ODB- Stand fast with insights

we need to “stay put” and remain faithful to God despite pressure from others.

Today, just as in ancient times, people may prompt us to shift our loyalty away from God and His truth. Yet with God’s help we can hold fast to the word of life (Phil. 2:16). If you feel pressured to enter a dangerous intersection of beliefs, study God’s Word, put on His armor (Eph. 6:10-18), and ask the Holy Spirit for help (1 Cor. 2:10-12). Then stand fast with your fellow believers in Christ.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
Stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you—
Ye dare not trust your own. —Duffield

To avoid being pulled into error, keep a firm grip on the truth.

Why we are sometimes turning away from God? Are we not contented? 

Truly, I was like King Solomon. Sometimes, I turn away from Him because I was tempted to do other things. 

But thanks God, God had established my heart to be a 'conscience heart'. He doesnt let Himself to be slip off. He was there may be silent but watching us if we are really tempted. If you are in the situation like that. Dont forget to pray to God. Dont forget to study His words because if we cant feel His answer reading Him is the other way to answer. Push yourself to be in His side. Cuz in His side was the truth. Nothing but the truth. 

ODB-humility. learn

Acts 18:24-28

New International Version (NIV)

²⁴ Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor^[a] and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. ²⁶ He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.
²⁷ When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. ²⁸ For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

In our Sunday Lesson, the way to stewardship is humility. Humility is just one of it. when I wander why there is humility but then there goes the answer from our Sunday School teacher. With humility you can open your heart and accept anything, it may be hurtful or brings happiness. God teach us to to be openly accept what is the truth. 

Learn to have humility. Learn to forgive. Learn to accept new things. You will never know that if its the best for you when you are closed.

ODB- Harvesting Time

While it may seem obvious that planting corn leads to harvesting corn, we sometimes deny the relationship between sowing and reaping in our spiritual lives. The apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be deceived . . . ; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). Living to please our flesh yields corruption in the form of wanting what isn’t ours, self-centeredness, and even substance abuse (5:19-21). Walking with the Spirit produces peace, kindness, and self-control (5:22-23). By God’s grace, we can choose to “sow to the Spirit” and reap eternal life (6:8).

Suppose Jesus declared today “harvest day” in our lives, and He asked us to gather up the yield of our everyday choices over the past year. What would we have to show Him?

Things of the world often pull at my heart,
But, Lord, help me see the end from the start;
Open my eyes to where my life’s going,
What I will reap from all I’ve been sowing. —K. DeHaan

The seeds we sow today determine
the kind of fruit we’ll reap tomorrow.

We may not feel that there is the harvesting time in our lives. We had focused our past or in the present situation and not minding what future will bring us what we do today. Be glad that God lets you think what is future ahead with Him. Help yourself to harvest many spiritual blessings in the future. For what you sow today is what you will reap in the future.

No sika a tao ket managpanpanunot ti dinadakes. Haan ka makigtot no dakes met ti maraep mo. :)

ODB- watching and waiting. it is worthwhile to have it

Are you in distress? Does the Lord seem distant and detached? He is not indifferent to your plight, nor is He unmoved by your pleas. He is waiting while His purposes are achieved. Then, at the right moment, He will intercede. God is never in a hurry, but He is always on time.

Turn not aside, discouraged one;
Stir up your gift, pursue your goal;
In God’s own time you’ll see Him work;
He’ll give you hope and lift your soul. —D. DeHaan

God is worth waiting for; His time is always best.

God's timing is the perfect time. People sometimes in a hurry. We ask for gifts to grant immediately. But dont feel in distress if God did not gave it to you. Because He has other plans and timing. It may seem that it is the best for you.So you blame God for not giving you the best gift. But God answers us in the most perfect timing. It may be hard to interpret when is the perfect timing but wait for me. if you are impatient just pray. Let God work for it. 

I had felt this situation.All i thought that God had put me more in dissatisfying situation. All i thought that God had left me. But through the help of my churchmates they help me to recover and explain why things happen like this one. And that time I had believe for perfect time. And perfect time takes time to have it. It was not as easy as getting it but it is worthwhile to own it. 

ODB- gears as spiritual gifts

Our spiritual gifts are needed in different ways at different times. Needs and circumstances change in unforeseeable and unpredictable ways. The apostle Paul reminded Titus, “Be ready for every good work” (Titus 3:1). May that be true of us as well.

Titus 3:1-8

King James Version (KJV)

3 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

² To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
³ For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
⁴ But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
⁵ Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
⁶ Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
⁷ That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
⁸ This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Wow! this verses are great.
We are not perfect. We commit pain, mistakes and hatred to one another.
But God did not abandon us for being like this. He gave His Son for us to be saved. Without Him, if we are abandon, we will be left behind hating each other. 
And for the our daily bible, I dont have any talents, I cannot sing, good in teaching children or even in sharing the word of God. I dont know why. But with His words, I know there will be time that He will help me. He will put me to his perfect time.
If you are like me, just BELIEVE in GOD that someday, in His time, you will be use in His ministry.
But just dont sit there, and wait for that time. Try also to stand up and practice what you got. :)

ODB- Before the Beginning.

When he was a teenager, my son asked me one of those questions that make you earn your pay as a parent. “Dad,” Steve inquired, “if God has existed for eternity, what was He doing before He created the universe?”

So, what was happening in the eons before “God created the heavens and the earth”? (Gen. 1:1). For one thing, we know that there was “wisdom” before creation itself, which came from God’s character. Wisdom, personified in Proverbs 8:23, said, “I have been established from everlasting, from the beginning, before there was ever an earth.”

Also, we know that God’s salvation plan of grace was in the works before the world was hung in its place. In 2 Timothy 1:9, we read that grace “was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” Likewise, Titus 1:2 says that eternal life was promised “before time began.” We also know that Jesus was glorified and loved in God’s presence “before the world was” (John 17:5; see also v.24).

These tiny glimpses of God before He created the earth help us see a little of the essence and magnitude of our awesome, eternal God. We see His majesty and greatness. Amazing, isn’t it? We worship a God who existed from the beginning . . . and beyond.

Great God of the universe, we stand amazed that
You are the Alpha and Omega—the Beginning
and the End—and so much more. Thank You
that we can worship and magnify You.

The created world is but a small parenthesis in eternity.
—Sir Thomas Browne

God is eternity. That is certain. But we may ask after the earth has  made what was God doing. The bible stated that there is wisdom before the earth. God is planning everything in perfect. :)

It is hard to tell what literally God did before. But He planned us to be saved in His grace. 

This is a knowledgeable fact cuz it seems that I had no idea about these things. What gives me ide is that God love us in the first place. He detailed all His plans that at the first place, He planned us to be saved....and to be with Him.

are you not happy that even you were not here in this earth God planned you to be saved? God indeed is a great planner!

ODB-interpreting God's words. Are we right or wrong?

Through our words and actions, we have opportunity to represent God’s Word in ways that genuinely reflect God’s heart. That is one of the greatest privileges of the Christian life.

Father, thank You for giving us Your Word to guide
our lives. May we give it the serious care and
handling it so richly deserves, and may we live it
out daily through our actions and attitudes. Amen.

God’s Word— handle with care.

It is true that we may sometimes misinterpret what the Bible says to us. Sometimes, it is also our way to correct other actions in good or in bad. 

But the question is, are we the right one who interpret the Lord's word most rightly? What if others are correct also. I mean they have their good points to defend their stand. then, this will begin the clashes of different parties. Is God trying us to debate us through His words?

I guess God does not want us to be like that. i think and I believe, we should use God's words in relation to oneness and not as means of coalition to anyone. Right? I think we became wrong when we interpret the bible as a way of correcting others. correcting that their interpretation is wrong. 

Well, this is what I knew. Basta, every time we read our bible, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to work with us. Right? we may be misinterpret it but always allow God to help us interpret His words. 

ODB- Work for it because you have the God's foundation

When a section of fence around our house blew down in a howling March wind, my first reaction was to blame the man who built it for me only a few months before. On further reflection, I knew the fault was mine. As the fence was nearing completion, I told him there was no need to replace four existing posts from the previous fence with new ones set in concrete. “Just attach the new fence to the old posts,” I said. “It will be fine.” It was—until the winds came.

Jesus told a powerful story to emphasize the importance of building our lives on the solid foundation of obeying His Word. “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand” (Matt. 7:24-26). When the wind and rain beat against the houses, only the one built on the rock remained standing.

Hearing God’s Word is essential, but doing what He says is the key to weathering the storms of life. It’s never too late to start building on the Rock.

The wise man builds his house on rock
Instead of sinking sand;
For when the storms of life descend,
That house will surely stand. —Sper

When the world around you is crumbling,
God is the Rock on which you can stand.

It is not enough to hear the word of God. Good thing that we know our responsibilities every Sunday that we need to hear the word of God. But the question is, am I practicing what I heard?

I am blessed every Sunday that I hear those preaching but after that I evaluate myself if I am doing it so. But it wasn't at all. It is better to be a man that is stable than a man who heard and knew everything but never work for it. 

Wag na tayong magbulag bulagan pa o magbingibingihan. May narinig tayo at gusto ng Diyos na sundin natin yun. Ginagawa ba natin? bakit? Ano pa ang rason ng pagpunta mo sa simbahan jkung ganyan lang din naman tayo. Apathy. Apathy. Apathy. 

Wag na sana  ating hintayin na ang Diyos ang gumawa sa ating sarili. Sana hindi...

Hangga't maaga pa gawin na natin ang dapat na nararapat. 

ODB. Satan is always making a way.

Lord, please use Your Word to touch the hearts of
those with whom we share it. We know that You
are the One who opens the eyes of the spiritually
blind. Don’t let Satan’s schemes win out.

We plant the seed; God gives the harvest.

Mark 4:1-20

King James Version (KJV)

4 And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.

² And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
³ Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
⁴ And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
⁵ And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
⁶ But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
⁷ And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
⁸ And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
⁹ And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
¹⁰ And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
¹¹ And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
¹² That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
¹³ And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
¹⁴ The sower soweth the word.
¹⁵ And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
¹⁶ And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
¹⁷ And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
¹⁸ And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
¹⁹ And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
²⁰ And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

I am blessed with this message today. This is my struggle every time I remind myself to have my devotion. I tend to forget my bible readings or even reading an inspirational message from "Our Daily Bread."

Why am I like this? Why am I being foolish to escape from doing the right things or the thing I am ought to do? Who am I to twist my responsibilities? Then, it comes Satan yo distract me.

What does Satan do to me? Well, he practically likes to get lost my attention. He wanted me to watch or text or to open my fb so I will be distracted. He continuous to distract me until I get really sleepy and in the end He wins. why? Because he played with a Son of God that has a little faith. he can let him follow him.

I am too much distracted in watching Justin bieber now in the internet. I am watching all day long of his music videos, pictures, his fan page, and the like. I render my time for my study like fro about an hour only and also my devotion. I just wasted my time and I am not productive at all. :(

This is because of me. I should not be hypnotize by the satan's work. I must always pray that I must be in a right track and not be distracted anymore. I dont want my spiritual life to be down. I hope I can by God's grace. 

ODB- a working church with my reflection

Lord, thank You for placing us into Your family and
giving us the privilege and responsibility to serve
You through our churches. May we be a shining light
of Your love to our communities and the world.

The church is a living body and must have working parts.

I am grateful that my church is a working church. Honestly, our church before the before was just a house. Members are sharing some amount to sustain its rental fees. And this is where they are worshiping before. Well, for now we are still renting the house for the Pastor's house and children's school during sunday. And it grew until we build our own legit church. :D

I came from a big church but I was not learning there. I found my CHurch way back in March 19, 2009 (spiritual  birth). This is where I grew much and learned a lot, not just with God but everyrthing in life- how to pray, to be strong, the true love. it was here. 

Yes, it was a small church but this is where you can find Jesus. The way is narrow towards Him. We may be insecure of some churches because they are large and elegat but it was not the basis of faith. 
Our church is built with a strong foundation of faith, a standing members in the walls, and a Pastor that shelters us with love and guidance. 
And I am happy being here. 

Help me pray that my church will grow more as the members have more concern with the ministry.  I pray for the inclination of their spiritual life. 

ODB- still in God's hand. with reflection

During my first year of seminary, I listened as a new friend described her life. Abandoned by her husband, she was raising two small children alone. Earning just over minimum wage, she had little chance of escaping the poverty and dangers she described in her neighborhood.

As a father, I was moved by her concern for her children, and asked, “How do you handle all of this?” She seemed surprised by my question and replied, “We are doing all we can do, and I must leave them in God’s hands.” Her trust in God in the midst of trials reminded me of Job’s trust (1:6-22).

A year later, she phoned and asked if I would come be with her at the funeral home. Her son had been killed in a drive-by shooting. I asked God for words to comfort her and for the wisdom not to try to explain the unexplainable.

Standing with her that day, however, I marveled as again and again she comforted others—her confidence in God unshaken by this terrible blow. Turning to me as we parted, her final words were a poignant reminder of the depth of her faith: “My boy is still in God’s hands.” Like Job, she “did not sin nor charge God with wrong”(v.22).

We too can develop an unshakable faith by daily walking with the Lord.

O the peace I find in Jesus,
Peace no power on earth can shake,
Peace that makes the Lord so precious,
Peace that none from me can take. —Beck

Nothing can shake those who are secure in God’s hands.

The story is amazing and unshaken. Her faith has grown exceedingly. If I put my feet on her own shoes, I could not imagine my life trusting the Lord all the way. The fact that they are poor, she still manages to have a grow in grace and hold on to Jesus. Well, a lot of people say that they trust in the Lord, but their life is not reflecting on what they are telling. Sometimes people are not happy with their situations. They could not even think God as a comforter. their anger and fury trap what love is Jesus showing to them.

Today. lets just pray for the people to gain more trust to Jesus. It is hard to give a trust more particularly to someone you cannot see. But you know that God can do anything, try to prove Him, and trust. He can show you what you got. :)

Kindness picks others up when troubles weigh them down.-ODB.

Lord, I want to show the kindness of Your
heart today. Please show me who I can help
and in what way. I want my words and deeds
to convey Your love. Amen.

Kindness picks others up when troubles weigh them down. -ODB

I need this today because I am down. I should be patient. I should not think evil to my friend because of conflict. Ayoko ng ulitin ang mali kong patungo sa kanya. Kahit alam kong mali siya dapat nagpapakumbaba ako. Sana  han nak agpakamaldita ti ugali kasi haan nga kastoy t kayat ni Apo tayo. Sorry po. Lord, nasaktan kita. mas bale a idaan ko latta t prayers'n soory.

Please pray with me also. 

Today is Sunday.

⁴ Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.

⁵ Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.

O what a lovely day today! It's Sunday!
Did you attend the today's preaching? is it good?

Well for me, I had a lot of learning from Sunday school to Sunday service.

Peace does not mean that you have a hassle-free life or it means away from any problems. Peace means you are with God and with Him, you can face all the trials. 

They taught us also the attitude of a servant. It is a privilege to serve the Most High. It does not mean that if you are only a bible student or a graduate, you are permitted to serve God. All of us are called. even if we are busy people.

I thank God that HE never leaves my side and also He called me to serve Him. I am praying that soon I will be a very good and faithful servant. I can teach and be a role model to my young people. 

God will work in my life. Amen <3 

High Cost of Living-ODB with insights.

When I was young, I thought the cost of living in my parents’ home was too high. Looking back, I laugh at how ridiculous it was to complain. My parents never charged me a cent for living at home. The only “cost” was obedience. I simply had to obey rules like clean up after myself, be polite, tell the truth, and go to church. The rules weren’t difficult, but I still had trouble obeying them. My parents didn’t kick me out for my disobedience, however. They just kept reminding me that the rules were to protect me, not harm me, and sometimes they made the rules stricter to protect me from myself.

The cost of living in the Promised Land was the same: obedience. In his final address to the nation, Moses reminded the people that the blessings God wanted to give them depended on their obedience (Deut. 30:16). Earlier he had told them that a good life would be determined by obedience: “Observe and obey . . . that it may go well with you” (12:28).

Some people think the Bible has too many rules. I wish they could see that God’s commands are for our good; they allow us to live in peace with one another. Obedience is simply the “cost” of being part of God’s family on this glorious globe He created and allows us to call home.

Heavenly Father, may we not see obedience as a
burden but as a privilege. Help us to be grateful
for Jesus, who shows us how to live, and for
the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to obey.

The Bible is not a burden but a guide to joy-filled living.

Well, teens in our age got a hard time listening or obeying our parents. Just like God who wants us to be in a safe track and wants us to obey Him but we see it as hard and like we are living in rules. Actually, it wasnt the rules that we are living it. It is us to direct our path and find our own Promise LAnd. We all want a promise Land but our problem is we dont like to obey God who is directing us in a shorter way. we track ourselves in a more complicated manner. So how then we will reach our Promise LAnd if we act like that?
This is my ultimate problem for now. It is really hard to give on things we like because we need to obey and find our promie land. we tend to be frightened cuz someone or something will be lost if we direct our paths. 

But, dont you think, the promise land that God is giving us is way better than our decided paths? hmmm. we need to think more. Obey God is the best and shortest way to our blessings and promise land.