http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional Tuesday, April 17, 2012Read | 2 Samuel 8:1-16David served God in many capacities--from simple shepherd boy to heroic ruler. Looking at the various stages of his life, we can see clearly how his godly devotion allowed the Lord to use him mightily. Shepherd: David was anointed king long before commanding anything other than sheep ( 1 Sam. 16:1-13). Protecting the sheep was a job he took seriously, even killing a lion and a bear to do so. During those days, he learned to be strong and brave, and to take care of creatures weaker than himself. An early life of obedience to his human father taught him the humility he would later need in order to depend on God. Psalmist: David's writings reveal his hunger for God. He is open about issues like fear, depression, defeat, loneliness, and sorrow. By describing valley experiences and communing with the Father in the night watches, David provided us with intimate glimpses of the God he knew so well. Commander: Starting with David's encounter with Bathsheba, the king's life was plagued by heartache, pain, suffering, and conflict. David had sinned greatly, but God forgave him and continued to use him. He ruled Israel for 40 years, and his people called Jerusalem the "City of David." His restoration teaches us about the consequences of sin and the limitlessness of God's grace. King David served God's purpose when he lived, and continues to do so hundreds of years later--every follower of Christ has been blessed by David's obedience, service, and literary skill. He is a great example of what God can accomplish through us if we yield our life to Him.
Today's worship service in Olongapo left me a satisfied, contented and joyful heart. Ang dami ko natutunan sa worship kanina.. Kuya Joey, our Church Leader, had a sermon about The Joy of Life..
He shared this awesome Scripture in Ecclesiastes 11:
1 Ship your grain across the sea;
after many days you may receive a return.
2 Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight;
you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.
3 If clouds are full of water,
they pour rain on the earth.
Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,
in the place where it falls, there it will lie.
4 Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.
5 As you do not know the path of the wind,
or how the body is formed[a] in a mother’s womb,
so you cannot understand the work of God,
the Maker of all things.
6 Sow your seed in the morning,
and at evening let your hands not be idle,
for you do not know which will succeed,
whether this or that,
or whether both will do equally well.
Remember Your Creator While Young
7 Light is sweet,
and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.
8 However many years anyone may live,
let them enjoy them all.
But let them remember the days of darkness,
for there will be many.
Everything to come is meaningless.
9 You who are young, be happy while you are young,
and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart
and whatever your eyes see,
but know that for all these things
God will bring you into judgment.
10 So then, banish anxiety from your heart
and cast off the troubles of your body,
for youth and vigor are meaningless.
Afer the worship service I had an awesome group lunch date with my brothers and sisters in Christ; Astina, Ronnie, Luz, Mark, Mace..
In the afternoon pumunta ang church sa Bataan. First time ko umatend ng Funeral Worship Service, para namatay na Christian, sa Samal Bataan.. Kakaiba ang experience.. I have grasped a whole new meaning of the song Amazing Grace. Knowing that the person died faithful to God gave me a secured feeling that he will experience a transition from a mortal life into eternity..
Naalala ko din bigla yung sermon ni Joey Bonifacio (VCF Pastor) entitled Love Unconditionally.. Sabi nya, "When all is said and done; when you're life is about to end. When you're fighting for dear breath and you've got nothing more to give. And you're sitting on that death bed; nothing really matters.. Money doesn't matter. Where you live doesn't matter. The accumulation of degrees that you have doesn't matter. The toys that you've accumulated doesn't matter. The only thing that will really matter are your relationships."
Kuya Joey Sampang (Church Leader of Metro Olongapo City Christian Church) shared an awesome scripture in his sermon for the said funeral..
Here it is:
Psalm 90 (NIV)
Lord, you have been our dwelling place
throughout all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born
or you brought forth the whole world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You turn people back to dust,
saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.”
4 A thousand years in your sight
are like a day that has just gone by,
or like a watch in the night.
5 Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—
they are like the new grass of the morning:
6 In the morning it springs up new,
but by evening it is dry and withered.
7 We are consumed by your anger
and terrified by your indignation.
8 You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 All our days pass away under your wrath;
we finish our years with a moan.
10 Our days may come to seventy years,
or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
11 If only we knew the power of your anger!
Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.
12 Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
13 Relent, LORD! How long will it be?
Have compassion on your servants.
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love,
that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble.
16 May your deeds be shown to your servants,
your splendor to their children.
17 May the favor[a] of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.
A supermarket (Elizabeth Supermarket) in Balanga City, Bataan has the following vision and mission printed at the back of their plastic bag:
Vision
To be known as a SUPERMARKET in Bataan in selling a wide variety of consumer products while maintaining the highest quality of goods at a very affordable price.
Mission
In all we do we give truth to Christian values and seek to uplift people's lives in providing jobs to people in Bataan.
Uphold the rights and responsibilities of consumers and practice responsible business where consumers indeed get value for their money.
To be honest and fair in all business transaction whether with our customers, suppliers and business competitors. Above all, to give back glory to God.
Eph, whom I consider one of my disciplers, prayed for me and here is his prayer:
ephraim aguilar (6/15/2010 9:48:46 PM): Father, we thank you for your grace and your blessings. We thank you for you goodness upon our lives. Father I lift up to you Anthony's concern, may you reveal to him your will. I pray that he will seek your face always and whatever things you want him to do I pray that he will be a man after your own heart. I pray that you sustain him with his needs and give him more than enough provision so he could also bless others. I pray that wherever you lead him, he will pray much fruit. Thank you for his heart to serve you and to honor. Keep him safe always from the attacks of the enemy. I thank you for the joy he has in his heart. I pray that he will seek you always more than anything and anyone else in the world. I pray that he will always rely on your wisdom. Thank you, in Jesus' name. Amen.
26March2010; 2:30am
I just want to share something from the Naruto series that inspired me and really touched my heart and in some ways, motivated me to do greater things.
Every friday I'm always excited for my all time favorite anime--Naruto. A close friend of mine (who was very clever in calculus) back in college introduced me to this very interesting Japanese creation. I was hooked and since then, Friday has become a Naruto Day.
I have followed every episode of the anime. Since the birth of Naruto to the time he first entered the ninja academy in their village. I’ve been fascinated by his love and deep attachment to his friends and his dreams of becoming the next Hokage (the Ninja Leader of their country). Now, he is a grown-up.
This week’s heart-pounding episodes of Naruto Shippuden are 152 and 153. Here, Naruto learned that his favorite teacher, whom he calls Jiraiya Sensei, died in a battle against his own ex-student named Nagato (a bad guy who wants to rule the world). It was a heartbreaking news for a student who spend his colorful growing-up years with his beloved teacher. And so Naruto just kept mourning and crying and was so depressed.
While he was sleeping a wise ninja named Shikamaru woke him up and told him he needed his help in order to decode the last message (an encryption) left by Jiraiya before he died in the hands of Nagato. They took a walk towards the hospital where Asuma’s pregnant wife, Kurenai (a brilliant genjutsu user) was having a maternity stay. Like Naruto, Shikamaru also lost his precious teacher (sensei in Japanese), Asuma, and he always visits Kurenai because his teacher entrusted Kurenai’s child to him to be his future student.
As they walked away from the hospital, after visiting Kurenai, Naruto looked somber and Shikamaru (wanting to cheer him up) just felt the sadness and pain inside him. So he started encouraging Naruto. As Shikamaru was having a deep talk with naruto, the following lines really inspired me and caught my attention:
“So don’t you think it’s about time for us to step-up? Time for us to become the ones who entrust. It’s a pain but we can’t keep complaining.”
“You will eventually be one treating to ramen (Naruto’s mentors always treated him to a ramen to reward him), and you’ll be called Naruto Sensie or something. We can’t stay brats forever… if we wanna become super cool ninja like Asuma and Lord Jiraiya, that is.”
I realized, for me to do greater things for God’s glory, I need to step-up, stop complaining and stop acting like a brat.
I hope this one inspired you too. :)
Matthew 20:1-16 (New International Version)
Matthew 20The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard 1"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. 2He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. 3"About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing.4He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5So they went.
"He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. 6About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?'
7" 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered.
"He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.'
8"When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.'
9"The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. 10So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner.12'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.'
13"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
16"So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
A devotional piece by Michael Quoist, a French theologian, writing about the way to view time*I went out, Lord.
Men were coming and going,
Walking and running.
Everything was rushing: cars, trucks, the street, and the whole town.
Men were rushing not to waste time.
They were rushing after time.
To catch up with time,
To gain time.
Good-bye, Sir, excuse me, I haven't time.
I'll come back. I can't wait, I haven't time.
I must end this letter--I haven't time.
I'd love to help you, but I haven't time.
I can't accept, having not time.
I can't think, I can't read, I'm swamped, I haven't time.
I'd like to pray, but I haven't time.
You understand, Lord, they simply haven't the time.
The child is playing, he hasn't time right now....Later on....
The schoolboy has his homework to do, he hasn't time.... Later on....
The student has his course, and so much work....Later on....
The young man is at his sports, he hasn't time....Later on....
The young married man has his new house; he has to fix it up.
He hasn't time....
Later on....
the grandparents have their grandchildren. They haven't time....
Later on....
They are ill, they have their treatments, they haven't time....
Later on....
They are dying, they have no....
Too late!.... They have no more time!....
In spite of all their efforts they're still short of time, of a great deal of time.
Lord, you must have made a mistake in your Calculations.
There is a big mistake somewhere.
The hours are too short,
The days are too short,
Our lives are too short....
You who are beyond time, Lord, you smile to see us fighting it.
And you know what you are doing.
You make no mistakes in you distribution of time to men.
You give each one time to do what you want him to do.
But we must not lose time
Waste time,
Kill time,
For time is a gift you give us,
But a perishable gift,
A gift that does not keep....
I am asking you tonight, Lord, for time to do this and then that,
But your grace to do conscientiously, in the time that you give me, what
you want me to do.
*Sometimes we complain that we do not have enough time for great Bible study. When I feel this way, I remember a devotional piece by Michael Quoist.. -G. Steve Kinnard
10 to 15minutes, September 16, 2009, 5:30pm..
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