Sunday, March 17, 2013
17 Mar 13: 8 Tools to Defeat Discouragement
I. 8 Tools to Defeat Discouragement
- Every believer experiences discouragement. If we do not deal with it, discouragement leads to bitterness, anger, and sin. Even the great King David was discouraged at one point. In 1 Samuel 30:6, we are told the King David was greatly stressed after finding out that His people wants to kill him by stoning. What's more discouraging than your own people trying to kill you. But in the end of the verse, we found out that "David strengthened himself in the Lord his God". We are discouraged because we do not have a relationship with God.
- Matthew 19:26, "With men this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible"
Here are 8 Tools that can help us defeat discouragement.
a. 1. Expect discouragement
- In 1 Peter 4:12, we are told "not to think it is strange when we face fiery trials". It is not if we experience but when we experience discouragement. We are living in a spiritual battle and we need to trust in the Lord at all times. If it is God's will, it will be done.
- Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you" says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope".
2. Pray
- The less you pray, the more the discouragement; the more the discouragement, the less you pray
- When we face any struggles, pray to God and watch how He acts
- Matthew 7:7, "Ask and it shall be give to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
- Matthew 21:22, "and whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, and it will be given to you"
3. Carry Your Sword (Word of God)
- Know the Word of God, memorize them, and carry it in your heart
- Carry a Bible with you at all times
- Matthew 12:24, "For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks"
4. Know your weak areas and protect them
- Avoid places, persons, or other things that are sources of discouragement
- Only approach people or go to places that will provide you encouragement
5. Remember what you will lose if you quit
- Remember the pains and sufferings (consequences) you will cause if you quit
- Fight for your kids, your wife, your family, friends, and your brethren
- It is the time to fight for it and not the time to give up
- suicide is never ever a good answer
6. Call for help when you need it
- If you need help, ask for it; talking to someone or having someone with you is best source of encouragement
- Discouragement pushes you away from those who can help you
- Others do not know your problems, so let us someone know so they can provide you with help
- It only takes 1 person who cares
- Proverbs 18:1, A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment"
7. Radical times requires radical response/change
- Matthew 6:33, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you".
- Do not fear of things of this world but fear in the Lord
- Do what God has told us to
- Stop making excuses and act now
- Sometimes God uses discouragement to lead us in radical change of our lives
8. Do not let your guard down
- be vigilant and ready, keep you eyes open for the enemy
- 1 Peter 5:8, Be Sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like roaring lion, seeking whom may he may devour
II. New Testament Reading: Mark 1:1-8 and 1 Corinthians 9:19-27
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:15
He who puts up security for another will surely suffer, but whoever refuses to strike hands in pledge is safe
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 26:1-51 and Psalms 60:1-12
Saturday, March 16, 2013
16 Mar 13: Jesus Commissions His disciples / The Gospel Preached without Compensation
Read Matthew 28:16-20 and 1 Corinthians 9:11-18
I. Jesus Commissions His disciples
a. Passage (Matthew 28:16-20)
- After His resurrection, Jesus met His disciples at the mountains of Galilee. Here, He gave them the Great Commission "to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything the He had commanded them".
b. Reflection
- As Jesus' time as a man, came to an end, His Words and ministry lived forever. In this passage, we are given a commission to spread the Word of God and make disciples of all nations. We do not have to be an apostle, a pastor, or an expert. We all have our own skills and abilities that God had showered us. Let us use these blessings for His ministry and do our part to share the Gospel and the salvation that God had given us. Let us start by loving our neighbors, sharing a verse, offer help, and being the light of the World. By showing these to others, we reflect God's love, joy, and compassion. We are not all evangelist, but we can use our gifts to fulfill the Great Commission.
II. The Gospel Preached without Compensation
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 9:11-18)
- Paul continued his explanation of the "rights of the apostles" that he did not partake in. He mentioned that he deserved to be compensated but he chose not to because he is not doing this to gain fame or money, but to spread the Gospel and show the way for salvation.
b. Reflection
- Paul gave his life to God without asking for any compensation. Preaching the gospel was his gift and calling. He was driven by the desire to do what God wanted him to. He had a mission to spread the Gospel and bring glory to God. We, sometimes look for reward first then give praise to God second. In everything we do, we need to put God first. He is not our co-pilot but our pilot. He needs to be the one guiding us and providing us the way. And if we followed His commands, we should not ask for any reward. We should already be thankful that God had given us a life and the hope for eternity. As believers, we need to obey his commands to show that we love Him. We should do good things not because we are seeking for compensation but because we want to and it is what we are called for. Remember that all our good works here on earth are not the basis for our salvation. We need faith and cleansing from our sins to be able to build a relationship with our Father. God will then shower us with his grace and provide us a way for eternity.
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:14
For lack of guindance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 24-25 and Psalms 59:1-17
**Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
I. Jesus Commissions His disciples
a. Passage (Matthew 28:16-20)
- After His resurrection, Jesus met His disciples at the mountains of Galilee. Here, He gave them the Great Commission "to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything the He had commanded them".
b. Reflection
- As Jesus' time as a man, came to an end, His Words and ministry lived forever. In this passage, we are given a commission to spread the Word of God and make disciples of all nations. We do not have to be an apostle, a pastor, or an expert. We all have our own skills and abilities that God had showered us. Let us use these blessings for His ministry and do our part to share the Gospel and the salvation that God had given us. Let us start by loving our neighbors, sharing a verse, offer help, and being the light of the World. By showing these to others, we reflect God's love, joy, and compassion. We are not all evangelist, but we can use our gifts to fulfill the Great Commission.
II. The Gospel Preached without Compensation
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 9:11-18)
- Paul continued his explanation of the "rights of the apostles" that he did not partake in. He mentioned that he deserved to be compensated but he chose not to because he is not doing this to gain fame or money, but to spread the Gospel and show the way for salvation.
b. Reflection
- Paul gave his life to God without asking for any compensation. Preaching the gospel was his gift and calling. He was driven by the desire to do what God wanted him to. He had a mission to spread the Gospel and bring glory to God. We, sometimes look for reward first then give praise to God second. In everything we do, we need to put God first. He is not our co-pilot but our pilot. He needs to be the one guiding us and providing us the way. And if we followed His commands, we should not ask for any reward. We should already be thankful that God had given us a life and the hope for eternity. As believers, we need to obey his commands to show that we love Him. We should do good things not because we are seeking for compensation but because we want to and it is what we are called for. Remember that all our good works here on earth are not the basis for our salvation. We need faith and cleansing from our sins to be able to build a relationship with our Father. God will then shower us with his grace and provide us a way for eternity.
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:14
For lack of guindance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 24-25 and Psalms 59:1-17
**Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
Friday, March 15, 2013
15 Mar 13: Jesus Rises from the Grave / The Rights of an Apostle
Read Matthew 28:1-15 and 1 Corinthians 9:1-10
I. Jesus Rises from the Grave
a. Passage (Matthew 28:1-15)
- On the third day of Jesus' death, an angel came from heaven and rolled back the stone. The guards saw this and fell to the ground in fear. They reported these to the religious leaders who bribed them to lie about the event. The angel met Mary Magdalene and Mary by the entrance of the tomb and told them that "Jesus had risen and spread the Word His disciples". On their way to see the disciples, Jesus appeared to them and instructed them to tell His disciples and meet Him in Galilee.
b. Reflection
- Just as Jesus had said, he rose again after the third day. The tomb guards saw God at work and the women had witnessed Jesus alive again. The resurrection of Jesus is a historical fact. We will see in our next studies that there are hundreds who saw Him. This is a fulfillment of God's promise that He will provide us a way for our salvation. Jesus died for us while we were sinners and unrighteous. Just as He died during the crucifixion, our sinful bodies died with Him. Just as he Resurrection after three days, we were born again of the Spirit and are new creation. Before His death, Jesus proclaimed that "it is done". His blood had cleanse us from our sins and we just have to accept Him as our Lord and savior. We need to ask our Father in heaven for forgiveness of our sins and live a righteous life from now on. Let us not let Jesus' death go in vain by carrying our cross and following His ways to salvation.
II. The Rights of an Apostle
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 9:1-10)
- This is a continuation of the questions the church asked about eating meat offered to other gods. Paul used himself as an illustration for all the rights he gave up to serve the Lord. He had the right to be married, ask for payment, and other liberties, but chose not to. God did not forbid all these but because he wanted to be a role model for other Christians, he decided to not use these rights.
b. Reflection
- Paul gave up everything and fully devoted his life to God and His ministry. Paul explained how he had the liberty to do things but refrained so he would not be a stumbling block for someone else's faith. We as Christians have numerous rights. But we should not use all these rights because we may offend or become a stumbling block to others. We are free to do whatever we want, but as believers, we are called to do what God wants us to do. We are His children and we are His followers. We need to obey His command to show that we love Him. God had blessed us and showered His grace upon us. Let us show the world that we are true believers of the one and only God by following Him and His ways.
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:12-13
A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 22:21-41, Numbers 23, Psalms 58:1-11
**Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
I. Jesus Rises from the Grave
a. Passage (Matthew 28:1-15)
- On the third day of Jesus' death, an angel came from heaven and rolled back the stone. The guards saw this and fell to the ground in fear. They reported these to the religious leaders who bribed them to lie about the event. The angel met Mary Magdalene and Mary by the entrance of the tomb and told them that "Jesus had risen and spread the Word His disciples". On their way to see the disciples, Jesus appeared to them and instructed them to tell His disciples and meet Him in Galilee.
b. Reflection
- Just as Jesus had said, he rose again after the third day. The tomb guards saw God at work and the women had witnessed Jesus alive again. The resurrection of Jesus is a historical fact. We will see in our next studies that there are hundreds who saw Him. This is a fulfillment of God's promise that He will provide us a way for our salvation. Jesus died for us while we were sinners and unrighteous. Just as He died during the crucifixion, our sinful bodies died with Him. Just as he Resurrection after three days, we were born again of the Spirit and are new creation. Before His death, Jesus proclaimed that "it is done". His blood had cleanse us from our sins and we just have to accept Him as our Lord and savior. We need to ask our Father in heaven for forgiveness of our sins and live a righteous life from now on. Let us not let Jesus' death go in vain by carrying our cross and following His ways to salvation.
II. The Rights of an Apostle
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 9:1-10)
- This is a continuation of the questions the church asked about eating meat offered to other gods. Paul used himself as an illustration for all the rights he gave up to serve the Lord. He had the right to be married, ask for payment, and other liberties, but chose not to. God did not forbid all these but because he wanted to be a role model for other Christians, he decided to not use these rights.
b. Reflection
- Paul gave up everything and fully devoted his life to God and His ministry. Paul explained how he had the liberty to do things but refrained so he would not be a stumbling block for someone else's faith. We as Christians have numerous rights. But we should not use all these rights because we may offend or become a stumbling block to others. We are free to do whatever we want, but as believers, we are called to do what God wants us to do. We are His children and we are His followers. We need to obey His command to show that we love Him. God had blessed us and showered His grace upon us. Let us show the world that we are true believers of the one and only God by following Him and His ways.
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:12-13
A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 22:21-41, Numbers 23, Psalms 58:1-11
**Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
Thursday, March 14, 2013
14 Mar 13: Jesus Burial / Food Sacrificed to Idols
Read Matthew 27:57-66 and 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
I. Jesus Burial
a. Passage (Matthew 27:57-66)
- After the death of Jesus, a rich man named Joseph from Arimathea asked for Jesus' body from Pilate. He wrapped Him with clean linen, laid Him in a new tomb, and rolled a big stone in front of it. The day after, the religious leaders asked Pilate to secure the tomb to prevent Jesus' disciples from stealing His body and probably deceiving the people that "He rose again after three days". Pilate agreed and he even sent someone to post guard.
b. Reflection
- Out of nowhere, a rich man showed up to claim Jesus' body to give Him the proper burial He deserved. The rich man was a secret follower of Jesus and in the past, he was afraid to be seen with Him. But after Jesus' death, he came courageously to claim His body and even gave his own new tomb. The disciples, on the other hand, publicly followed Jesus but when He was arrested, they all scattered and hid because of fear.
Just like the disciples, we sometimes hide our faith because of fear of others. When we are faced with opposition, we tend to conceal that we are Christians to fit in with the world. Remember in Isaiah 41:10 that "we should not fear, for God is with us. He will strengthen us and help us, and he will uphold us with His righteous right hand".
II. Food Sacrificed to Idols
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 8:1-13)
- Paul talked about foods sacrificed to idols. He reminded the church that there is only one God and only one Lord in Jesus Christ. As Christians, we should not offer anything to idols and also be seen eating what is offered to idols. Some weak believers might see this and follow us resulting in sin.
b. Reflection
- God's second commandment was "to not make any graven images (idols) or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or earth beneath... you shall not bow down to them or serve them....." In the passage, Paul reminded us not to have idols and not to sacrifice foods to them. Also, we should not be seen eating any food sacrificed to the idols. I grew up in a Catholic culture and when I was young, I always see houses with numerous statues (Sto Nino, some saint, and even Buddha) in their houses. They pray to them, they bow down to them, and they even bring food to them. I thought this was weird because of the second Commandment, but for some reason, we were blinded by our blind guides in worshiping these stones. "God is a jealous God" and after accepting Christ and studying the Bible, I realized that what I was doing was wrong. Not only should we not have idols, and pray to these man-made "stones", we also should not sacrifice any food to them. There is only one God and only one way through Him, which is Jesus Christ. Instead of wasting our time communicating to dead people or statues, we should pray to God the Father, through the guidance of the Spirit, and in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:9-11
With his mouth. the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape. When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices, when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. Through the blessings of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 21, Numbers 22:1-20, Psalms 57:1-11
I. Jesus Burial
a. Passage (Matthew 27:57-66)
- After the death of Jesus, a rich man named Joseph from Arimathea asked for Jesus' body from Pilate. He wrapped Him with clean linen, laid Him in a new tomb, and rolled a big stone in front of it. The day after, the religious leaders asked Pilate to secure the tomb to prevent Jesus' disciples from stealing His body and probably deceiving the people that "He rose again after three days". Pilate agreed and he even sent someone to post guard.
b. Reflection
- Out of nowhere, a rich man showed up to claim Jesus' body to give Him the proper burial He deserved. The rich man was a secret follower of Jesus and in the past, he was afraid to be seen with Him. But after Jesus' death, he came courageously to claim His body and even gave his own new tomb. The disciples, on the other hand, publicly followed Jesus but when He was arrested, they all scattered and hid because of fear.
Just like the disciples, we sometimes hide our faith because of fear of others. When we are faced with opposition, we tend to conceal that we are Christians to fit in with the world. Remember in Isaiah 41:10 that "we should not fear, for God is with us. He will strengthen us and help us, and he will uphold us with His righteous right hand".
II. Food Sacrificed to Idols
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 8:1-13)
- Paul talked about foods sacrificed to idols. He reminded the church that there is only one God and only one Lord in Jesus Christ. As Christians, we should not offer anything to idols and also be seen eating what is offered to idols. Some weak believers might see this and follow us resulting in sin.
b. Reflection
- God's second commandment was "to not make any graven images (idols) or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or earth beneath... you shall not bow down to them or serve them....." In the passage, Paul reminded us not to have idols and not to sacrifice foods to them. Also, we should not be seen eating any food sacrificed to the idols. I grew up in a Catholic culture and when I was young, I always see houses with numerous statues (Sto Nino, some saint, and even Buddha) in their houses. They pray to them, they bow down to them, and they even bring food to them. I thought this was weird because of the second Commandment, but for some reason, we were blinded by our blind guides in worshiping these stones. "God is a jealous God" and after accepting Christ and studying the Bible, I realized that what I was doing was wrong. Not only should we not have idols, and pray to these man-made "stones", we also should not sacrifice any food to them. There is only one God and only one way through Him, which is Jesus Christ. Instead of wasting our time communicating to dead people or statues, we should pray to God the Father, through the guidance of the Spirit, and in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:9-11
With his mouth. the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape. When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices, when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. Through the blessings of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 21, Numbers 22:1-20, Psalms 57:1-11
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
13 Mar 13: The crucifixion of Jesus / Paul's Advice to Unmarried Man
Read Matthew 27:31-56 and 1 Corinthians 7:32-40
I. The crucifixion of Jesus
a. Passage (Matthew 27:31-56)
- After his trial, Jesus was led to the Calvary mountain where he awaits his crucifixion. On the way there, he was beaten, mocked, spitted on, flogged, and ridiculed. A man named Simon from Cyrene helped Him carry the cross when He couldn't go anymore. At the mountain, He was crucified along with two robbers. After crying out to the Father, Jesus gave His spirit. At the same time, the temple curtains were torn in half, the ground shook, and the tombs broke open.
b. Reflection
- Jesus' crucifixion fulfills His mission here on earth. God sacrificed His only begotten Son so we can live forever. Jesus blood was the price paid for our sins. This just shows how God loves us so much that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). With his death, Jesus fulfilled the law and we now have a way for our salvation. It is now up to us if we want to accept Him as our savior and follow Him. Let us not put Jesus' death in vain by devoting our lives to God. Let us live the life that God wants so we can receive His grace. Remember that Jesus is the only way and by proclaiming our faith, repenting from our sins, and living a righteous life, we will be blessed with eternity with our Father in heaven.
II. Paul's Advice to Unmarried Man
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 7:32-40)
- Paul gave some good reasons for remaining single. Once again, he does not condemn marriage but he said that it'll be better to stay single because you can put all your energy into God's ministry.
- Reflection
- Paul's message here is not an attack on marriage but a personal recommendation. Singleness is a gift of God and sometimes, God's plan is for others to stay single to be able to fulfill their ministry. By being single, you can give 100% of your time and energy to God's commission. This only works if you fully devote yourself to Him. There is nothing in the Bible stating that you have to be single to be able to preach and share the Gospel. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and we should use the talents that God had blessed us to help God's mission. Instead of wasting our time to determine if we have to be single or married, let us utilize our energy in spreading the Word of God so we can make disciples of other nations and at the same time, show them God's love and the way for salvation.
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:8
The righteous man is rescued from trouble and it comes on the wicked instead
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 19-20 and Psalms 56:1-13
I. The crucifixion of Jesus
a. Passage (Matthew 27:31-56)
- After his trial, Jesus was led to the Calvary mountain where he awaits his crucifixion. On the way there, he was beaten, mocked, spitted on, flogged, and ridiculed. A man named Simon from Cyrene helped Him carry the cross when He couldn't go anymore. At the mountain, He was crucified along with two robbers. After crying out to the Father, Jesus gave His spirit. At the same time, the temple curtains were torn in half, the ground shook, and the tombs broke open.
b. Reflection
- Jesus' crucifixion fulfills His mission here on earth. God sacrificed His only begotten Son so we can live forever. Jesus blood was the price paid for our sins. This just shows how God loves us so much that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). With his death, Jesus fulfilled the law and we now have a way for our salvation. It is now up to us if we want to accept Him as our savior and follow Him. Let us not put Jesus' death in vain by devoting our lives to God. Let us live the life that God wants so we can receive His grace. Remember that Jesus is the only way and by proclaiming our faith, repenting from our sins, and living a righteous life, we will be blessed with eternity with our Father in heaven.
II. Paul's Advice to Unmarried Man
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 7:32-40)
- Paul gave some good reasons for remaining single. Once again, he does not condemn marriage but he said that it'll be better to stay single because you can put all your energy into God's ministry.
- Reflection
- Paul's message here is not an attack on marriage but a personal recommendation. Singleness is a gift of God and sometimes, God's plan is for others to stay single to be able to fulfill their ministry. By being single, you can give 100% of your time and energy to God's commission. This only works if you fully devote yourself to Him. There is nothing in the Bible stating that you have to be single to be able to preach and share the Gospel. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and we should use the talents that God had blessed us to help God's mission. Instead of wasting our time to determine if we have to be single or married, let us utilize our energy in spreading the Word of God so we can make disciples of other nations and at the same time, show them God's love and the way for salvation.
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:8
The righteous man is rescued from trouble and it comes on the wicked instead
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 19-20 and Psalms 56:1-13
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
12 Mar 13: Jesus Appears Before Pilate / Paul's Advice to Unmarried Women
Read Matthew 27:11-30 and 1 Corinthians 7:25-31
I. Jesus Appears Before Pilate
a. Passage (Matthew 27:11-30)
- Jesus was delivered to Pilate by the religious leaders in hope of a death sentence. Jesus was presented as a rebellious leader who is starting a mutiny against Rome. Pilate asked Jesus some questions and found no wrong in him. Pilate asked the people to pick between Jesus and Barabbas a notorious criminal, and they picked Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified.
b. Reflection
- The leaders were so determined to execute Jesus that they accused Jesus as someone who encouraged citizens to not pay taxes, called himself a king, and causing riots. Jesus was presented of being an enemy of the Roman Empire to Pilate. Pilate really did not see any wrongdoings and thought that the leaders were just jealous of Jesus' popularity as a teacher of the scriptures. He wanted to release Jesus but the people wanted Him killed. The people even picked a notorious criminal over Jesus Christ to be freed. Because of the pressure, Pilate gave in to their request and sent Jesus to the mountains of Calvary. People's hearts were hardened and corrupted by the selfish desires of the Pharisees. They were led by blind guides who could not see who Jesus really was. At the same time, Pilate, because of his "love" of his position, gave it to the crowd's pressure. He knew that Jesus did not do anything wrong and not deserved to die but he also knew that he cannot risk to anger the people and risk losing his position. We, sometimes, lose our sight of Jesus and give in to the pressures of the world. We give in to others' request and fall in the temptation of sinning. We hide our faith and join in our friends in mocking our faith and the God who created all of us. We do this to fit in and be liked by others. We do not want to risk losing our friends or our reputation. We need to be strong with our faith and not be influenced by this World. We only have to please God for He is the only one who can forgive our sins and give us salvation and eternal life.
II. Paul's Advice to Unmarried Women
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 7:25-31)
- Paul gave his opinion on marriage and being single. He told the church that if you are married, stay married and if you are single, it is better to be single for being married is not the answer to our problems.
b. Reflection
- Paul's opinion was based on his experience as a single man serving the Lord. He recommended being single but he also said that marriage is not a bad thing and not a sin against God. By being single, you can focus your time and effort in the ministry of God. But you can only do this if you are fully devoted to Him. Whether we are married or single, we need to focus more on God's plan for us and not on our status. We need to be content with our situation and put Jesus as the center of our lives. "Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light and no one comes to the Father except through Him" (John 14:6)
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:7
When a wicked man dies, his hopes perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 16:41-50, Numbers 17-18, and Psalms 55:1-23
**Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
I. Jesus Appears Before Pilate
a. Passage (Matthew 27:11-30)
- Jesus was delivered to Pilate by the religious leaders in hope of a death sentence. Jesus was presented as a rebellious leader who is starting a mutiny against Rome. Pilate asked Jesus some questions and found no wrong in him. Pilate asked the people to pick between Jesus and Barabbas a notorious criminal, and they picked Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified.
b. Reflection
- The leaders were so determined to execute Jesus that they accused Jesus as someone who encouraged citizens to not pay taxes, called himself a king, and causing riots. Jesus was presented of being an enemy of the Roman Empire to Pilate. Pilate really did not see any wrongdoings and thought that the leaders were just jealous of Jesus' popularity as a teacher of the scriptures. He wanted to release Jesus but the people wanted Him killed. The people even picked a notorious criminal over Jesus Christ to be freed. Because of the pressure, Pilate gave in to their request and sent Jesus to the mountains of Calvary. People's hearts were hardened and corrupted by the selfish desires of the Pharisees. They were led by blind guides who could not see who Jesus really was. At the same time, Pilate, because of his "love" of his position, gave it to the crowd's pressure. He knew that Jesus did not do anything wrong and not deserved to die but he also knew that he cannot risk to anger the people and risk losing his position. We, sometimes, lose our sight of Jesus and give in to the pressures of the world. We give in to others' request and fall in the temptation of sinning. We hide our faith and join in our friends in mocking our faith and the God who created all of us. We do this to fit in and be liked by others. We do not want to risk losing our friends or our reputation. We need to be strong with our faith and not be influenced by this World. We only have to please God for He is the only one who can forgive our sins and give us salvation and eternal life.
II. Paul's Advice to Unmarried Women
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 7:25-31)
- Paul gave his opinion on marriage and being single. He told the church that if you are married, stay married and if you are single, it is better to be single for being married is not the answer to our problems.
b. Reflection
- Paul's opinion was based on his experience as a single man serving the Lord. He recommended being single but he also said that marriage is not a bad thing and not a sin against God. By being single, you can focus your time and effort in the ministry of God. But you can only do this if you are fully devoted to Him. Whether we are married or single, we need to focus more on God's plan for us and not on our status. We need to be content with our situation and put Jesus as the center of our lives. "Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light and no one comes to the Father except through Him" (John 14:6)
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:7
When a wicked man dies, his hopes perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 16:41-50, Numbers 17-18, and Psalms 55:1-23
**Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
Monday, March 11, 2013
11 Mar 13: The Religious Leaders Plot against Jesus / Bought a Price
Read Matthew 27:1-10 and 1 Corinthians 7:18-24
I. The Religious Leaders Plot against Jesus
a. Passage (Matthew 27:1-10)
- The religious leaders had already accused Jesus of Blasphemy. Now, they are plotting of putting him to Jesus to death so they sent home to Pontius Pilate who was the Roman governor at that time. When Judas Iscariot saw the condemnation, He felt guilty and tried to return the 30 pieces of silver. Because of the remorse, he committed suicide by hanging.
b. Reflection
- The religious leaders already gave Jesus a false accusation of Blasphemy, a spiritual offense. For them to put Jesus to death, they need the approval of the Roman Empire so this is where Pilate comes to place. Blasphemy is not punishable in the Roman Empire but rebellion is. By alleging that Jesus Christ had claimed that he is God, hence having more power than Caesar, the leaders can show that Jesus is a traitor and is leading a resistance against Rome. Are we like the religious leaders? Do we sometimes throw false accusations to Jesus? The leaders feared of losing power and they did everything in their control to get rid of the messiah. When we are facing difficulties, we sometimes do the same thing. When we don't get what we want, we start blaming God for what happened. Instead of accepting Him, we tried to criticize Him. Remember that our prayers will be answered if it is God's will. If our prayers do not get answered at that time, keep in mind that God has a plan for us and it will happen in his time. Let us trust our lives in Him and let Him direct our paths. He is the way, the truth, and the light and His grace is what will give us salvation.
II. Bought a Price
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 7:18-24)
- Paul reminded us that the laws of men do not apply to us anymore. The first covenant with the Jews was to have all believers circumcised. Paul said that if we were called by God, as gentiles, then we do not have to follow the religious laws of the Jews (being circumcised). At the same time, when you accepted the Lord when you were already circumcised, then you do not have to get uncircumcised again. We are called to remain in the place where God had placed us. Jesus already has done the work by shedding his blood for our salvation. All we need now is to accept Christ as our savior and repent of our sins.
b. Reflection
- We receive our salvation not by following the laws but through our faith and by grace of God. It is not because of us following the laws of Moses that we receive eternal life. But, when we are saved and the Spirit dwell in us, we are changed within and we start showing love, compassion, and joy. James 2:14-26 reads "Faith without works is dead". If you have faith but you do not show it outwardly, it means that it is a fake faith and you are a hypocrite. We show our love to God by following His commands. We were once a slave, but Jesus' death in the cross bought us from slavery. Jesus' blood was used to pay for our sins. We were once slaved to the power of sin, but with his resurrection, we are now free and are new creations. With our new found freedom, we now can walk in righteousness by following Jesus' ways.
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:5-6
The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 15:17-41, Numbers 16:1-40, and Psalms 54:1-7
I. The Religious Leaders Plot against Jesus
a. Passage (Matthew 27:1-10)
- The religious leaders had already accused Jesus of Blasphemy. Now, they are plotting of putting him to Jesus to death so they sent home to Pontius Pilate who was the Roman governor at that time. When Judas Iscariot saw the condemnation, He felt guilty and tried to return the 30 pieces of silver. Because of the remorse, he committed suicide by hanging.
b. Reflection
- The religious leaders already gave Jesus a false accusation of Blasphemy, a spiritual offense. For them to put Jesus to death, they need the approval of the Roman Empire so this is where Pilate comes to place. Blasphemy is not punishable in the Roman Empire but rebellion is. By alleging that Jesus Christ had claimed that he is God, hence having more power than Caesar, the leaders can show that Jesus is a traitor and is leading a resistance against Rome. Are we like the religious leaders? Do we sometimes throw false accusations to Jesus? The leaders feared of losing power and they did everything in their control to get rid of the messiah. When we are facing difficulties, we sometimes do the same thing. When we don't get what we want, we start blaming God for what happened. Instead of accepting Him, we tried to criticize Him. Remember that our prayers will be answered if it is God's will. If our prayers do not get answered at that time, keep in mind that God has a plan for us and it will happen in his time. Let us trust our lives in Him and let Him direct our paths. He is the way, the truth, and the light and His grace is what will give us salvation.
II. Bought a Price
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 7:18-24)
- Paul reminded us that the laws of men do not apply to us anymore. The first covenant with the Jews was to have all believers circumcised. Paul said that if we were called by God, as gentiles, then we do not have to follow the religious laws of the Jews (being circumcised). At the same time, when you accepted the Lord when you were already circumcised, then you do not have to get uncircumcised again. We are called to remain in the place where God had placed us. Jesus already has done the work by shedding his blood for our salvation. All we need now is to accept Christ as our savior and repent of our sins.
b. Reflection
- We receive our salvation not by following the laws but through our faith and by grace of God. It is not because of us following the laws of Moses that we receive eternal life. But, when we are saved and the Spirit dwell in us, we are changed within and we start showing love, compassion, and joy. James 2:14-26 reads "Faith without works is dead". If you have faith but you do not show it outwardly, it means that it is a fake faith and you are a hypocrite. We show our love to God by following His commands. We were once a slave, but Jesus' death in the cross bought us from slavery. Jesus' blood was used to pay for our sins. We were once slaved to the power of sin, but with his resurrection, we are now free and are new creations. With our new found freedom, we now can walk in righteousness by following Jesus' ways.
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:5-6
The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 15:17-41, Numbers 16:1-40, and Psalms 54:1-7
Sunday, March 10, 2013
10 Mar 13: False Accusations to God/ Paul's Advice on Divorce
Read Matthew 26: 57-75 and 1 Corinthians 7:10-17
I. False Accusations to God
a. Passage (Matthew 26: 57-75)
- After Jesus' arrest, He was taken to the High Priest for trial. The religious leaders tried everything to get Him sentenced so they gave false evidence and accused Jesus of blasphemy. Jesus was punched, spitted at, and mocked. At the same time, Peter was asked by onlookers of his association with Jesus which he denied three time before the rooster crowed.
b. Reflection
- Witnesses was brought to the High Court to give their testimonies of what Jesus said. They distorted Jesus' message about destroying the temple and raising it back and accused Jesus of blasphemy. Even today, we hear many who throw false accusations about God. They distort His message in hopes of discouraging our faith and our Christian walk. They put God on trial accusing Him of not helping when they face any struggles such as a death in the family or a lost of job. They provide false testimonies to others that God was not there when they needed help. At the same time, we as His followers are watched carefully and one mistake that we make is judged severely. We need to be strong at all times and keep our faith in the Lord even during dark times. God has a plan for all of us and event hough we do not get what we want, God had promised to take care of us and provide for all our needs. He has a plan for each and one of us and all we need to do is let him lead us to that path.
II. Paul's Advice on Divorce
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 7:10-17)
- Paul advised the Corinthian believers not to divorce their spouse just because there are non-believers.
b. Reflection
- During those times, some people in the church wanted to divorce their pagan spouses and marry Christians. Paul reminded us that marriage is done by God and once we are one, we cannot be separated unless by God. If we do separate, we should always work hard and pray to reestablish our marriage. Instead of divorcing our spouses, we should minister to them and win his or her heart to the Lord. We should be a living testimony to them so they may see God's love shining through us.
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:4
-Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 14, Numbers 15:1-16, and Psalms 53:1-6
I. False Accusations to God
a. Passage (Matthew 26: 57-75)
- After Jesus' arrest, He was taken to the High Priest for trial. The religious leaders tried everything to get Him sentenced so they gave false evidence and accused Jesus of blasphemy. Jesus was punched, spitted at, and mocked. At the same time, Peter was asked by onlookers of his association with Jesus which he denied three time before the rooster crowed.
b. Reflection
- Witnesses was brought to the High Court to give their testimonies of what Jesus said. They distorted Jesus' message about destroying the temple and raising it back and accused Jesus of blasphemy. Even today, we hear many who throw false accusations about God. They distort His message in hopes of discouraging our faith and our Christian walk. They put God on trial accusing Him of not helping when they face any struggles such as a death in the family or a lost of job. They provide false testimonies to others that God was not there when they needed help. At the same time, we as His followers are watched carefully and one mistake that we make is judged severely. We need to be strong at all times and keep our faith in the Lord even during dark times. God has a plan for all of us and event hough we do not get what we want, God had promised to take care of us and provide for all our needs. He has a plan for each and one of us and all we need to do is let him lead us to that path.
II. Paul's Advice on Divorce
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 7:10-17)
- Paul advised the Corinthian believers not to divorce their spouse just because there are non-believers.
b. Reflection
- During those times, some people in the church wanted to divorce their pagan spouses and marry Christians. Paul reminded us that marriage is done by God and once we are one, we cannot be separated unless by God. If we do separate, we should always work hard and pray to reestablish our marriage. Instead of divorcing our spouses, we should minister to them and win his or her heart to the Lord. We should be a living testimony to them so they may see God's love shining through us.
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:4
-Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 14, Numbers 15:1-16, and Psalms 53:1-6
Saturday, March 9, 2013
9 Mar 13: Jesus Betrayed at Gethsemane / Paul's Advice to Married Couples
Read Matthew 26:36-56 and 1 Corinthians 7:1-9
I. Jesus Betrayed at Gethsemane
a. Passage (Matthew 26:36-56)
- After the Lord's supper, Jesus and His disciples retreated to Gethsemane. He then took Peter, John, and James so they could keep watch on Him while He prayed. When Jesus finished praying, He found the three sleeping. He prayed again and for the second time when he came back, they were again fast asleep so He just left them and prayed for the third time. After His third prayer, He woke up the three and told them that the betrayer is on his way. In a few minutes, Judas arrived with a large crowd who arrested Jesus Christ. Because of fear, His disciples fled and went into hiding.
b. Reflection
- There are two parts of this story. The first is how Peter, John, and James were supposed to watch over Jesus but failed to do so. We are all given a commandment by God to live a righteous life and obey Him. Just like the three, we are sometimes influenced by the enemy and we give in to the temptation. Their body were weak, their eyes were heavy, but these are not an excuse to not obey Jesus Christ. He only asked for an hour and they could not even give that. They could have structured a plan so at least one of them will stay up but they slept instead. We are commanded to follow the ways of the Lord but because we are more focused on what is here on earth, we tend to forget God's commands and live however we want to. We need to be always ready for we do not know when the day of judgment comes. It is never too late to give up our old ways and devote ourselves to the Lord. The second part was Jesus' arrest. Judas betrayed Him and when he was about to be arrested, Peter drew his knife and cut the man's ear. Peter and the other disciples did not understand Jesus' mission on earth. The betrayal, the arrest, and everything else that happened was all part of God's plan. Without this, we would not have been saved from our sins and would have lived in eternal fire. Jesus Christ was sent as the lamb of God who was sacrificed for our sins. God did this while we were still unrighteous that even though we did not deserve His love, He still gave His only begotten Son so we could have a way for salvation. Let us trust in the Lord and His plans. Let us not rely on own selves but lean on Him for everything that we do. Let us follow His ways so we may receive God's grace and inherit His kingdom.
II. Paul's Advice to Married Couples
a. Passage ( 1 Corinthians 7:1-9)
- Paul gave his advice to the Corinth Church about marriage. He shared that marriage is a great thing because it saves us from immorality of this world. At the same time, he also said that being unmarried is good unless you start having temptations then they should get married.
b. Reflections
- Sexual immorality is rampant in this world. Unlike the old days when you are frowned upon when you lose your virginity before marriage, our society now mocks you if you are still a virgin. It starts from school as early as 13 years old when everyone is trying to fit in. Sexual pressures are a good thing and it was a gift of God for us to bear child. But because we used it to engage in premarital sex, immoralities, sodomy, and homosexuality this great natural desire had become a cause of sin. Paul reminded us that it is better to get married so we would not have these desires with others. At the same time, couples should submit to each other and fulfill their marital duties. We are all passionate and if you are deprived of "needs", we start looking for them elsewhere. We need to help each other out and be open about it. This will not just help us but also prevent us from going astray and sinning.
III. Proverbs for today/ 11:1-3
11 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord,But a just weight is His delight.2 When pride comes, then comes shame;But with the humble is wisdom.3 The integrity of the upright will guide them,But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Numbers 11:24-35, Numbers 12-13, Psalms 52:1-9
**Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
I. Jesus Betrayed at Gethsemane
a. Passage (Matthew 26:36-56)
- After the Lord's supper, Jesus and His disciples retreated to Gethsemane. He then took Peter, John, and James so they could keep watch on Him while He prayed. When Jesus finished praying, He found the three sleeping. He prayed again and for the second time when he came back, they were again fast asleep so He just left them and prayed for the third time. After His third prayer, He woke up the three and told them that the betrayer is on his way. In a few minutes, Judas arrived with a large crowd who arrested Jesus Christ. Because of fear, His disciples fled and went into hiding.
b. Reflection
- There are two parts of this story. The first is how Peter, John, and James were supposed to watch over Jesus but failed to do so. We are all given a commandment by God to live a righteous life and obey Him. Just like the three, we are sometimes influenced by the enemy and we give in to the temptation. Their body were weak, their eyes were heavy, but these are not an excuse to not obey Jesus Christ. He only asked for an hour and they could not even give that. They could have structured a plan so at least one of them will stay up but they slept instead. We are commanded to follow the ways of the Lord but because we are more focused on what is here on earth, we tend to forget God's commands and live however we want to. We need to be always ready for we do not know when the day of judgment comes. It is never too late to give up our old ways and devote ourselves to the Lord. The second part was Jesus' arrest. Judas betrayed Him and when he was about to be arrested, Peter drew his knife and cut the man's ear. Peter and the other disciples did not understand Jesus' mission on earth. The betrayal, the arrest, and everything else that happened was all part of God's plan. Without this, we would not have been saved from our sins and would have lived in eternal fire. Jesus Christ was sent as the lamb of God who was sacrificed for our sins. God did this while we were still unrighteous that even though we did not deserve His love, He still gave His only begotten Son so we could have a way for salvation. Let us trust in the Lord and His plans. Let us not rely on own selves but lean on Him for everything that we do. Let us follow His ways so we may receive God's grace and inherit His kingdom.
II. Paul's Advice to Married Couples
a. Passage ( 1 Corinthians 7:1-9)
- Paul gave his advice to the Corinth Church about marriage. He shared that marriage is a great thing because it saves us from immorality of this world. At the same time, he also said that being unmarried is good unless you start having temptations then they should get married.
b. Reflections
- Sexual immorality is rampant in this world. Unlike the old days when you are frowned upon when you lose your virginity before marriage, our society now mocks you if you are still a virgin. It starts from school as early as 13 years old when everyone is trying to fit in. Sexual pressures are a good thing and it was a gift of God for us to bear child. But because we used it to engage in premarital sex, immoralities, sodomy, and homosexuality this great natural desire had become a cause of sin. Paul reminded us that it is better to get married so we would not have these desires with others. At the same time, couples should submit to each other and fulfill their marital duties. We are all passionate and if you are deprived of "needs", we start looking for them elsewhere. We need to help each other out and be open about it. This will not just help us but also prevent us from going astray and sinning.
III. Proverbs for today/ 11:1-3
11 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord,But a just weight is His delight.2 When pride comes, then comes shame;But with the humble is wisdom.3 The integrity of the upright will guide them,But the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Numbers 11:24-35, Numbers 12-13, Psalms 52:1-9
**Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
Friday, March 8, 2013
8 Mar 13: The Last Supper / The Body, temple of the Holy Spirit
Read Matthew 26:17-35 and 1 Corinthians 6:13-20
I. The Last Supper
a. Passage (Matthew 26:17-35)
- Jesus Christ and His disciples were having a supper to observe the Passover. He explained the symbolism of the bread and the wine being His body and blood and how we should use those to remember Him. During the meal, Jesus told His disciples that one of them will betray Him. He also told Peter that he will deny Jesus three times before the rooster crows.
b. Reflection
- The Lord's Supper is one of the famous scenes in the Bible. When we imagine this time, we all assume that it is a joyful evening. This meal is actually not as jubilant as we think. We call this the "Last Supper" for a reason. Not only is this Jesus' last meal before he was arrested, tried, and crucified, but it is also a meal where He let His most trusted followers know that one of them will betray Him and that Peter will deny Him, not once but three times. As we all know, it was Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. So what is the symbolism of Judas in the modern society. Judas was appointed as an apostle, learned from Jesus Himself, involved in numerous ministries and healing, and preached the gospel but he still lost trust in Jesus and betrayed Him. He dressed like the other disciples, preached and ministered like them, yet he still had the enemy use him and succumbed to temptation. Just like Judas, there are many out there who claim that they are Christians, go to church every Sunday, carry and read the Bible, and sing worship songs with hands up high, but deep inside, their hearts are corrupted by the things of the world. They value money and earthly possessions more than their relationship with God. When they are offered an "opportunity to prosper", they turn their back on God and even hand Him to the enemy. Let us examine our hearts for "we can only have one master". We can either serve God or earthly possessions, we cannot serve both. Finally, let us examine the true meaning of this meal. The Lord's Supper is also called the "Eucharist" or thanksgiving, for we give thanks and praise to God for all the blessings He has given us including the death of His only begotten son for our sins. It is called a "Communion" because we partake on it as a community of believers in remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us. As we participate in this meal, let us express our gratefulness to our creator and give Him the glory and praises that He truly deserve.
II. The Body, temple of the Holy Spirit
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 6:13-20)
- As a continuation to the previous verses, Paul reminded the Corinthians that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is a gift from God and we should respect it and use it for His glory.
b. Reflection
- We should all know that the body is as important as our soul. Some think that as long as we take care of our spirit, our bodies really do not matter. Whatever we do with our bodies affect our souls.We are reminded that our bodies are temples of God whom the Holy Spirit dwells in. Our body belongs to God and has one purpose: to give glory to Him who created us. We need to take care of our bodies and avoid sexual immorality and other abuses. We need to stop polluting our bodies by not taking drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes. Not only are we killing our bodies, we are also wasting the resources, God had blessed us, that we could have used in ministries and the spread of His word. Another abuse that we do not look at is being a workaholic. Some of us have 2, 3, or even 4 jobs and we do not get enough time to rest our bodies. We are doing this to succeed here on earth and gain more earthly possessions We need to trust in the Lord that He will provide for all our needs. All other "wants" are unnecessary and will just pull us away from God. We start to miss church, forget to pray, and depend on our own strengths to live. Remember in Philippians 4:19,
"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus"
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:31-32
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
But the perverse tongue will be cut out
The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable
But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 10, Numbers 11:1-23, and Psalms 51:1-19
**Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
I. The Last Supper
a. Passage (Matthew 26:17-35)
- Jesus Christ and His disciples were having a supper to observe the Passover. He explained the symbolism of the bread and the wine being His body and blood and how we should use those to remember Him. During the meal, Jesus told His disciples that one of them will betray Him. He also told Peter that he will deny Jesus three times before the rooster crows.
b. Reflection
- The Lord's Supper is one of the famous scenes in the Bible. When we imagine this time, we all assume that it is a joyful evening. This meal is actually not as jubilant as we think. We call this the "Last Supper" for a reason. Not only is this Jesus' last meal before he was arrested, tried, and crucified, but it is also a meal where He let His most trusted followers know that one of them will betray Him and that Peter will deny Him, not once but three times. As we all know, it was Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. So what is the symbolism of Judas in the modern society. Judas was appointed as an apostle, learned from Jesus Himself, involved in numerous ministries and healing, and preached the gospel but he still lost trust in Jesus and betrayed Him. He dressed like the other disciples, preached and ministered like them, yet he still had the enemy use him and succumbed to temptation. Just like Judas, there are many out there who claim that they are Christians, go to church every Sunday, carry and read the Bible, and sing worship songs with hands up high, but deep inside, their hearts are corrupted by the things of the world. They value money and earthly possessions more than their relationship with God. When they are offered an "opportunity to prosper", they turn their back on God and even hand Him to the enemy. Let us examine our hearts for "we can only have one master". We can either serve God or earthly possessions, we cannot serve both. Finally, let us examine the true meaning of this meal. The Lord's Supper is also called the "Eucharist" or thanksgiving, for we give thanks and praise to God for all the blessings He has given us including the death of His only begotten son for our sins. It is called a "Communion" because we partake on it as a community of believers in remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us. As we participate in this meal, let us express our gratefulness to our creator and give Him the glory and praises that He truly deserve.
II. The Body, temple of the Holy Spirit
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 6:13-20)
- As a continuation to the previous verses, Paul reminded the Corinthians that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is a gift from God and we should respect it and use it for His glory.
b. Reflection
- We should all know that the body is as important as our soul. Some think that as long as we take care of our spirit, our bodies really do not matter. Whatever we do with our bodies affect our souls.We are reminded that our bodies are temples of God whom the Holy Spirit dwells in. Our body belongs to God and has one purpose: to give glory to Him who created us. We need to take care of our bodies and avoid sexual immorality and other abuses. We need to stop polluting our bodies by not taking drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes. Not only are we killing our bodies, we are also wasting the resources, God had blessed us, that we could have used in ministries and the spread of His word. Another abuse that we do not look at is being a workaholic. Some of us have 2, 3, or even 4 jobs and we do not get enough time to rest our bodies. We are doing this to succeed here on earth and gain more earthly possessions We need to trust in the Lord that He will provide for all our needs. All other "wants" are unnecessary and will just pull us away from God. We start to miss church, forget to pray, and depend on our own strengths to live. Remember in Philippians 4:19,
"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus"
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:31-32
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
But the perverse tongue will be cut out
The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable
But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 10, Numbers 11:1-23, and Psalms 51:1-19
**Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
Thursday, March 7, 2013
7 Mar 13: Anointing of Jesus /Washed in Christ's blood
Read Matthew 26:1-16 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-13
I. The Anointing of Jesus
a. Passage (Matthew 26:1-16)
- The religious leaders have been trying hard to find a way to arrest Jesus and put him to death. Jesus had been gaining fame and the Pharisees feared that they were going to lose power if this continues. Jesus once again told His disciples of His crucifixion. At the same time, the religious leaders are planning Jesus' arrest and death. In verses 6-13, Matthew went back 6 days prior to the Passover to tell the story of Jesus being anointed by oil. This was done by Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus who poured a jar of expensive perfume on Jesus head to ready Him for burial. When the disciples saw this, they were outraged and called it a waste because of the money that they could have gotten by selling the perfume. Jesus then rebuked them. In the last verses, Judas Iscariot approached the religious leaders and offered his services for 30 pieces of silver
b. Reflection
- In this passage, we saw how Mary honored Jesus by using her expensive perfume. Unlike the disciples, Mary believed everything that Jesus was saying about his arrest, trial, crucifixion, and death. At this time, the disciples still did not know what Jesus' mission was on earth. Mary knew His mission and while he was in her family's home, she took the opportunity to give Him her most precious possession. Do we understand what Jesus had done for us? Jesus died for us so we can be cleansed from our sins. Jesus died for us to make us righteous again in the eyes of God. He had provided us a way for salvation, a way for a relationship with our Father. We are given a choice to accept this free gift or reject it. We are asked to pick up our cross, leave the ways of the world, and follow the Lord. We can do this by honoring Him with our most precious belonging, our life. We need to fully commit to God and live a righteous life. We have to trust in Him with all our heart and let God lead our lives to eternity.
II. Washed in Christ's blood
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 6:9-13)
- Paul told the Corinthians that the "unrighteous" will not inherit the Kingdom of God. All idolaters, sexually immoral, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, greedy, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers will never enter God's Kingdom. We are also reminded that because of our faith and Jesus' crucifixion, we are washed by His blood and have received salvation.
b. Reflection
- The church is not a place where perfect people go. We are all unrighteous and we continue to sin. The only thing that differentiate us from others is that we have repented and will continue to repent from our sins. We have asked God, numerously, for forgiveness. As followers of Christ, we should always hold a high moral standard. With a culture nowadays that accepts divorce, abortion, premarital sex, and homosexuality, we should not lower our values just to blend in with the world. Remember that is is not our job to please people but to we need to be pleasing only God. We should never accept immoral behavior and never take part in it in any way. It might now be accepted by the general public, but it will never be accepted by God. Our lives here are short and instead of wasting it in living the life of this world, we should be focus on building treasures in heaven and following the way of the Lord. It does not matter what is "trending" right now because no matter what generation we are in, God expects His followers to obey His commands.
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:29-30
29 The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless,
but it is the ruin of those who do evil.
30 The righteous will never be uprooted,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.
**Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
I. The Anointing of Jesus
a. Passage (Matthew 26:1-16)
- The religious leaders have been trying hard to find a way to arrest Jesus and put him to death. Jesus had been gaining fame and the Pharisees feared that they were going to lose power if this continues. Jesus once again told His disciples of His crucifixion. At the same time, the religious leaders are planning Jesus' arrest and death. In verses 6-13, Matthew went back 6 days prior to the Passover to tell the story of Jesus being anointed by oil. This was done by Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus who poured a jar of expensive perfume on Jesus head to ready Him for burial. When the disciples saw this, they were outraged and called it a waste because of the money that they could have gotten by selling the perfume. Jesus then rebuked them. In the last verses, Judas Iscariot approached the religious leaders and offered his services for 30 pieces of silver
b. Reflection
- In this passage, we saw how Mary honored Jesus by using her expensive perfume. Unlike the disciples, Mary believed everything that Jesus was saying about his arrest, trial, crucifixion, and death. At this time, the disciples still did not know what Jesus' mission was on earth. Mary knew His mission and while he was in her family's home, she took the opportunity to give Him her most precious possession. Do we understand what Jesus had done for us? Jesus died for us so we can be cleansed from our sins. Jesus died for us to make us righteous again in the eyes of God. He had provided us a way for salvation, a way for a relationship with our Father. We are given a choice to accept this free gift or reject it. We are asked to pick up our cross, leave the ways of the world, and follow the Lord. We can do this by honoring Him with our most precious belonging, our life. We need to fully commit to God and live a righteous life. We have to trust in Him with all our heart and let God lead our lives to eternity.
II. Washed in Christ's blood
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 6:9-13)
- Paul told the Corinthians that the "unrighteous" will not inherit the Kingdom of God. All idolaters, sexually immoral, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, greedy, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers will never enter God's Kingdom. We are also reminded that because of our faith and Jesus' crucifixion, we are washed by His blood and have received salvation.
b. Reflection
- The church is not a place where perfect people go. We are all unrighteous and we continue to sin. The only thing that differentiate us from others is that we have repented and will continue to repent from our sins. We have asked God, numerously, for forgiveness. As followers of Christ, we should always hold a high moral standard. With a culture nowadays that accepts divorce, abortion, premarital sex, and homosexuality, we should not lower our values just to blend in with the world. Remember that is is not our job to please people but to we need to be pleasing only God. We should never accept immoral behavior and never take part in it in any way. It might now be accepted by the general public, but it will never be accepted by God. Our lives here are short and instead of wasting it in living the life of this world, we should be focus on building treasures in heaven and following the way of the Lord. It does not matter what is "trending" right now because no matter what generation we are in, God expects His followers to obey His commands.
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:29-30
29 The way of the Lord is a refuge for the blameless,
but it is the ruin of those who do evil.
30 The righteous will never be uprooted,
but the wicked will not remain in the land.
**Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
6 Mar 13: Separation of the Sheep from the Goat / Lawsuits Among Believers
Read Matthew 25:31-46 and 1 Corinthians 6:1-8
I. Separation of the Sheep from the Goat
a. Passage (Matthew 25:31-46)
- When the day of judgment comes, Jesus will come back and separate the sheep (believers) from the goats (nonbelievers). The believers will enter the Kingdom of heaven while the nonbelievers will be thrown to the fiery hell.
b. Reflection:
- The church is like a flock of sheep and Jesus Christ is our shepherd. He tends us, feeds us and guides us. Main difference between a goat and sheep is that a sheep can be led while goats scatter around. As a sheep who follows Christ, we received salvation from God, and this salvation is what causes us to do good things. Some might think that the "sheep" inherited eternal life because of his good works (feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, clothing the naked, etc) but we are wrong with this. Remember that we receive salvation only by faith through the grace of God and not by our works. But because the Spirit had been working in us, we are changed within and doing good is an outward expression of the inward change that God had made in us. It is the direct manifestation of God's love and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. And when judgment day comes, Jesus will separate us from those "goats" who rejected Him as our savior. We will inherit God's Kingdom and live eternal life while non-believers will go to everlasting punishment where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
II. Lawsuits Among Believers
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 6:1-8)
- Paul instructed the Corinthians not to sue each other. By going to court, Christians are putting a bad name to themselves. Disputes that go public will just distort the image of Jesus Christ and God among non-believers. Why would a non-believer commit his/her life to God when they see fighting among His followers. Additionally, the judges of the world have no respect for Christians and will punish them for their faith if given the opportunity. Paul told the church to accept the abuse and settle disputes rather than filing a lawsuit and pushing their brothers/sisters in faith away from God.
b. Reflection:
- As God's children, we are reminded not to bring disagreements before the court of this World but rather resolve it among ourselves. As God forgives our sins continuously, we need to learn to forgive others who have sinned against us. We are taught to forgive "seventy-seven times". At the same time, we should not follow the saying "I forgive but I do not forget". Imagine if God is that way. No one will ever enter heaven for we are all unrighteous and do not deserve the love of God. But because God loves us so much, He still gave us a way for salvation through repentance from our sins, acceptance of Jesus Christ as our savior, and living a righteous life.
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:27-28
The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 6-7 and Psalms 49:1-20
**Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
I. Separation of the Sheep from the Goat
a. Passage (Matthew 25:31-46)
- When the day of judgment comes, Jesus will come back and separate the sheep (believers) from the goats (nonbelievers). The believers will enter the Kingdom of heaven while the nonbelievers will be thrown to the fiery hell.
b. Reflection:
- The church is like a flock of sheep and Jesus Christ is our shepherd. He tends us, feeds us and guides us. Main difference between a goat and sheep is that a sheep can be led while goats scatter around. As a sheep who follows Christ, we received salvation from God, and this salvation is what causes us to do good things. Some might think that the "sheep" inherited eternal life because of his good works (feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, clothing the naked, etc) but we are wrong with this. Remember that we receive salvation only by faith through the grace of God and not by our works. But because the Spirit had been working in us, we are changed within and doing good is an outward expression of the inward change that God had made in us. It is the direct manifestation of God's love and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. And when judgment day comes, Jesus will separate us from those "goats" who rejected Him as our savior. We will inherit God's Kingdom and live eternal life while non-believers will go to everlasting punishment where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.
II. Lawsuits Among Believers
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 6:1-8)
- Paul instructed the Corinthians not to sue each other. By going to court, Christians are putting a bad name to themselves. Disputes that go public will just distort the image of Jesus Christ and God among non-believers. Why would a non-believer commit his/her life to God when they see fighting among His followers. Additionally, the judges of the world have no respect for Christians and will punish them for their faith if given the opportunity. Paul told the church to accept the abuse and settle disputes rather than filing a lawsuit and pushing their brothers/sisters in faith away from God.
b. Reflection:
- As God's children, we are reminded not to bring disagreements before the court of this World but rather resolve it among ourselves. As God forgives our sins continuously, we need to learn to forgive others who have sinned against us. We are taught to forgive "seventy-seven times". At the same time, we should not follow the saying "I forgive but I do not forget". Imagine if God is that way. No one will ever enter heaven for we are all unrighteous and do not deserve the love of God. But because God loves us so much, He still gave us a way for salvation through repentance from our sins, acceptance of Jesus Christ as our savior, and living a righteous life.
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:27-28
The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.
The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 6-7 and Psalms 49:1-20
**Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
5 Mar 13: The Parable of the Talents / In the World not of the World
Read Matthew 25:14-30 and 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
I. The Parable of the Talents
a. Passage (Matthew 25:14-30)
- This parable was given to answer the Disciples' question of when the second coming would be. Jesus has been telling them to be ready all the time because they would not know when this will happen. In this parable, a man going on a journey gave three of his servants 5, 2, and 1 talents (money) respectively according to their abilities. The first two used it wisely and doubled their talents while the last one dug a hole and hid it. When the master came back, he collected the talents and praised the first two for growing what they were given. The master was not impressed with the last one, took his 1 talent and gave it to the first one.
b. Reflection
- We do not know when judgment day comes. Till that day, we have to stay alert, live a righteous life, and trust in the Lord, our savior. God had showered us with many blessings and talents. We need to utilize these for the glory of His kingdom. We need to be like the first two and share God's blessings to others. We need to be involve in His ministry, to make disciples, and spread the Gospel. Let us not be afraid and hide our God-given talents. If it is not used for his glory, God will take it away from us and give it to those who follow Him. It does not matter how big or small our talents are. What matters most is how we use what we have to serve, worship, and glorify God.
II. In the World not of the World
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
- Paul wrote to the Corinth Church about the unrighteousness that is happening within the church. He told the church not to associate themselves with those who commit sexual immorality and at the same time,
b. Reflection
- As Christians, we tend to look at "other" people on the way they live their "unrighteous" life. We tend to judge others on how they commit sin and do not follow God's way. We are reminded not to disassociate ourselves from the unbelievers but instead, minister to them, share verses, and show them love so they might see God's love within ourselves. Let us be the light of this world and be a living testimony of God's promises and plans so they might see the change God made in us, repent of their sins, and build a relationship with the Father. Instead, Paul told us to look at our brothers and sisters within our Church. We have so-called followers of Christ, who claims to be Christians, but continuously commit sin. We are told to distance ourselves from them for they bring darkness to the Church and instead of bringing people closer to God, they are distorting the image of all followers and putting Jesus' crucifixion in vain.
III. Proverbs for Today/ 10:26
As Vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 4-5 and Psalms 48:1-14
Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
I. The Parable of the Talents
a. Passage (Matthew 25:14-30)
- This parable was given to answer the Disciples' question of when the second coming would be. Jesus has been telling them to be ready all the time because they would not know when this will happen. In this parable, a man going on a journey gave three of his servants 5, 2, and 1 talents (money) respectively according to their abilities. The first two used it wisely and doubled their talents while the last one dug a hole and hid it. When the master came back, he collected the talents and praised the first two for growing what they were given. The master was not impressed with the last one, took his 1 talent and gave it to the first one.
b. Reflection
- We do not know when judgment day comes. Till that day, we have to stay alert, live a righteous life, and trust in the Lord, our savior. God had showered us with many blessings and talents. We need to utilize these for the glory of His kingdom. We need to be like the first two and share God's blessings to others. We need to be involve in His ministry, to make disciples, and spread the Gospel. Let us not be afraid and hide our God-given talents. If it is not used for his glory, God will take it away from us and give it to those who follow Him. It does not matter how big or small our talents are. What matters most is how we use what we have to serve, worship, and glorify God.
II. In the World not of the World
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
- Paul wrote to the Corinth Church about the unrighteousness that is happening within the church. He told the church not to associate themselves with those who commit sexual immorality and at the same time,
b. Reflection
- As Christians, we tend to look at "other" people on the way they live their "unrighteous" life. We tend to judge others on how they commit sin and do not follow God's way. We are reminded not to disassociate ourselves from the unbelievers but instead, minister to them, share verses, and show them love so they might see God's love within ourselves. Let us be the light of this world and be a living testimony of God's promises and plans so they might see the change God made in us, repent of their sins, and build a relationship with the Father. Instead, Paul told us to look at our brothers and sisters within our Church. We have so-called followers of Christ, who claims to be Christians, but continuously commit sin. We are told to distance ourselves from them for they bring darkness to the Church and instead of bringing people closer to God, they are distorting the image of all followers and putting Jesus' crucifixion in vain.
III. Proverbs for Today/ 10:26
As Vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so is a sluggard to those who send him
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 4-5 and Psalms 48:1-14
Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
Monday, March 4, 2013
4 Mar 13: The parable of the 10 Virgins / Paul Condemns Immorality in the Church
Read Matthew 25:1-13 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-8
I. The parable of the 10 Virgins
- Matthew 25:1-13, Our Christian life does not only last for a day, it is a lifelong journey. We shouldn't be like the 5 foolish women who did not have enough oil to last them the whole night. We should make sure that we have enough spiritual fuel that will nourish our spirit and help us grow in our faith. Let us not just depend on Sunday church for our feeding of the Gospel. Let us all develop a daily habit of praying, worshiping and glorifying God, devotionals, bible studies, and fellowship with our friends and families. Just like in the parable, everyone seemed to be prepared for the big feast but looks are deceiving. We might think that we are ready because we call ourselves Christians, read the Bible, go to church, and help others but in reality, we do not have a relationship with God. Being "good" and looking "holy" is not enough for God. We have to examine ourselves to see if we are living the way God and His scriptures tell us to. If we are not, we still have time to change our lives, accept the Lord as our savior, repent from our sins, and proclaim that God is the living God who created the heavens and the earth. We should all be ready for this long journey. We should always be prepared and have enough oil for our lamps for we do not know when the bridegroom will arrive.
II. Paul Condemns Immorality in the Church
- 1 Corinthians 5:1-8, Paul called out the Corinthian Church for the sexual immorality that is happening among them. At the same time, many knew about this "sin" and chose to ignore this. As a member of God's church and a follower of Christ, we have the duty to guide our fellow believers back to the right path if we see them drifting away. We should not judge them but provide them help and encouragement. We are not perfect because we, as humans, have a sinful nature. We should not ignore this for what we are doing is letting them go astray and away from God. Instead of ignoring them, we should be like a shepherd looking for that lost sheep, for every soul is important and deserve the love of God and the gift of salvation.
III. Proverbs for Today/ 10:24-25
What the wicked dreads will overtake them; what the righteous desire will be granted
When the storms had swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Numbers 2-3 and Psalms 47:1-9
Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
Sunday, March 3, 2013
3 Mar 13: Prepare for The Lord's Coming / Paul Counsels His Beloved Children
Read Matthew 24:32-51 and 1 Corinthians 4:14-21
I. Prepare for The Lord's Coming
- Matthew 24:32-51, This study has one simple message for all of us: be ready. As believers, we are all waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ. This is a day of joy for all His followers but a gloomy one for those who rejected Him. For better understanding, let me use a story of a small school.
A rich man visited a school and was dismayed when he saw that it was dirty. There were papers on the floor and trash everywhere. As an experiment, he chose one classroom and told the students that one day, he will return and inspect the classroom again. Whoever has the cleanest desk, he will reward the student a brand new IPad. For the first week, each student had their desks neat and made sure that there are no trash near them. After a couple of weeks, some went back to their old ways and had clutter all over their desk. With another month passing by, most had given up except for one boy. This boy kept his desk clean every day, believing that one day, the rich man will come back. He was mocked, ridiculed, and bullied by his classmates but he kept his faith on that promise. A month before the end of the school year, a knock was made and it was the rich man standing by the door. When the students saw him, they frantically tried to clean their desk but they were stopped and was told to stand by the wall. Each desk was then inspected and was rejected until he reached the little boy's desk. After seeing that the boy kept his faith and cleaned his desk every single school day, the rich man handed him his new Ipad in front of his classmates.
Just like the little boy, we have to trust in the Lord's promise that one day He will return. We need to be always prepared for we do not know the day or time of his return. Only God, the Father, knows when that time comes so till that day, we need to keep repenting from our sins, keep following the ways of the Lord, and building treasures in heaven. If we do this, God will reward us with the free gift of salvation and eternal life in heaven.
II. Paul Counsels His Beloved Children
1 Corinthians 4:14-21, Paul reminds us that our faith is not just listening or talking about the Word but actually living it. We might know all the verses in the Bible but that does not make us righteous in the eyes of God. We all need to act like Christians by following Jesus' way. Once we are baptized in the water and in the spirit, we are to change our old ways and live a righteous life. As we discussed in previous devotionals, it does not matter who the messenger is, what really matters is the message and how the Spirit works in us. Let us keep our walk of faith, study the Bible, and live a Christian life. Let us continue to ask forgiveness of our sins, follow Jesus, and build a relationship with God.
III. Proverbs for Today/ 10:23
A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man in understanding delights in wisdom
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Leviticus 27:14-34 , Numbers 1, and Psalms 46:1-11
Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
I. Prepare for The Lord's Coming
- Matthew 24:32-51, This study has one simple message for all of us: be ready. As believers, we are all waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ. This is a day of joy for all His followers but a gloomy one for those who rejected Him. For better understanding, let me use a story of a small school.
A rich man visited a school and was dismayed when he saw that it was dirty. There were papers on the floor and trash everywhere. As an experiment, he chose one classroom and told the students that one day, he will return and inspect the classroom again. Whoever has the cleanest desk, he will reward the student a brand new IPad. For the first week, each student had their desks neat and made sure that there are no trash near them. After a couple of weeks, some went back to their old ways and had clutter all over their desk. With another month passing by, most had given up except for one boy. This boy kept his desk clean every day, believing that one day, the rich man will come back. He was mocked, ridiculed, and bullied by his classmates but he kept his faith on that promise. A month before the end of the school year, a knock was made and it was the rich man standing by the door. When the students saw him, they frantically tried to clean their desk but they were stopped and was told to stand by the wall. Each desk was then inspected and was rejected until he reached the little boy's desk. After seeing that the boy kept his faith and cleaned his desk every single school day, the rich man handed him his new Ipad in front of his classmates.
Just like the little boy, we have to trust in the Lord's promise that one day He will return. We need to be always prepared for we do not know the day or time of his return. Only God, the Father, knows when that time comes so till that day, we need to keep repenting from our sins, keep following the ways of the Lord, and building treasures in heaven. If we do this, God will reward us with the free gift of salvation and eternal life in heaven.
II. Paul Counsels His Beloved Children
1 Corinthians 4:14-21, Paul reminds us that our faith is not just listening or talking about the Word but actually living it. We might know all the verses in the Bible but that does not make us righteous in the eyes of God. We all need to act like Christians by following Jesus' way. Once we are baptized in the water and in the spirit, we are to change our old ways and live a righteous life. As we discussed in previous devotionals, it does not matter who the messenger is, what really matters is the message and how the Spirit works in us. Let us keep our walk of faith, study the Bible, and live a Christian life. Let us continue to ask forgiveness of our sins, follow Jesus, and build a relationship with God.
III. Proverbs for Today/ 10:23
A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man in understanding delights in wisdom
IV. Old Testament Reading:
Leviticus 27:14-34 , Numbers 1, and Psalms 46:1-11
Share with friends and families:
1) Website: http://oneyeardevotional.blogspot.com/
2) Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/2013-Daily-Devotional-Christian-Bible-Study/249382018463589?fref=ts
3) Twitter: (@1YrDevotional) https://twitter.com/1YrDevotional
Saturday, March 2, 2013
2 Mar 13: The End of the Age / The Corinthians Pride and the Apostle's Humility
Read Matthew 24:1-31 and 1 Corinthians 4:8-13
I. The End of the Age
- Matthew 24:1-31, We are now living in an exciting time if we are right with God. As we remember back in the year 2000 or "Y2K" and the recent "Mayan Calendar" on 21 December 2012, many have tried to predict the end of this world. Nobody knows, but the Father, when the end will come, not even Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:36). In this text, Jesus provided a prophecy for the end times. Many, even to this day, have asked for signs of the end but all they have to do is look in the Bible. Jesus gave us a few signs to watch for. First is people claiming to be Christ. We are warned about false messiahs who will try to deceive us by performing great signs and miracles. They claim to receive messages from God but what they teach contradicts the Bible. They preach about earthly things that people want to hear, not what God wants us to understand. They approve of idolatry or tells their listeners that there is no sin or hell. Let us be careful and let the spirit guide us to distinguish the false prophets and false Christs of this world. Other than the false messiah, Jesus also spoke about wars against nation which pretty much is a norm in our generation. He talked about famine, earthquakes, and the persecution of the believers. Christians are the most persecuted group nowadays. People mock us, embarrass us, and ridicule our lifestyles. We are discriminated upon and all signs of God is being classified is "illegal" under the law. Bible verses are now called hate speech and because of political correctness, even saying Merry Christmas can be offensive. After these, Jesus gave the final signs: preaching of the gospel to the whole world and the abomination that causes desolation. Prior to the 90s, the reality of the Gospel reaching all the ends of the earth is slim to none. Even with planes and telephones, delivering God's Word to every human being is simply impossible. It is not till the internet world that world wide access became a reality. Now, every person can access information from 5000-6000 miles away with just a click of a mouse. With the development of smart phones, vast knowledge is available on the tip of your finger. The Bible is now translated in 2,287 languages and is distributed all over the world. Everyone now has access to the Gospel and it is our choice to either accept it or reject it. God is just waiting for that special someone to receive His message. That is the reason why we need to be ready at all times for we do not know when this will come. Finally, the Abomination of the desolation is an act by the "anti Christ" after the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation period. He/she will go to the Temple of the Living God and proclaim that he, himself is a god, and will force people to worship him. This will be the beginning of the worst 3 1/2 years of humanity's history and a sign that the return of Jesus Christ is imminent. So with many claiming that they are the messiah, rampant famine and earthquakes affecting our world, daily persecution of believers occurring, and the Gospel of the Lord reaching almost every inch of this planet, we need to be on watch and be prepared for the second coming of our savior, Jesus Christ.
II. The Corinthians Pride and the Apostle's Humility
- 1 Corinthians 4:8-13, In those times, the church had split into different groups led by Paul, Peter, Apollos, etc. Paul reminded the Church not to be prideful and boast at their accomplishments and the preacher that they are tied to for it not the person who delivers the message that matters but what the message is and who the author was. Every preacher is equal and are humble servants of the Lord. As long as their preaching is God-centered, it does not matter what church we go to or who the messenger is. We are all part of one church and one family, and as believers, instead of fighting among each other, we should instead help each other out in this walk of faith to ensure that we attain spiritual growth and bear fruit for the Father.
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:22
The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.
IV. Old Testament Reading
Leviticus 25:47-55, Leviticus 26, Leviticus 27:1-13, and Psalms 45:1-17
I. The End of the Age
- Matthew 24:1-31, We are now living in an exciting time if we are right with God. As we remember back in the year 2000 or "Y2K" and the recent "Mayan Calendar" on 21 December 2012, many have tried to predict the end of this world. Nobody knows, but the Father, when the end will come, not even Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:36). In this text, Jesus provided a prophecy for the end times. Many, even to this day, have asked for signs of the end but all they have to do is look in the Bible. Jesus gave us a few signs to watch for. First is people claiming to be Christ. We are warned about false messiahs who will try to deceive us by performing great signs and miracles. They claim to receive messages from God but what they teach contradicts the Bible. They preach about earthly things that people want to hear, not what God wants us to understand. They approve of idolatry or tells their listeners that there is no sin or hell. Let us be careful and let the spirit guide us to distinguish the false prophets and false Christs of this world. Other than the false messiah, Jesus also spoke about wars against nation which pretty much is a norm in our generation. He talked about famine, earthquakes, and the persecution of the believers. Christians are the most persecuted group nowadays. People mock us, embarrass us, and ridicule our lifestyles. We are discriminated upon and all signs of God is being classified is "illegal" under the law. Bible verses are now called hate speech and because of political correctness, even saying Merry Christmas can be offensive. After these, Jesus gave the final signs: preaching of the gospel to the whole world and the abomination that causes desolation. Prior to the 90s, the reality of the Gospel reaching all the ends of the earth is slim to none. Even with planes and telephones, delivering God's Word to every human being is simply impossible. It is not till the internet world that world wide access became a reality. Now, every person can access information from 5000-6000 miles away with just a click of a mouse. With the development of smart phones, vast knowledge is available on the tip of your finger. The Bible is now translated in 2,287 languages and is distributed all over the world. Everyone now has access to the Gospel and it is our choice to either accept it or reject it. God is just waiting for that special someone to receive His message. That is the reason why we need to be ready at all times for we do not know when this will come. Finally, the Abomination of the desolation is an act by the "anti Christ" after the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation period. He/she will go to the Temple of the Living God and proclaim that he, himself is a god, and will force people to worship him. This will be the beginning of the worst 3 1/2 years of humanity's history and a sign that the return of Jesus Christ is imminent. So with many claiming that they are the messiah, rampant famine and earthquakes affecting our world, daily persecution of believers occurring, and the Gospel of the Lord reaching almost every inch of this planet, we need to be on watch and be prepared for the second coming of our savior, Jesus Christ.
II. The Corinthians Pride and the Apostle's Humility
- 1 Corinthians 4:8-13, In those times, the church had split into different groups led by Paul, Peter, Apollos, etc. Paul reminded the Church not to be prideful and boast at their accomplishments and the preacher that they are tied to for it not the person who delivers the message that matters but what the message is and who the author was. Every preacher is equal and are humble servants of the Lord. As long as their preaching is God-centered, it does not matter what church we go to or who the messenger is. We are all part of one church and one family, and as believers, instead of fighting among each other, we should instead help each other out in this walk of faith to ensure that we attain spiritual growth and bear fruit for the Father.
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:22
The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.
IV. Old Testament Reading
Leviticus 25:47-55, Leviticus 26, Leviticus 27:1-13, and Psalms 45:1-17
Friday, March 1, 2013
1 Mar 13: Jesus Denounces the Pharisees / God as the Judge
Read Matthew 23:13-39 and 1 Corinthians 4:1-7
I. Jesus Denounces the Pharisees
- Matthew 23:13-39, Once again, Jesus condemned the Pharisees and Sadducees for showing a holy appearance but living a corrupt life . This is another passage where that reminds us that not everyone who appears righteous are of God. Even the "holiest", like the religious leaders, may have a heart full of anger, pride, and greed. In 2 Timothy 3:12-13, it is written that in the end times, "evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived". We have a lot of impostors out there, pretending to be a follower of Jesus and a teacher of God's word, but deep inside, they have their own earthly motive to gain fame, money, or to deceive others. They claim that that they are Christians but continue to be tempted and sin. The enemy is working hard to keep us away from God and he is using other people to mislead us from the truth. Let us not be deceived by letting the Spirit guide us. Let God lead our lives and help us discern the true meaning of His Gospel. Let us not be hypocrites and fully commit our lives to following Jesus. Let us not be impostors, and live a Christian life the way God wants us to.
II. God as the Judge
- 1 Corinthians 4:1-7, We, as Christians, have the tendency to look at our brothers and sisters and judge the way they live their life. When we see a fellow believer going astray, we tend to evaluate if they are a good follower of the Lord. In this text, we are reminded that it is not our job to judge others but of God's. Going back to the Parable of the Wheat and Tares (Matthew 13-24-30), we are told that God lets the wheat (true believers) and the tares (non-believers or impostors) grow together side by side. When judgment day comes, the reapers will then gather the tares and burn. God will decide what to do with the tares and instead of judging them, we should instead show them love, preach the gospel, and share the blessing that God had showered upon us. Let us continue to be the light of the world and show everyone the path Jesus had built for us. Let us continue our ministry that will glorify God and lead people to repentance and everlasting life.
III. Proverbs for Today/ 10:20-21
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver but the heart of the wicked is of little value. The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment
IV. Old Testament reading:
Leviticus 24, Leviticus 25:1-46, and Psalms 44:9-26
I. Jesus Denounces the Pharisees
- Matthew 23:13-39, Once again, Jesus condemned the Pharisees and Sadducees for showing a holy appearance but living a corrupt life . This is another passage where that reminds us that not everyone who appears righteous are of God. Even the "holiest", like the religious leaders, may have a heart full of anger, pride, and greed. In 2 Timothy 3:12-13, it is written that in the end times, "evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived". We have a lot of impostors out there, pretending to be a follower of Jesus and a teacher of God's word, but deep inside, they have their own earthly motive to gain fame, money, or to deceive others. They claim that that they are Christians but continue to be tempted and sin. The enemy is working hard to keep us away from God and he is using other people to mislead us from the truth. Let us not be deceived by letting the Spirit guide us. Let God lead our lives and help us discern the true meaning of His Gospel. Let us not be hypocrites and fully commit our lives to following Jesus. Let us not be impostors, and live a Christian life the way God wants us to.
II. God as the Judge
- 1 Corinthians 4:1-7, We, as Christians, have the tendency to look at our brothers and sisters and judge the way they live their life. When we see a fellow believer going astray, we tend to evaluate if they are a good follower of the Lord. In this text, we are reminded that it is not our job to judge others but of God's. Going back to the Parable of the Wheat and Tares (Matthew 13-24-30), we are told that God lets the wheat (true believers) and the tares (non-believers or impostors) grow together side by side. When judgment day comes, the reapers will then gather the tares and burn. God will decide what to do with the tares and instead of judging them, we should instead show them love, preach the gospel, and share the blessing that God had showered upon us. Let us continue to be the light of the world and show everyone the path Jesus had built for us. Let us continue our ministry that will glorify God and lead people to repentance and everlasting life.
III. Proverbs for Today/ 10:20-21
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver but the heart of the wicked is of little value. The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgment
IV. Old Testament reading:
Leviticus 24, Leviticus 25:1-46, and Psalms 44:9-26
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