevertheless I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of My servant David whom I chose, who observed My commandments and My statutes; [35]but I will take the kingdom from his son's hand and give it to you, even ten tribes. [36]But to his son I wi...

Prayers for enemies

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  Matthew 5:10-12,44-45 [10]"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [11]"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. [12]Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Disciples and the World [44]But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [45]so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 1 Peter 3:8-9 [8]To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; [9]not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. This is the 5th instalment of prayers, Nieto-style...