Daily Ponder #015 The truth

Because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.

2 John 2-3 NIV

Because of the truth,

The word truth is prominent in John’s greetings, perhaps because early Christians saw themselves as being in close communion with Jesus, who called himself the truth ( John 14:6 I am the way, the truth and the life..)

Which lives / abides in us and with us forever

The gospel that unites lives in us and is a shared faith among believers, not just a personal conviction.

with us in truth and love.

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.


Jesus is the truth. His truth liberates, transforms, brings life, brings healing, brings joy. His truth is done and finish, He died for you and me that we may be save from our sinful selves, bring salvation in us. His truth comes with His love. A love that that is so powerful it enables us to love as He does.

May you come to terms with His truth and His love.

Daily Ponder: Great love and loving one another

#012

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

1 JOHN 3:1 NIV

See what great love the Father has lavished on us…”

Today’s pondering continues on the book of 1 John. This letter was addressing a group of believers who where in the midst of unsettling situation. The original recipients are believers and is addressing what is happening in the community.

What really caught me is the word “See” … with your eyes, with eyes wide open. Not every who have eyes can actually see. See the greater reality, the greater truth, but in this case The love that is greatly lavish by God on us.

The Great love of the Father…. God’s great love poured upon us, God is love and God is Just. In his justice sins in our lives are unacceptable. We are actually enemies of GOD come to think of it, for we live lives of sins, for Justice to be met, Jesus took our place to be punished and gave us His righteousness, giving us forgiveness of sins and salvation as we put our faith in Him. This gift enabled us to be children.

We are children of God that is who we are. We are now recipients of His lavish love, because of Christ.

God gave us a command, To believe in Christ and to Love one another.

And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

1 John 3:23

LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

Love is an action inevitable to those who believe in Christ.

Love is action is the command among the children of God.

Love is the marker of God’s children.

Loved people, love people.

Daily Ponder: #011

The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

1 John 2: 17 NIV

What is the the love of the world in this context?

For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.

1 John 2: 16 NIV
  1. The lust of the flesh
  2. The lust of the eyes
  3. The Pride of life.

Reflect:

Are we doing the will of God? or our self will?

Where is our lives centered and anchored upon?

Prayer:

Lord, forgive me from the lust of the flesh, lust of eyes, the pride of life. Help me to do your will. Increase my desire for you each day, you alone brings lasting joy, satisfaction and fulfillment. In Jesus name!

Daily Ponder: Coming into light

#010

In the next five days I am giving attention to 1 John in the New Testament. One chapter a day.

Today I am taking on 1 John 1, Here are my key highligth’s and take ons.

God is light and in Him there is no darkness.

1 John 1:5 ESV

Light exposes the imperfections, the dirts, the filthiness, it exposes everything that comes its path revealing what is impure. God is Light, When we invite him over our lives, His light to rule and take over us we make Him supreme leaving no room for darkness.

The darkness of sins in our lives, hinders us from walking in the freedom in the light of Christ. The markers for such brings us shame, anger, unforgiveness, pride, lust and a lot more. Remaining in the dark, is choosing to remain in bondage from the powers of darkness.

The sinful human nature is filled with darkness, unimaginable. We are in need of saving, we are in need of power against this nature. It comes in understanding that God is light and has the power to set us free. We need to desire this deeply in humility as we pray for liberation.

What can cleanse us? What can move us into these light?

The Blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

1 John 1:7 ESV

It requires death, a blood of an innocent and purity, free from sins. However it is none existent within the humans. So Jesus took our place, He died and rose again offering salvation and forgiveness of sins to all believe and accept him as Lord in Savior.

If we confessed our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us all from unrighteousness.

1 John 1: 9 ESV

The confession of sins is acknowledgement on our end, an act of humility bringing things to light. A promise of forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness.

God’s character is faithfulness. He forgives as promise when we enter confession. Jesus is central towards forgiveness and walking into the light.

What can be my actions steps selecting on these:

  1. What are areas in my life I potentially nurture darkness?
  2. In a time of prayer, come to light acknowledging this before the Lord and hold on to the promise of forgiveness.
  3. Find a spiritually mature and confident you can come and a safe place of confession and ministering.
  4. How can you walk more in the Light? Are you part of a community that helps one another to walk in the light?

Daily Ponder: Where is your hope set?

#008

It has been a difficult and challenging 2 years and it seems it may be far from over. As the new year entered a surge a rise of a new variant grips the world. We have experienced sickness, we have experience grief over the loss of love once and people we know, for the many it can be grief over the world once we know, the loss of what we loved so much ( work, opportunity, routine of life). The world has changed. The dynamics of day to day life and business has changed radically.

What sustained you during this times? What kept you drowning from hopelessness?

As for me it was HOPE. To be very specific it is the sustaining hope that springs from the promises in the Bible. While there were times I felt the darkness of the future, it was the daily meeting with God and His words that kept me to look beyond, to hope again, trusting the grace of God to carry me.

Thank you for coming to this point of reading this sentence. You made it here, you made it to 2022. and I say you will make it through again this year.

“I have put my hope in your word”… words that is constantly repeated on Psalms 119, It gives emphasis where we should set our hopes, God’s word is trustworthy. I am thankful to the person who I was 10 years ago or so, for coming to terms of putting his hope on the God and His word.

There is hope. There is an eternal hope. May I invite to his hope in which I have. You maybe clouded with fear, betrayals, discouragements and pains, fighting and struggling to keep things together. I am inviting you to move an inch or centimeter each day towards a greater hope in the word, with God.

Daily Ponder #006

La tierra està llena de su gran amor, enseñame tu decretas.

I have been working on my Spanish language for a while now, I’ve been using a bilingual bible that has both Spanish and English.

En english, “ The earth is filled with your love, Lord, teach me your decrees.” Psalms 119:64

So I kept this thought as I go through the day, wander on it’s implications. It started to help me recognize and acknowledge the very presence of God. I was looking at city view from my window, acknowledge that God’s great love is for this city, not just for the city, but for the nations of the world and all the people in it.

While all of this are happening, There was a sense of asking God for an experience of this love. While my head knows this lines well, the emotional part of me yearns for the experience. I don’t know how God will meet me there but I am excited for how He will meet me in this request.

The truth about this Love of God….

The truth: we are not really lovable or acceptable before him if not for the gospel. Yes God is Love, but He is also a God of Justice. He punishes and does not tolerate sins, and we the human race sins and has that inner tendency to deviant from His standards and we will never be able to satisfy the justice of forgiveness, so in our behalf Jesus who is innocent and free of sin took the place of humanity. The wrath of punishment and justice was taken upon, He died and rose again on the third day, offering salvation and forgiveness who those who repents and believe in Him as Lord and Savior. Now in Christ we have that love and forgiveness. And so much more.

We need to recognize that love of God for us, making a way for all of us to be recipients of love and forgiveness.

If you don’t have Jesus yet in your heart, let me help you know him more, what He has done. Let me be a help to grow an inch closer to Him. Connect with me.

Daily Ponder #001

How can a young person stay on the path of purity?

Today’s pondering was at Psalm 119:9-16 NIV, let me share what spoke most today.

Verse nine of this chapter start’s with a question “How can a young person stay on the path of purity?”

The psalmist gives us a clear response.

  1. By living according to God’s word. ( Verse 9)
  2. Seek the word with all heart ( verse 10)
  3. Hide the word in the heart ( verse 12)
  4. with our lips recount the laws/word ( verse 13)
  5. Rejoice in obeying the statutes ( verse 14)

While I have I read this passage over and over again, today was of a different highlight.

I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Psalms 119:15-16 NIV

Meditate, Consider, Delight

Staying on a path of purity is a life long journey and battle. In the deepest sense purity is integrity, which means whole. The purity of our being demands us a whole, phyically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. How do we then stay on the path?

Meditate

We meditate on the precepts of the Lord, Joshua spoke to the Isralites at Joshua 1:8 “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.”

Reflect:

  • Is meditation of the scripture part of your daily schedule?
  • Are you taking the time to let the word simmer in our hearts and mind?
  • Where are you in staying in the path of purity?

Consider the ways of the Lord

We recognize the authority of Jesus in our lives, in the same way we recognize the authority of the Holy Scripture. Our sinful nature tells us to be independent and not involve God in the process of our lives. Recognizing these, should bring us to humility and battle pride by considering the ways of the Lord.

Reflect:

  • Do we easily rush into decisions without giving it a careful thought, prayer and consideration if it is pleasing or right to the Lord?
  • Do we trust in the Lord and His ways?

Delight on the Word

Delighting is rejoicing, it is a whole hearted excitment and focus. It does not rush but rather enjoys the moment, celebrate the word allowing it to simmer to the deepest parts of our innermost being.

Reflect:

  • Is our heart taking delight in the word? or does it feel more like an obligation or a routine?
  • On the scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest where do you think are you in the delighting in the word?

Meditating, Considering the ways of the Lord and the Delighting of the word is never easy, however when we see it as a response to the grace we have received in Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, Salvation, the redemption and new life, it becomes motivating response.

Pray:

Heavenly Father, As I start the year help me see more on you and less of me, Help me to grow in the knowledge of Christ and your word. Give a me heart that desires for you always. Encounter me as I delight in your words daily, expand my capacity to receive knowledge and wisdom from you. Help me to depend more in you and your ways. May my actions speaks loudest of your Lorship in my life. In Jesus name.

THE FOUR ATTITUDES TOWARDS READING

Reasons and motivations powerfully impacts our life choices. Let me share my three why’s, I read and what is really the most important in the reading discipline.

Three Why’s to Reading


1. Read to grow. 
2. Read to serve.
3. Read to enjoy.

The most important of all, is this

FILTER

Don’t just keep reading and yet fully accepting the knowldge presented as valid truth, as a firm believer of the authority of the Holy Scriptures. Read with caution if it is inline with theological correctness while keeping an open mind to understand. Even the most well meaning christian authors regardless of how well sounded they are, can be so theologically incorrect.

As the saying goes “eat the meat, spit out the bones.” Take the principles that are applicable and valid, take out false principles. 

Few years ago, A well meaning author wrote a book that impacted millions of christians. Only for the author to apologize publicly about it upon a realization during theological studies that the principle he was teaching was not theologicaly correct. Some of his avid book followers took to social media blaming him for misleading their lives. Filtering is our responsibility.

INVEST IN ETERNAL TRUTHS FOUND IN THE BIBLE

But nothing beats discovering and knowing God more in the Holy Bible.

"For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding" - Proverbs 2:6
But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. - James 3:17
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.-James 1:5

May the increase in knowledge lead us to greater humility. But above all, Act like Christ and Love like Christ.

The 4 attitude towards reading
1. Read for growth.
2. Read to serve
3. Read to enjoy
4. Read and Filter.

Thank you for reading through this, I’d like to hear your thoughts and inputs via comments. I desire to grow in learning from you as well.

Will your future be thankful from your decisions today?

We are, who we are today because of the decisions we made in the past. If you are physically fit today, it’s because you decided to commit to being fit. Maybe the best question we can ask ourselves today is “Years from now, will I be grateful for the decisions I made today?”

We have been given the power of choice everyday, you have been given the wonderful ability and privilege of embracing life changing decisions. It starts with a decision in the heart and mind to believe and step out in faith.

Let me share my story with you.

More than 10 years ago, during 2009 prayer and fasting week, I prayed and believed for the impossible to happen in my life and that was to go back to college and get a degree. During that time, I was working as a call center agent and helping provide for my family in the province. The financial challenges in my family drove me to give up the dream of a college degree and accept the weight of being the breadwinner.

But it was through a class in church back in 2007 that once again reignited that desire. Since then it has been constantly brewing in my heart, a hopeful thought that haunted me for two years. My response to this thought was resistance and saying how could it be possible? Considering the weight of responsibility I felt for my family. Who would support and help my family if I pursue my desire?

At the 2009 prayer and fasting, I said to God, yes I want it, and I want to continue. Started believing in my heart what can be, rather than what cannot. I felt it was God calling me on this and it was Him who put this desire burning in my heart. The one who called me is ultimately faithful and in that I rested.

A month after the prayer and fasting, my mom called me up to share her good news! She was hired to work in Macau as a domestic helper. The month that followed was another answered prayer, my sister’s education in a private school will be fully supported financially by a relative until she graduates. Isn’t that great?

God took off every hindrance, showing that truly nothing is impossible with Him. That year I resigned from work and went back to college as a full time student. The journey wasn’t easy, there was plenty of hurdles along the way, but the very words of God brought sustenance and strength throughout the journey.

Today I am grateful that I had made that decision to respond in faith. I am thankful that God enabled me to move in hope in a seemingly cornered and hopeless situation. This experience enabled me as well to see God in action in my life.

But truly the best decision I ever made was the moment I accepted Jesus Christ in my heart as my Lord and Savior back in 2006. I would not have the faith to believe for the possibilities If I did not embrace his Lorship over all things . I am in Christ, so is my life and all it’s circumtance.

These decisions where acts of faith to a faithful and all powerful God that brought so much joy and gratitude in life. It was not because I made a good decision but because it is God’s character who is ultimately good and faithful.

At the end of the day, we all make faith decisions.

Three things I want to point out;

• Never make life decisions base on personal limitations.

• Pray and trust God in all circumstance.

• Obey and act in faith in accordance to God’s words and promises.

What decisions are seemingly challenging and impossible for you, but will make you thankful in the years to come?