Malachi 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
Blessings that we will not have room enough for it.... Such great promise and reward! Nakakaexcite! Imagine, not having enough space for our blessings if we bring the whole tithe to God!
And the irony is, God is only asking 10% of our income! He is only asking for that much. I remember when I was in the US, i had to give 15% as tip or service fee. So I repeat, God is only asking 10%!
This also brings me to the point that sometimes we only ask or expect so little from God. We ask for a cup, when He owns the entire ocean! We ask for light when He holds the sun! We ask that He gives us the guy across the room when He is preparing someone perfect for us.
Yes Lord, teach me to have that faith where I will be willing to follow you up to my last centavo.
I.T.
24 July 2009
Psalm 106:12-15 Then they believed his promises and sang his praise. But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his counsel. In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test. So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them.
What an inconsistent life! What poor faith - obeying God only when they experience miracles!
Come to think of it, I am like the Israelites in so many ways. I tend to fall in love with God when my circumstances are happy. I tend to share Him to people when ive experienced answered prayers. I put God to test with my poor behavior, esp with my lovelife.
Like the Israelites, I live this kind of up-and-down existence because my faith is sometimes dependent on my circumstances.
Im truly sorry Lord. Please forgive me for my inconsistencies. For not always being on fire with your love. For tending to cling to you when i am only problematic. Or praising you only when my sitn is okay. Forgive me God.
I.T.
What an inconsistent life! What poor faith - obeying God only when they experience miracles!
Come to think of it, I am like the Israelites in so many ways. I tend to fall in love with God when my circumstances are happy. I tend to share Him to people when ive experienced answered prayers. I put God to test with my poor behavior, esp with my lovelife.
Like the Israelites, I live this kind of up-and-down existence because my faith is sometimes dependent on my circumstances.
Im truly sorry Lord. Please forgive me for my inconsistencies. For not always being on fire with your love. For tending to cling to you when i am only problematic. Or praising you only when my sitn is okay. Forgive me God.
I.T.
23 July 2009
Ephesians 5:19-20 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Its truly challenging to be ALWAYS thanking our God for everything that happens in our life. And in these verses, the command is not only for our attitude to be thankful... but we have to sing and make music!
I know this can be truly difficult when we our partner had just left us, when we only have one peso in our pocket and the bills are coming, when our families are in turmoil or are suffering from health conditions, when we are unemployed, when we are feeling depressed.
But then again, we should always remember that there is a season for everything... God allows some rainfall to fall on us because He wants some flowers or His kids to bloom. And we have to admit that there are situations in our life that just happen because we have been hardheaded or we disobeyed God.
In addition, if we, His children complain in difficult times, then how different are we from non-believers then? Having the right attitude or the right perspective will make us shine.
I guess we should not also confuse this when we cry our hearts to our Lord? These are situations when we admit to God that we need His help or a helper. Its just a matter of surrenduring to God... and not actually complaining.
Truly, the christian life should be one of thanksgiving and praise.
So Father, I truly thank you for the sitn our family is facing with regards to Kevin and Gretel. It is in these times that I am thankful coz I have you... coz if i don't have You, i know i would have taken the wrong steps or let my emotions get the better of me. Thank you Father that I have You to depend. And I truly look forward to the happy ending of these stories.
I.T.
Its truly challenging to be ALWAYS thanking our God for everything that happens in our life. And in these verses, the command is not only for our attitude to be thankful... but we have to sing and make music!
I know this can be truly difficult when we our partner had just left us, when we only have one peso in our pocket and the bills are coming, when our families are in turmoil or are suffering from health conditions, when we are unemployed, when we are feeling depressed.
But then again, we should always remember that there is a season for everything... God allows some rainfall to fall on us because He wants some flowers or His kids to bloom. And we have to admit that there are situations in our life that just happen because we have been hardheaded or we disobeyed God.
In addition, if we, His children complain in difficult times, then how different are we from non-believers then? Having the right attitude or the right perspective will make us shine.
I guess we should not also confuse this when we cry our hearts to our Lord? These are situations when we admit to God that we need His help or a helper. Its just a matter of surrenduring to God... and not actually complaining.
Truly, the christian life should be one of thanksgiving and praise.
So Father, I truly thank you for the sitn our family is facing with regards to Kevin and Gretel. It is in these times that I am thankful coz I have you... coz if i don't have You, i know i would have taken the wrong steps or let my emotions get the better of me. Thank you Father that I have You to depend. And I truly look forward to the happy ending of these stories.
I.T.
22 July 2009
Isaiah 30:18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
Our Lord LONGS.. our Lord RISES...
I think this verse makes us see that we should not only understand the importance of waiting on God but also realize something even more wonderful - our Lord waits on us. He LONGS to be gracious to us. Imagine mo yun?
I am so blessed to know God. And that I am knowing him better each day. I am amazed at His characteristics. Of how humble He is... that despite the fact that He is our LORD, that He is the King of all kings, He will rise for us, that He longs for us.
Prayer request: right decision for my family, whether to bring my parents here or not and what to do with kevin.
I.T.
Our Lord LONGS.. our Lord RISES...
I think this verse makes us see that we should not only understand the importance of waiting on God but also realize something even more wonderful - our Lord waits on us. He LONGS to be gracious to us. Imagine mo yun?
I am so blessed to know God. And that I am knowing him better each day. I am amazed at His characteristics. Of how humble He is... that despite the fact that He is our LORD, that He is the King of all kings, He will rise for us, that He longs for us.
Prayer request: right decision for my family, whether to bring my parents here or not and what to do with kevin.
I.T.
21 July 2009
Judges 6:39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.”
We can be like Gideon in a lot of areas in our life: we tend to test God over and over again. It's as if we don't trust Him... or that we are not sure if the answer came from Him... when in fact we asked for the answer ourselves.
When have i been uncertain or unsure of my God? Soooooo many times. I guess i become like Gideon whenever i don't want the answer God gave me. Hahahaha. Or when i lack the faith that God is truly answering my prayer. I can clearly picture myself talking: Me? God is talking to me? God is answering my prayer? Me an unfaithful servant?!
But God do answers prayers. He gives us signs to prove that He is alive and loves us dearly.
God do grant me the faith to completely trust in Your word even when every other sign points the other way.
I.T.
We must take every chance we can get to do good to others as it might be the only chance that we can get to plant something, a seed, that in time may bear fruit that could be returned to us in the form of a favor.
Do not withold good from those who deserve it when it is your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow." -when you have it with you. Proverbs 3:27-28
One great contribution to our joy is when we take our minds off ourselves and focus on blessing others. Let's ask God how we could become channels of blessings.
J.B.
We can be like Gideon in a lot of areas in our life: we tend to test God over and over again. It's as if we don't trust Him... or that we are not sure if the answer came from Him... when in fact we asked for the answer ourselves.
When have i been uncertain or unsure of my God? Soooooo many times. I guess i become like Gideon whenever i don't want the answer God gave me. Hahahaha. Or when i lack the faith that God is truly answering my prayer. I can clearly picture myself talking: Me? God is talking to me? God is answering my prayer? Me an unfaithful servant?!
But God do answers prayers. He gives us signs to prove that He is alive and loves us dearly.
God do grant me the faith to completely trust in Your word even when every other sign points the other way.
I.T.
We must take every chance we can get to do good to others as it might be the only chance that we can get to plant something, a seed, that in time may bear fruit that could be returned to us in the form of a favor.
Do not withold good from those who deserve it when it is your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow." -when you have it with you. Proverbs 3:27-28
One great contribution to our joy is when we take our minds off ourselves and focus on blessing others. Let's ask God how we could become channels of blessings.
J.B.
19 July 2009
Hebrews 4:14-16 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Who can be more compassionate than our God as He has experienced all kinds of temptations when He was here on earth? He surely will know how it is to deal with our problems coz He experienced them also. And as He remained sinless, He can prove to us that we can overcome our challenges.
Thus, with all confidence, we can come to Him and ask for mercy and grace because He is the most high priest and the most compassionate one.
Thank you God for your example.
I.T.
Who can be more compassionate than our God as He has experienced all kinds of temptations when He was here on earth? He surely will know how it is to deal with our problems coz He experienced them also. And as He remained sinless, He can prove to us that we can overcome our challenges.
Thus, with all confidence, we can come to Him and ask for mercy and grace because He is the most high priest and the most compassionate one.
Thank you God for your example.
I.T.
18 July 2009
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him....
Ang ganda! What an exhilarating verse! Ito yung verse na basahin mo pa lang, busog ka na.
Truly, our God rewards people who are willing to be nothing so that Christ may be everything. He will protect, look after, embrace people who will go the extra mile for Him. People whose heart is spelled J-E-S-U-S.
God, let my heart be for You only. Let my heart be not found wanting when it comes to you. Let it be a heart whose only longing is to be with you.
I.T.
Dropping the impossible in my life is one way for me to be able to walk with God. Jesus "never worked from His own standpoint but always from that of the Father"; hence, He will not fail nolr be discouraged. (Isa. 42:4) Similarly, if we allow the Holy Spirit to move within us, we can follow God's stride while training and disciplining ourselves until we can walk with Him.
We can stop analyzing things which seem monumental in our lives and let the Holy Spirit change the way we look at things - making the impossible possible.
J.B.
Ang ganda! What an exhilarating verse! Ito yung verse na basahin mo pa lang, busog ka na.
Truly, our God rewards people who are willing to be nothing so that Christ may be everything. He will protect, look after, embrace people who will go the extra mile for Him. People whose heart is spelled J-E-S-U-S.
God, let my heart be for You only. Let my heart be not found wanting when it comes to you. Let it be a heart whose only longing is to be with you.
I.T.
Dropping the impossible in my life is one way for me to be able to walk with God. Jesus "never worked from His own standpoint but always from that of the Father"; hence, He will not fail nolr be discouraged. (Isa. 42:4) Similarly, if we allow the Holy Spirit to move within us, we can follow God's stride while training and disciplining ourselves until we can walk with Him.
We can stop analyzing things which seem monumental in our lives and let the Holy Spirit change the way we look at things - making the impossible possible.
J.B.
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