ODB- Our Prayer; God's will

As we pour out our hearts to God, let’s be even more concerned with seeking His will than we are with receiving the answer we want. That’s where the grace and the strength come from.

Dear heavenly Father, I bring to You my petitions,
but I give to You my heart. While I plead for You to
answer my prayers, I also submit to Your will so that
my heart may be strengthened and Your work be done.

We pray not to obtain our will in heaven,
but to effect God’s will on earth.

It was my time to encounter this and made me realize that even if we pray for something, it should be the will of God. Because it could not be accomplished even if it is your will. God must be followed in many times. 

we should always be confident that we are in the Hand's of God. 

praise the Lord

Psalm 112^[a]

¹ Praise the Lord.^[b]

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
    who find great delight in his commands.

we should continually praise the Lord. because in His path we will reap all the blessings and grace! 

ODB- Bookmobile

I’m sure that Paul’s pursuit of knowledge was more than intellectual curiosity or entertainment. It was the pursuit of Christ that drove Paul. His goal: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Phil 3:10). I pray that this same pursuit will drive us today.

Heavenly Father, give me a passionate desire
to know You and Your Son. Please stir my heart
for this, the greatest of all pursuits, so that
I might grow ever closer to You. Amen.

To know Christ is the greatest of all knowledge.

Philippians 3:7

New International Version (NIV)

⁷ But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

There were times that we dont have time to our God anymore. Think of it. Prayer is not enough... we must need also to learn and study our God. To know more about His grace and blessings. We cannot stand up like we know that He is the Almighty and omnipotent but in what way? we do not know because we forgot to study His words.Us children of God we must establish in our minds that the bible is the way to know Him more.

You should know more your God! you cannot tell that you are His son if you just sit right there and just following Him on newsfeeds.

ODB- Love finds a way

Perhaps you have a friend who is resisting God’s love. Show His love to him or her, just as God showed love to us when He brought salvation into the world through Jesus. Shower upon others the kind of love described in 1 Corinthians 13—a love that is patient, kind, humble, and unselfish.

Authentic love is a gift from God that we can keep on giving.

Teach me to love as Thou dost love,
And let the whole world know
That Jesus Christ lives in my heart,
His glorious light to show. —Brandt

God pours His love into our hearts to flow out to others.

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1Cor 13:4-7

These verses were one of the most important to me because this is the part that I had realized that love covers all. If  you love your enemy tho it is hard, you can change your attitude towards that person. you see we must show love to everyone because at the first place God shows his GREAT LOVE TOWARDS US because HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON just to be save us in our sins. 

How about you, How can you show your love to others?

For me, I can show my love to other by respecting them and not thinking bad about them. I hope and I pray i can continually do this. Love will always find its way no matter how narrow is the road. 

ODB- WHen God says no

When God says no to our request,
we can be sure it’s for the best.

Sometimes we get depressed when we dont have what we want. Sometimes our faith becomes lesser. sometimes we were unsure of God.

what should we do when God answers our prayers to no?

first, we must accept it.

think positive.

God will make it better.

Believe. Pray

ODB- The Joy of the Generous God

The joy of abundance reminds me of the generosity of God. He makes our cup overflow (Ps. 23:5); He “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20); His grace is sufficient for any difficulty that life brings our way (2 Cor. 12:9); and it is He who kills the fatted calf and calls for the best robe when the prodigal returns (see Luke 15:20-24). No wonder the psalmist rejoices: “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house” (Ps. 36:7-8). Our God is abundantly good. Let’s overflow with praise for His many blessings.

Lord, thank You for the reminder that far from
being stingy You bless us with good things in
abundance. Thank You for Your presence and
the comfort of the promises in Your Word.

Keep praising God from whom all blessings flow.

Psalm 36:5-7

New International Version (NIV)

⁵ Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the skies.
⁶ Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
    your justice like the great deep.
    You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
⁷ How priceless is your unfailing love

We are sometimes uncontented of what the Lord gives us. We sometimes even doubt that He is the God of Giving.. but through out ,this is a testament that God is abundant with love and giving.

He never forgets basta we need to acknowledge Him.

God gives in abundant.

God is everything.

God created all.

God never lacks but we lack.

it is only within us that we dont know how to appreciate the abundance that God gives. 

ODB- During our dark nights

We all go through dark nights of the soul when we wonder if God has abandoned us. As with David, our aching can give way to joy when we approach God honestly, plead for help, and reaffirm our trust in a God whose love for us will never waver or change.

Christ is the answer to heartache,
Christ is the answer to pain;
Though by all others forsaken,
He at your side will remain. —Elwell

God will never leave us nor forsake us.

But I trust in your unfailing love;
    my heart rejoices in your salvation.
⁶ I will sing the Lord’s praise,

    for he has been good to me Psalm 13:5&6

Recently until this time, we entered to a huge fight/issue. technically, my sister is on that problem and as a sister I just like doing a "sisterly act" to protect or defend her. But as time passes I cannot let the issue grow bigger because the 'enemies' are way bigger to have a big mouth to proclaim the issue. No... I just cant sit down and watch them ruining my sister's life. 

My sister texted not to worry things or to bother the problem. She is so much confused because of the dilemma. ant it alarmed me when she added that she is thinking about suicidal. :'(( 

this is why I am doing this for her. she is very weak emotionally cause before she had undergone a mental disability but she is well now but i cant let it pass the situation now to ruin again her life. 

yes, i am super pissed off of what was happening. i became so out-of-a-Christian-act attitude. I even added/affected other people

Romans 3:23 we are all sinners.

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

everyone of us, even us Christians are imperfect, because of imperfections we commit mistake or sins. No one in this world is clean or who has a sin-free life. But God did not want us to be a dirty-creature forever. He gave His only begotten son to wash our sins. John 3:16. and through this, we need to believe that He is the only son, Jesus Christ who carried all our burdens in the calvary and rose after 3 days. God is very gracious because HE never knew or even did not f0rget to leave us.
what we need to do, for us sinners, is to accept that we are sinner and receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. through this, we have the gift of salvation and our way to heaven.
Do not doubt because our God did it for us. Do not doubt that God did not make it. He make it for us, for us to be saved and be seen in Heaven!

ODB-warning labels

Warning labels are everywhere today—from new appliances to toys. Even medications include pages of small print about all that could possibly go wrong.

God’s Word is filled with warning labels, alerting us to things that are harmful to our spiritual health. When we read, “These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him” (Prov. 6:16), it grabs our attention like a flashing warning signal. The list that follows (vv.17-19) warns against destructive tendencies like pride and dishonesty—sins that damage earthly relationships and grieve our heavenly Father. The text further states that “reproofs of instruction are the way of life” (v.23). In other words, God’s warnings aren’t meant to take the fun out of life, but rather to protect and preserve life.

I’ll always remember as a child standing with my friend Bobby outside after church and watching him suddenly run toward the busy street. I heard his mother yell, “Stop!” It was a warning to protect him, not to hinder his freedom.

Too often we’ve ignored God’s warnings to stop running in the wrong direction and suffered the consequences. Let’s remember that there’s freedom in heeding His warnings. They’re for our good.

Lord, thank You for the warnings in Your Word
that are intended to protect and preserve my life.
Help me to heed Your reproofs and instruction
that I may live a life that is pleasing to You.

God’s Word is full of loving warnings
to protect and preserve us.

Proverbs 6:16-22

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ There are six things the Lord hates,
    seven that are detestable to him:
¹⁷         haughty eyes,
        a lying tongue,
        hands that shed innocent blood,
¹⁸         a heart that devises wicked schemes,
        feet that are quick to rush into evil,
¹⁹         a false witness who pours out lies
        and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

Warning Against Adultery

²⁰ My son, keep your father’s command
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
²¹ Bind them always on your heart;
    fasten them around your neck.
²² When you walk, they will guide you;
    when you sleep, they will watch over you;
    when you awake, they will speak to you.

Sometimes, we Christians felt that we are being 'so much guided' or nasasakal sa mga commandments or pasabi ng ating Diyos. pero dapat we should take it as an advantage because our God cares for us. we had freedom to choose if we will follow Him or not but what is better is to follow Him. no matter what our God knows our future and He knows what  advice to give us. Take it grab that advice from God and you will grip a worry-free life. 

Devotion for last 3 days. Thank You Lord!

Moses needed an answer to that question when he was about to lead the Israelites into the wilderness. He wanted to be assured of God’s presence and leading, so he asked Him to reveal Himself (Ex. 33:13,18). In response, God came down in a cloud and said: “TheLord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, . . . by no means clearing the guilty” (34:5-7). He is good; He is just.

We too can know this God and be assured of His presence. He has revealed Himself in His creation and in His Word. As we ask Him to make Himself known to us, we’ll learn that He is even more than the owner and creator of everything!

Sing praise to God who reigns above,
The God of all creation,
The God of power, the God of love,
The God of our salvation. —Schutz

In a world of superlatives, God is the greatest.

Indeed God is everything. He is all-good. he is perfect. we can't refuse that He was the all good. Thank you for being there Lord. thank you for providing us. Everything. because we can't us you anymore. Thank you for all the Grace.

Throughout his life, Johnny sought the Lord’s strength to live each day for Him. He became a three-time All- American basketball player at Purdue University and one of the greatest college coaches of all time. When Coach John Wooden died at the age of 99, he was honored most of all for his character, his faith, and the many lives he touched.

By God’s grace, may we make each day our masterpiece for Him.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the blessing and
privilege of being able to drink deeply from Your Word.
Give me guidance as I seek You. I want to know You
and to have my life bring a smile to Your face.

Commitment to Christ is a daily calling.

Prayer. Prayer has been a great part in our life. we should live with it because it is the only weapon we have and the only communication with God. 

do you want to learn how to pray?

http://christianity.about.com/od/prayersverses/a/howtopray.htm--- check this link. And Jesus gave us also the pattern, how to do it. Our church taught us how to pray by A-C-T-S. A=acknowledgement/Adoration(Our Gracious Heavenly Father, Our Heavenly Father,...) 

C=Confessing, you need to confess that you are a sinner and all the wrong doings and short comings you had done.

T=Thanksgiving. Do not forget to thank God for all the blessings He had given you. You're day may be gloomy but remember He gave you life each day to keep moving forward. 

S=supplication. This time you can ask God what you want to have or anything He wants to grant you. Do not forget to include your parents, relatives, Christian friends and family, love ones, career, country etc blessings. 

The knowledge that there is someone who tracks you wherever you are can bring fear to those who are trying to get away. But for the Christian, this brings great joy and assurance. No matter where he was, the psalmist was confident that God’s hand would lead him (Ps. 139:10).

God has promised to guide and lead you today. He’s the best Guide you could have, and He wants to lead you along the right paths.

We need God’s guidance from above;
And as we trust Him for direction,
His daily leading and His love,
He’ll give to us His full protection. —Fitzhugh

To avoid going wrong, follow God’s leading.

You can't hide with God. He always eyes you wherever and whenever you go. But do not worry when you are alone. He is always with you. 

ODB- Did you just say NO?

Adam and Eve would have kept good company with a lot of us. Sometimes we can’t understand why our heavenly Father says no. When that happens, He can help us to adjust our thinking. We need to realize that even as He denies us, He’s saying to our hearts, “You can trust Me. I know what is best.”

I may not always understand
The way that You may lead,
But, Lord, in faith I’ll clasp Your hand
And trust You for each need. —Dean

God may deny our request,
but He will never disappoint our trust.

God knows what's the best for us. Aaminin ko talagang sinusuway ko si God kasi ang sa tingin ko doon ako nakakahanap ng kasiyahan. Yun yung sinasabi kong experience. per hindi pala. at sobrang mali ito. Mahirap sunudin kasi alam natin ang puro o ang damdamin natin ang nasasakatan. tayo mismo ang nasasaktan. 

Lord, sana marealize ko a di nak agobobey kanyam. please tulungan nak kuma a ited mo j wisdom nga dapat a ada kanyak Lord.... para ammok no anat t malik ken dapat para kanyak. Lord po pakiusap po. sana masurot ka meten...

Last standing Christian

I salute those Christians who dedicate their lives until the last breath of their life. Like the today's story in the ODB, Mr. Doss prayed hard so he can still cure those people who need medics. I am grateful for what he had accomplish because he is still standing for his position and also did not forget to allow God to make His way. 

We should be like them. We should build up our attitude to a last standing Christian. 

ODB-Faithful unto death

The church at Smyrna—a first-century congregation that suffered persecution for Christ—was challenged to be faithful unto death. Their spiritual commitment had not gone unnoticed by the Master (Rev. 2:9). And for the suffering that was to come, Jesus offered this encouragement: “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested . . . . Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (v.10).

The Lord understands what we are going through now and what we will face in the future. Though there’s suffering in this world, He promises eternal life to His children. In His strength we can be faithful unto death (Phil. 4:12-13).

Though the stress and strain of life
My thread of faith may break,
The cable of God’s faithfulness
No storm can ever shake. —Anon.

Our faith may be tested so that we may trust His faithfulness.

I haven't knew that there is still salvation of the second death. Satan will come and tempt people but Christ will be at their sides and tell that to trust Him. easy to do: just trust in the Lord.

I hope people in the second death will trust  God. I pray that people will not suffer in the hand of Satan. Satan must diminish. We should hate him. he is the cuz of every hatred and weaknesses. But I knew God is bigger than Satan. Help yourself not to be deceived by Satan but with God. 

Strengthen your trust in the Lord. Because we cannot when will be his coming. Trust trust trust. 

ODB- in the face of fear. Matthew 14:27

As the familiar hymn says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” We can rest peacefully in the knowledge that God is with us.

Lord, in our weak and fearful moments, remind
us that Your love for us guarantees Your
presence with us and Your power against
our fears. Teach us to trust in You.

Trust the presence and power

Matthew 14:27

New International Version (NIV)

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid

Truly, in God's presence we will not be feared cuz God never forget His child. The only thing we need is to TRUST Him.

BE confident and pray for your trouble. Always think that He is at your side. but if fear overpowers you, pray hard. take a deep breath and think that God will do the rest. 

1 John 4:7-11 Let's start our day with Love of God.

God’s Love and Ours

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

We are sinners but God is so loving that He never abandon us. More on, what He did was he send His son to save us from our sins. Ano pa ba ang hahanapin natin? Minsan kasi tayong mga tao, makitid tayong magisip na minsan mas iniintindi natin yung mga problema sa paligid kayat ang akal natin wala na ang pagmamahal ng Diyos sa atin. Minsan din sa mga pangyayaring na sinasabi nating kamalasan ay doon tayo nagkakaroon ng pagiisip na tayo ay iniwan na. 

Bilang isang Kristyano, hindi ito ang dapat itanim natin sa ating mga puso. 

Bagkus, dapat pa tayong mag tanim ng pagmamahal. Dahil sa pagmamahalan sa kapwa doon mo mawawala sa isipan na tayo ay may galit o inis sa kanila. 

Let's start our day with love of God! 

Colossians 3:8-17

Colossians 3:8-17

New International Version (NIV)

⁸ But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. ⁹ Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. ¹¹ Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Ito yung mga verses na makakatulong sa mga Christian kung ano dapat ang pinapakita na. Oo, mahirap maging ganyan, close to perfection but by God's grace we can. We are trying to be perfect. Kaya tinutulungan din tayo ni God para maging ganyan.

Ibang iba kang tao kapag hindi ka ganyan di ba? ang pangit. kung ikaw ay makasalanan o kaya may attributes na alam mong nakakasakit sa paningin ng Diyos natin.

Ano ba dapat ang gawin para magawa natin tong mga to?
Laging isaalang alang lang na tayo ay mga Christian at tayo ay namumuhay na parang Kristo. Hindi ba?
wag mong isipin na mahirap. pero ito ang nakakapagpabuo sayo. 

ODB- From head to heart

My childhood piano teacher was a stickler for memorization. Being able to play a piece without error was not enough. I had to play several pieces flawlessly by memory. Her reasoning was this: She didn’t want her students to say, when asked to play, “I’m sorry, I don’t have my music with me.”

As a child, I also memorized Bible passages, including Psalm 119:11. Due to my limited understanding, I believed that simple memorization would keep me from sin. I worked hard at memorizing verses, and I even won a Moody Bible Story Book as an award.

Although memorizing the Bible is a good habit to develop, it’s not theact of memorizing that keeps us from sin. As I learned soon after my winning efforts, having the words of Scripture in my head made little difference in my behavior. In fact, instead of victory over sin, knowledge alone generated feelings of guilt.

Eventually I realized that the Word of God had to spread through my whole being. I needed to internalize Scripture, to hide it “in my heart” the way a musician does a piece of music. I had to live the Bible as well as I could quote it. As God’s Word spreads from our heads to our hearts, sin loses its power over us.

O Lord, my God, may Your Word become so
much a part of me that obedience comes
naturally and cheerfully from my heart.
Change me andmold me into Your image.

Let God’s Word fill your memory, rule your heart,
and guide your life.

In our church back in our province, we are obligated to memorize verse and site it during prayer meetings, Sunday service, and Sunday night. I feel frustrated whenever I cannot memorize exactly the words per verse, more frustrating when I am just memorizing during the service meaning I am not prepared. :(

Memorizing the verse means a lot to us Christians. It doesn't mean that it is ONLY an OBLIGATION but this is more. This is what will guide you and remind you whenever you are in struggle and whenever we don't have our bible in hand. 

Had you ever watch the The Book of Eli? It is a story in the future that a man who was blinded carries the bible and everyone is chasing him because of the book. But in  the end, the book was rewritten even though it was stolen because the blind man memorized the Bible! it was great story! 

Yes It is not just memorizing the verse but we need to keep it in our hearts. Because the heart will never forget what you had planted. :)

ODB- The Romance

Lord, give us humility and sensitivity to listen
to advice from loved ones who know You well.
Show us the right thing to do in our uncertain
times and to trust You for the results. Amen.

Fear hinders faith, but trust kindles confidence.

I am very sorry Lord I always disobey my parents advice like kanina Lord napasigaw pa ako kanina sa kanya. Hindi ko po dapat ginawa yun. Bakit po ako ganito? hindi po magandang asal ng isang babae ang pagpapakita ng ganita lalo na po't Christian ako. Dapat po nakikita ko na mali ang mga ginagawa ko. Lord I am very sorry. Dapat maisip ko a detoy ket han nga isu t pagayatam. Lord tulungan nak kuma a kanayun mangremind t bagbgik. Lord. Please po. This i pray Amen

ODB-Wake up call

The apostle Peter offers us a different kind of wake-up call—one that while unpleasant is necessary. He alerts us to a spiritual battle we are engaged in with a powerful enemy. Peter warns, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). This is a call to wake up, see the danger, and be ready for his attack!

Only when we are aware of the danger that faces us every day will we consciously seek the help we need. And only if we are on the alert will we lean on the strength of our Lord, who is greater than our spiritual enemy.

Though evil may surround us,
We need not fear defeat;
For when God fights the battle,
Our enemies retreat. —Sper

The Christian life is a battleground.

Christians are always in danger. They are always followed by temptations or anything that can ruin their testimony. But as Peter had said, be vigilant! Always keep your eyes on your enemy because you cannot tell when he'll attack you. Be always ready. do not forget your shield (prayer) so no one can harm you. God is always beside us. Trust in the Lord so you will not be attack by anyone. Help also your self from keeping Satan's bait.