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
Sunday, March 10, 2013
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:
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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
Thursday, February 28, 2013
28 Feb 13: Jesus Condemns the Religious Leaders / Foolishness in God's Sights
Read Matthew 23:1-12 and 1 Corinthians 3:18-23
I Jesus Condemns the Religious Leaders
- Matthew 23:1-12- Here, Jesus exposed the religious leaders for not doing what they preach. They practice the "do what I say, not what I do" phrase. He called them hypocrites who preach to the people one thing just to look good and holy in front of them but do another when no one is looking. They do this to receive the people's admiration and praise when all these should have gone to God. Additionally, Jesus commanded us not to call religious leaders as Rabbi (teacher) or Father for these are reserved for Jesus and God. This is clearly written in the Bible so why do other religious leaders still prefer to be called "father". Are they implicating that they are the same as the Father in heaven. Remember, that only God is our father and He is the only one who can forgive our sins, not any human being. Mark 2:7 reads, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” We need to discern modern day false prophets who teach of things that are not of God. They feed their listeners with man-made laws which causes them to commit sin and be separated from God. They say they follow Jesus and love God but they do not obey His commandments. Do you love God? Do you obey His commandments? Do you follow His ways? We must make sure that our actions match our beliefs because if they do not, we are also hypocrites just like the pharisees in those times.
II. Foolishness in God's Sights
1 Corinthians 3:18-23, Paul, in this passage, did not tell the church to not seek knowledge. He just recommended seeking for God's wisdom rather than worldly knowledge. He suggested that we become "fools" to make it easier for us to receive and understand the message. We need to open our ears so we can listen and receive God's word. Let us abandon pride and accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Let us value the content of the message rather than the presentation of the preacher. Let us be humble and accept that we are only human and without God, we are nothing.
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:19
When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.
IV. Old Testament Reading
Leviticus 22:17-33, Leviticus 23 and Psalms 44:1-8
I Jesus Condemns the Religious Leaders
- Matthew 23:1-12- Here, Jesus exposed the religious leaders for not doing what they preach. They practice the "do what I say, not what I do" phrase. He called them hypocrites who preach to the people one thing just to look good and holy in front of them but do another when no one is looking. They do this to receive the people's admiration and praise when all these should have gone to God. Additionally, Jesus commanded us not to call religious leaders as Rabbi (teacher) or Father for these are reserved for Jesus and God. This is clearly written in the Bible so why do other religious leaders still prefer to be called "father". Are they implicating that they are the same as the Father in heaven. Remember, that only God is our father and He is the only one who can forgive our sins, not any human being. Mark 2:7 reads, “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” We need to discern modern day false prophets who teach of things that are not of God. They feed their listeners with man-made laws which causes them to commit sin and be separated from God. They say they follow Jesus and love God but they do not obey His commandments. Do you love God? Do you obey His commandments? Do you follow His ways? We must make sure that our actions match our beliefs because if they do not, we are also hypocrites just like the pharisees in those times.
II. Foolishness in God's Sights
1 Corinthians 3:18-23, Paul, in this passage, did not tell the church to not seek knowledge. He just recommended seeking for God's wisdom rather than worldly knowledge. He suggested that we become "fools" to make it easier for us to receive and understand the message. We need to open our ears so we can listen and receive God's word. Let us abandon pride and accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Let us value the content of the message rather than the presentation of the preacher. Let us be humble and accept that we are only human and without God, we are nothing.
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:19
When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.
IV. Old Testament Reading
Leviticus 22:17-33, Leviticus 23 and Psalms 44:1-8
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
27 Feb 13: Jesus Answers the Pharisees and Sadducee / Building on the Right Foundation
Read Matthew 22:15-46 and 1 Corinthians 3:10-17
I. Jesus Answers the Pharisees and Sadducee
- Matthew 22:15-46, Jesus reminded us that we have dual citizenship here on earth. First, we are citizens of this earth. What is of this earth, we should give to the authorities. If our government asks for taxes, let us freely give it to them to pay for the services that they have provided us. All our money and possessions have no value in the eyes of God. At the same time, we are also citizens of the Kingdom of heaven. God requires our full commitment and obedience to Him. As His children, we have to show Him that we love Him and the only way we can show this is living the life that He wants us and 100% obedience. This is not a part-time or a weekend job where we look righteous while at church. This is a full turnaround and devotion to Him. Once we are baptized in the Spirit, we are to reject all temptations and sinning. Jesus also reminded us that God is the God of the living and not of the dead. When we are accepted in His Kingdom, we are promised salvation and eternal life and what He had planned for us in heaven does not compare to anything that we have experienced here on earth. Finally, Jesus shared with us the new covenant. He gave us two commandments that covers all of the 10 that God gave to Moses. First, the greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ If we love God; we would only have one God, we would not create and worship idols, dead people, saints, Mary, Buddha, animals, or other earthy things; and we will keep Holy whatever God determines as Holy. The next commandment, "Love our neighbors as ourselves" will cover honoring our parents, not murdering, committing adultery, steal, giving false testimonies, and coveting our neighbors possessions.
II. Building on the Right Foundation
- 1 Corinthians 3:10-17, if we were to build our house, would we build it on sand or should we find a solid foundation such as a rock. Remember, a building is only as solid as its foundation. Even if the exterior of our houses look great, it will not stand when it faces an earthquake. This goes the same way for our lives. We need to have God as our center and with Him, we can accomplish anything. Let us not build our foundation on wealth, successes and fame for all these will vanish in a blink of an eye. We need to focus on things that are eternal and not on materials that turn back to ashes. We need to build our lives according to God's will and plans so we can receive His grace and salvation.
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:18
He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
IV. Old Testament Reading
Leviticus 20:22-27, Leviticus 21, Leviticus 22:1-16, and Psalms 43:1-5
I. Jesus Answers the Pharisees and Sadducee
- Matthew 22:15-46, Jesus reminded us that we have dual citizenship here on earth. First, we are citizens of this earth. What is of this earth, we should give to the authorities. If our government asks for taxes, let us freely give it to them to pay for the services that they have provided us. All our money and possessions have no value in the eyes of God. At the same time, we are also citizens of the Kingdom of heaven. God requires our full commitment and obedience to Him. As His children, we have to show Him that we love Him and the only way we can show this is living the life that He wants us and 100% obedience. This is not a part-time or a weekend job where we look righteous while at church. This is a full turnaround and devotion to Him. Once we are baptized in the Spirit, we are to reject all temptations and sinning. Jesus also reminded us that God is the God of the living and not of the dead. When we are accepted in His Kingdom, we are promised salvation and eternal life and what He had planned for us in heaven does not compare to anything that we have experienced here on earth. Finally, Jesus shared with us the new covenant. He gave us two commandments that covers all of the 10 that God gave to Moses. First, the greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ If we love God; we would only have one God, we would not create and worship idols, dead people, saints, Mary, Buddha, animals, or other earthy things; and we will keep Holy whatever God determines as Holy. The next commandment, "Love our neighbors as ourselves" will cover honoring our parents, not murdering, committing adultery, steal, giving false testimonies, and coveting our neighbors possessions.
II. Building on the Right Foundation
- 1 Corinthians 3:10-17, if we were to build our house, would we build it on sand or should we find a solid foundation such as a rock. Remember, a building is only as solid as its foundation. Even if the exterior of our houses look great, it will not stand when it faces an earthquake. This goes the same way for our lives. We need to have God as our center and with Him, we can accomplish anything. Let us not build our foundation on wealth, successes and fame for all these will vanish in a blink of an eye. We need to focus on things that are eternal and not on materials that turn back to ashes. We need to build our lives according to God's will and plans so we can receive His grace and salvation.
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:18
He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
IV. Old Testament Reading
Leviticus 20:22-27, Leviticus 21, Leviticus 22:1-16, and Psalms 43:1-5
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
26 Feb 13: The Parable of the Wedding Banquet / Paul Rebukes Divisive Church Members
Read Matthew 22:1-14 and 1 Corinthians 3:1-9
I. The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
- Matthew 22:1-14, In this parable Jesus used a wedding banquet where the King invited guests three times and was rejected. They even treated his servants badly and killed them. After hearing about this, the King sent his armies to destroy their cities and kill them. He then opened the invitation to anyone on the highway. God had been knocking on our doors with his invitation to be part of His family. He had sent us messengers to share the gospel and plant a seed in our hearts. We need to accept this seed, feed it with fertilizer and water it so our faith will grow. We need to soften our hearts and let the Spirit work in us so we may be changed within. It is only a matter time till the day of judgment comes and whoever rejected His message and His Son will be thrown to the fiery hell. God wants us to join Him at his banquet. Because He loves us so much, He will continue to send those invitations again and again hoping that one day, you will read them and attend the wedding. Have you accepted His invitation? If no, what are you waiting for?
II. Paul Rebukes Divisive Church Members
- 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, God had called every believer to help in His mission of spreading His Word. We are all blessed with our own gifts and abilities that we can use to fulfill this. Paul reminded us that each and everyone of us are important and we should not look at how we, as individuals, are doing God's plans but how each and everyone contributes to the success of the mission. We should not ask for a reward or glorify ourselves for it is only God that deserves glory. Everything that we have is from God and all we are doing is sharing these blessing to others so we can be a witness and testimony of His love.
IV. Old Testament Readings
Leviticus 19, Leviticus 20:1-21, Psalms 42:1-11
I. The Parable of the Wedding Banquet
- Matthew 22:1-14, In this parable Jesus used a wedding banquet where the King invited guests three times and was rejected. They even treated his servants badly and killed them. After hearing about this, the King sent his armies to destroy their cities and kill them. He then opened the invitation to anyone on the highway. God had been knocking on our doors with his invitation to be part of His family. He had sent us messengers to share the gospel and plant a seed in our hearts. We need to accept this seed, feed it with fertilizer and water it so our faith will grow. We need to soften our hearts and let the Spirit work in us so we may be changed within. It is only a matter time till the day of judgment comes and whoever rejected His message and His Son will be thrown to the fiery hell. God wants us to join Him at his banquet. Because He loves us so much, He will continue to send those invitations again and again hoping that one day, you will read them and attend the wedding. Have you accepted His invitation? If no, what are you waiting for?
II. Paul Rebukes Divisive Church Members
- 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, God had called every believer to help in His mission of spreading His Word. We are all blessed with our own gifts and abilities that we can use to fulfill this. Paul reminded us that each and everyone of us are important and we should not look at how we, as individuals, are doing God's plans but how each and everyone contributes to the success of the mission. We should not ask for a reward or glorify ourselves for it is only God that deserves glory. Everything that we have is from God and all we are doing is sharing these blessing to others so we can be a witness and testimony of His love.
IV. Old Testament Readings
Leviticus 19, Leviticus 20:1-21, Psalms 42:1-11
Monday, February 25, 2013
25 Feb 13: The Parable of the Disloyal Tenants / The Spirit Gives Wisdom
Read Matthew 21:23-46 and 1 Corinthians 2:11-16
I. The Parable of the Disloyal Tenants
- Matthew 21:23-46, In this story, Jesus used parables to answer the pharisees' inquiry of who gave Jesus authority to preach. The first parable was about two sons who answered and acted differently when asked by their father to work in the vineyard. Jesus compared the Pharisees to a son who told his father that he'll do work but did not. Jesus then told them that tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the Kingdom before them because they were unrighteous first but when they heard the calling of the savior, they listened, believed, accepted the savior, repented, and followed His ways. In the second parable, Jesus used different characters: 1) the landowner (God), 2) the vineyard (Israel), 3) the farmer (pharisees and other religious leaders, 4) the landowner's men (prophets), 5) the son (Jesus), 6) other vinedressers (Gentiles). God had blessed the religious leaders and were given the land (wisdom and authority) but they did not use them in the way that God wanted them. When God sent his prophets to them, the religious leaders did not believe and persecuted them. When God sent his only begotten son, they also rejected Him and crucified him. Because of this, God gave these blessings to the Gentiles for they have accepted His message, His son, and His gift of salvation.
- We are like the religious leaders. God had provided us with commandments and a guide to live our lives but instead of following Him, we followed other people. He had showered us with numerous blessings but instead of glorifying Him, we glorified ourselves. He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins and instead of accepting Him, we rejected and crucified Him. Let us not wait for God to go back to the vineyard and take away His land from us. Now is the time to accept our free gift of salvation, abandon our old ways, follow Jesus and take up our cross. Let us examine our hearts and ask for forgiveness from God. God is a just and loving God and He will openly take us back to His family.
II. The Spirit Gives Wisdom
1 Corinthians 2:11-16, We, as humans, do not have the capacity to understand God, His promises, and His plans. But through the Holy Spirit, all of these are revealed to us. We need to ask God to send us the Spirit so it can open our eyes, ears, and hearts. We all need the Spirit to guide us, lead us, and give us the discernment so we can understand God's Word and plans for all of us. We need to rely on God for Wisdom and He will guide us to eternal life. He will shower us with blessings and His unconditional love and offer us the free gift of salvation. All we have to do is open our arms and let Him in our lives. What is impossible for men, it is possible with God. Nothing is impossible with God and we need to trust in Him with all our heart, follow Him, worship Him, give Him glory and praise, and He will lead us to the right path to His Kingdom.
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:15-16
15 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city;The destruction of the poor is their poverty.16 The labor of the righteous leads to life,The wages of the wicked to sin.
IV. Old Testament Reading
Leviticus 16:29-34, Leviticus 17-18, and Psalms 41:1-13
I. The Parable of the Disloyal Tenants
- Matthew 21:23-46, In this story, Jesus used parables to answer the pharisees' inquiry of who gave Jesus authority to preach. The first parable was about two sons who answered and acted differently when asked by their father to work in the vineyard. Jesus compared the Pharisees to a son who told his father that he'll do work but did not. Jesus then told them that tax collectors and prostitutes will enter the Kingdom before them because they were unrighteous first but when they heard the calling of the savior, they listened, believed, accepted the savior, repented, and followed His ways. In the second parable, Jesus used different characters: 1) the landowner (God), 2) the vineyard (Israel), 3) the farmer (pharisees and other religious leaders, 4) the landowner's men (prophets), 5) the son (Jesus), 6) other vinedressers (Gentiles). God had blessed the religious leaders and were given the land (wisdom and authority) but they did not use them in the way that God wanted them. When God sent his prophets to them, the religious leaders did not believe and persecuted them. When God sent his only begotten son, they also rejected Him and crucified him. Because of this, God gave these blessings to the Gentiles for they have accepted His message, His son, and His gift of salvation.
- We are like the religious leaders. God had provided us with commandments and a guide to live our lives but instead of following Him, we followed other people. He had showered us with numerous blessings but instead of glorifying Him, we glorified ourselves. He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins and instead of accepting Him, we rejected and crucified Him. Let us not wait for God to go back to the vineyard and take away His land from us. Now is the time to accept our free gift of salvation, abandon our old ways, follow Jesus and take up our cross. Let us examine our hearts and ask for forgiveness from God. God is a just and loving God and He will openly take us back to His family.
II. The Spirit Gives Wisdom
1 Corinthians 2:11-16, We, as humans, do not have the capacity to understand God, His promises, and His plans. But through the Holy Spirit, all of these are revealed to us. We need to ask God to send us the Spirit so it can open our eyes, ears, and hearts. We all need the Spirit to guide us, lead us, and give us the discernment so we can understand God's Word and plans for all of us. We need to rely on God for Wisdom and He will guide us to eternal life. He will shower us with blessings and His unconditional love and offer us the free gift of salvation. All we have to do is open our arms and let Him in our lives. What is impossible for men, it is possible with God. Nothing is impossible with God and we need to trust in Him with all our heart, follow Him, worship Him, give Him glory and praise, and He will lead us to the right path to His Kingdom.
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:15-16
15 The rich man’s wealth is his strong city;The destruction of the poor is their poverty.16 The labor of the righteous leads to life,The wages of the wicked to sin.
IV. Old Testament Reading
Leviticus 16:29-34, Leviticus 17-18, and Psalms 41:1-13
Sunday, February 24, 2013
24 Feb 13: The Cursing of the Fig Tree / Preaching Christ Crucified
Read Matthew 21:18-22 and 1 Corinthians 2:1-10
I. The Cursing of the Fig Tree
- Matthew 21:18-22, The Fig tree was a symbol for a religion without a substance. The Fig tree from far away looked great but when Jesus got closer, He only found leaves and no fruits on it. Just like a religion with a nice temple that is so impressive that people are drawn to go there but once you go inside, their messages and activities are meaningless to the eyes of God. They show that they worship and glorify God, but what their teaching is against what God wants. Their faith is not sincere and they start preaching about prosperity, idolatry, and earthly laws. These "churches" are worried about their popularity and their attendance that they start focusing their message on what people want to hear instead of what God wants to say. Our messages should be God-centered and it is not how God fits in our lives but how everyone and everything fits in God's plans. This fig tree can also symbolize us (people) who are so-called "religious" in front of many but deep inside, we are controlled by this world. We go to church every Sunday, we have a Bible in our homes, we shout praises and worships at church but after that, we go back to our old selves and start living the way of the world. Right after stepping out of church, we change our clothes and start cursing, lying, drinking, worshiping idols, praying to dead people, committing adultery, and many more. Being a Christian is a lifetime commitment to God. It is not a once or twice a week occupation but is is a life long career. Once we give our lives to God, we chose to abandon all the unrighteous acts and start a life of following the way of the Lord. Being a Christian is hard. We are always persecuted, ridiculed, and mocked. Others always attack our faith and our way of life. The main reason is that they are not happy that we are finally saved because they want us to be miserable, weak, and unhappy just like them. When we accepted Christ as our savior, the enemy is angered and he uses others to discourage our relationship with God by mocking our new lives. They taunt us, calling us names (holy man or Bible boy) but don't fear because God is with us. Romans 8:31 states that "If we are for God then who can be against us". Once we are adopted into His family, the enemy cannot touch us for God is on our side protecting us.
Deuteronomy 31:6,
"6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
II. Preaching Christ Crucified
-1 Corinthians 2:1-10, Jesus gave us a Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. We accomplish this by sharing the Gospel and showing unconditional love to our neighbors. In this message, Paul shared that he was not the best speaker and he was not a scholar of the scriptures but with the power of God, he was given the wisdom to preach God's message. We tend to rely on academic evaluation of the scriptures instead of divine guidance. We look into our diplomas, certificates, or education but we are reminded that all these are just knowledge and what matters most is the Wisdom that God gives us. Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths". Our knowledge will not help us discern God's message but it is through the guidance of the Holy Spirit that we are able to understand them. Let us not fear this task but accept our calling to be the light of the world. Let us share God's plans and promises and invite our loved ones to join our walk of faith. God has a great place for us and in verse 9, it is written that "we have not seen, heard, or known of the things that God has prepared for us". All we have to do is accept this gift. We can do this by repenting from our sins, accepting the Lord as our savior, and continuously following His ways. The gates to God's Kingdom is open and He is inviting us to take that next step so we can receive His grace, salvation, and eternal life.
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:13-14
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding,But a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding.14 Wise people store up knowledge,But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
IV. Additional Old Testament Reading
Leviticus 15, Leviticus 16:1-28, and Psalms 40:11-17
I. The Cursing of the Fig Tree
- Matthew 21:18-22, The Fig tree was a symbol for a religion without a substance. The Fig tree from far away looked great but when Jesus got closer, He only found leaves and no fruits on it. Just like a religion with a nice temple that is so impressive that people are drawn to go there but once you go inside, their messages and activities are meaningless to the eyes of God. They show that they worship and glorify God, but what their teaching is against what God wants. Their faith is not sincere and they start preaching about prosperity, idolatry, and earthly laws. These "churches" are worried about their popularity and their attendance that they start focusing their message on what people want to hear instead of what God wants to say. Our messages should be God-centered and it is not how God fits in our lives but how everyone and everything fits in God's plans. This fig tree can also symbolize us (people) who are so-called "religious" in front of many but deep inside, we are controlled by this world. We go to church every Sunday, we have a Bible in our homes, we shout praises and worships at church but after that, we go back to our old selves and start living the way of the world. Right after stepping out of church, we change our clothes and start cursing, lying, drinking, worshiping idols, praying to dead people, committing adultery, and many more. Being a Christian is a lifetime commitment to God. It is not a once or twice a week occupation but is is a life long career. Once we give our lives to God, we chose to abandon all the unrighteous acts and start a life of following the way of the Lord. Being a Christian is hard. We are always persecuted, ridiculed, and mocked. Others always attack our faith and our way of life. The main reason is that they are not happy that we are finally saved because they want us to be miserable, weak, and unhappy just like them. When we accepted Christ as our savior, the enemy is angered and he uses others to discourage our relationship with God by mocking our new lives. They taunt us, calling us names (holy man or Bible boy) but don't fear because God is with us. Romans 8:31 states that "If we are for God then who can be against us". Once we are adopted into His family, the enemy cannot touch us for God is on our side protecting us.
Deuteronomy 31:6,
"6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
-1 Corinthians 2:1-10, Jesus gave us a Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. We accomplish this by sharing the Gospel and showing unconditional love to our neighbors. In this message, Paul shared that he was not the best speaker and he was not a scholar of the scriptures but with the power of God, he was given the wisdom to preach God's message. We tend to rely on academic evaluation of the scriptures instead of divine guidance. We look into our diplomas, certificates, or education but we are reminded that all these are just knowledge and what matters most is the Wisdom that God gives us. Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths". Our knowledge will not help us discern God's message but it is through the guidance of the Holy Spirit that we are able to understand them. Let us not fear this task but accept our calling to be the light of the world. Let us share God's plans and promises and invite our loved ones to join our walk of faith. God has a great place for us and in verse 9, it is written that "we have not seen, heard, or known of the things that God has prepared for us". All we have to do is accept this gift. We can do this by repenting from our sins, accepting the Lord as our savior, and continuously following His ways. The gates to God's Kingdom is open and He is inviting us to take that next step so we can receive His grace, salvation, and eternal life.
III. Proverbs for Today / 10:13-14
13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding,But a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding.14 Wise people store up knowledge,But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.
IV. Additional Old Testament Reading
Leviticus 15, Leviticus 16:1-28, and Psalms 40:11-17
Saturday, February 23, 2013
23 Feb 13: Jesus Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem and/ The Foolish Will Shame the Wise
Prayer: Father we thank you once again for this opportunity to study your Word. Bless this day and use us to be spread your gospel for 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" In Jesus' Name. Amen
**Read Matthew 21:1-17 and 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
I. Jesus Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem
- Matthew 21:1-17, After doing His ministry and many miracles of healing and casting out demons, the people of Jerusalem had recognized Jesus as the messiah, the "son of David" whom God had sent to establish His kingdom. The scene here is what people celebrate as Palm Sunday. It is a celebration of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem to fulfill the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. Many lined up the streets, trying to get a glimpse of Jesus Christ while waving the palm trees. They were praising Him because they thought that He would be building a Kingdom on earth, a political kingdom that will finally end the Roman rule and restore Israel. They did not understand God's plan for them. We'll learn later that these same people will be disappointed and will be the ones that will condemn Jesus Christ and ask for His crucifixion.
- We, Christians, trust in the Lord as our savior. We praise and Worship our God for all the blessings that he had showered us. But sometimes, when we pray to Him and we did not get what we ask for, we easily change our attitudes and turn our backs to Him just like the people of Jerusalem. We waive our Palm trees for God then later on, when we are struggling and are experiencing hardships (whether financially, spiritually, mentally, or physically), we start condemning Him and even ask for His crucifixion. God has a plan for all of us. It is written in Jeremiah 29:11, "11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." We need to trust in Him and His promises and if it is His will, God will make it happen.
II. The Foolish Will Shame the Wise
- 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Paul explained that the way of salvation is so simple that any man who believes and trust in the Lord can attain it. God chose the weak and the despised so no one could boast of all the good deeds that he had done to receive eternal life. Achievements, money, fame, and works can not get us into God's Kingdom. It is our faith, repentance, and most importantly through His grace that we are saved. We need to acknowledge what Jesus Christ has done in the cross formus because if we continue to think that our good deeds would get us to heaven, then Jesus Christ died in vain. He already has done the work when He said "It is finished" (John 19:30). His blood has cleansed us and His crucifixion and death has taken all our sins away. His resurrection gave us a new life and provided us a way for salvation and a relationship with our Father.
**Read Matthew 21:1-17 and 1 Corinthians 1:26-31
I. Jesus Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem
- Matthew 21:1-17, After doing His ministry and many miracles of healing and casting out demons, the people of Jerusalem had recognized Jesus as the messiah, the "son of David" whom God had sent to establish His kingdom. The scene here is what people celebrate as Palm Sunday. It is a celebration of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem to fulfill the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. Many lined up the streets, trying to get a glimpse of Jesus Christ while waving the palm trees. They were praising Him because they thought that He would be building a Kingdom on earth, a political kingdom that will finally end the Roman rule and restore Israel. They did not understand God's plan for them. We'll learn later that these same people will be disappointed and will be the ones that will condemn Jesus Christ and ask for His crucifixion.
- We, Christians, trust in the Lord as our savior. We praise and Worship our God for all the blessings that he had showered us. But sometimes, when we pray to Him and we did not get what we ask for, we easily change our attitudes and turn our backs to Him just like the people of Jerusalem. We waive our Palm trees for God then later on, when we are struggling and are experiencing hardships (whether financially, spiritually, mentally, or physically), we start condemning Him and even ask for His crucifixion. God has a plan for all of us. It is written in Jeremiah 29:11, "11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." We need to trust in Him and His promises and if it is His will, God will make it happen.
II. The Foolish Will Shame the Wise
- 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Paul explained that the way of salvation is so simple that any man who believes and trust in the Lord can attain it. God chose the weak and the despised so no one could boast of all the good deeds that he had done to receive eternal life. Achievements, money, fame, and works can not get us into God's Kingdom. It is our faith, repentance, and most importantly through His grace that we are saved. We need to acknowledge what Jesus Christ has done in the cross formus because if we continue to think that our good deeds would get us to heaven, then Jesus Christ died in vain. He already has done the work when He said "It is finished" (John 19:30). His blood has cleansed us and His crucifixion and death has taken all our sins away. His resurrection gave us a new life and provided us a way for salvation and a relationship with our Father.
III. Proverbs for Today/10:11-12
11 The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all sins.
IV. Additional Old Testament Reading:
Leviticus 14 and Psalms 40:1-10
11 The mouth of the righteous is a well of life,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
12 Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all sins.
IV. Additional Old Testament Reading:
Leviticus 14 and Psalms 40:1-10
Friday, February 22, 2013
22 Feb 13: Jesus Heals Two Blind Men and/ The Power of God
Prayer: Father, touch our hearts and fill us with the Holy Spirit as we go into your Word. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
**Read Matthew 20:29-34 and 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
I. Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
- In Matthew 20:29-34; two blind men asked the "Son of David" to have mercy on them and heal them so they may see again. Because of His compassion, Jesus touched their eyes and healed them instantly. This was another miracle that Jesus did in front of many. The blind men, even though they did not have the sight to see Jesus' ministry and miracles, trusted in the Lord and His power. They were physically blind but their eyes were opened spiritually and discerned that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah. The Pharisees, Scribes, and other doubters, on the other hand, personally have seen Jesus perform numerous miracles, numerous healings and demon-casting, but have refused to open their eyes and see the light and the truth about Jesus Christ as our savior. Are you still one of those "blind men" who refuse to open your eyes even after seeing His love and identity through His word and through others who believed in Him? Are you still one of those who has been rejecting His call to follow Him? 2 Corinthians 6:2 states that "Today is the day of salvation". We need to start opening our eyes and see with our hearts that God sent Jesus Christ to be the only way, the only mediator that will lead us to salvation and eternal life. Take that next step and ask for forgiveness, accept Jesus as your savior, and build a relationship with God.
II. The Power of God
- 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; The cornerstone of the Christian faith is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the hope that God has promised and the future that awaits us after our life here on earth. Others might think that our belief of this death and resurrection is foolishness but this foolishness of trusting the Lord will be our key to our salvation and eternal life. The Scribes, who were supposed to be the scholars of the scriptures did not believe in Jesus. Their "wisdom" failed them to recognize the messiah but those weak and foolish believed in the gospel and will inherit the Kingdom of God. God's grace is available for everyone. This is a free gift from God that we do not deserve but because He loves us and He cares for us, He had given us a choice to accept this. It does not depend on any of our good works here on earth. It is just through our faith in Him that we will adopted into His family.
III. Proverbs for Today/ 10:11-10
He who winks with the eye causes trouble,
But a prating fool will fall
**Read Matthew 20:29-34 and 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
I. Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
- In Matthew 20:29-34; two blind men asked the "Son of David" to have mercy on them and heal them so they may see again. Because of His compassion, Jesus touched their eyes and healed them instantly. This was another miracle that Jesus did in front of many. The blind men, even though they did not have the sight to see Jesus' ministry and miracles, trusted in the Lord and His power. They were physically blind but their eyes were opened spiritually and discerned that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah. The Pharisees, Scribes, and other doubters, on the other hand, personally have seen Jesus perform numerous miracles, numerous healings and demon-casting, but have refused to open their eyes and see the light and the truth about Jesus Christ as our savior. Are you still one of those "blind men" who refuse to open your eyes even after seeing His love and identity through His word and through others who believed in Him? Are you still one of those who has been rejecting His call to follow Him? 2 Corinthians 6:2 states that "Today is the day of salvation". We need to start opening our eyes and see with our hearts that God sent Jesus Christ to be the only way, the only mediator that will lead us to salvation and eternal life. Take that next step and ask for forgiveness, accept Jesus as your savior, and build a relationship with God.
II. The Power of God
- 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; The cornerstone of the Christian faith is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the hope that God has promised and the future that awaits us after our life here on earth. Others might think that our belief of this death and resurrection is foolishness but this foolishness of trusting the Lord will be our key to our salvation and eternal life. The Scribes, who were supposed to be the scholars of the scriptures did not believe in Jesus. Their "wisdom" failed them to recognize the messiah but those weak and foolish believed in the gospel and will inherit the Kingdom of God. God's grace is available for everyone. This is a free gift from God that we do not deserve but because He loves us and He cares for us, He had given us a choice to accept this. It does not depend on any of our good works here on earth. It is just through our faith in Him that we will adopted into His family.
III. Proverbs for Today/ 10:11-10
He who winks with the eye causes trouble,
But a prating fool will fall
IV. Additional Old Testament Reading:
Leviticus 13 and Psalms 39:1-13
Prayer: Father, we pray that you open our eyes, heal our blindness so we may see your love and your power as the God of the Universe. Father, we have faith in you, we trust you, and we give you our lives. Show us the way to your kingdom. We pray for good health, we pray for our families. Keep protecting all of us and provide for us. Bless us and forgive our trespasses. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Prayer: Father, we pray that you open our eyes, heal our blindness so we may see your love and your power as the God of the Universe. Father, we have faith in you, we trust you, and we give you our lives. Show us the way to your kingdom. We pray for good health, we pray for our families. Keep protecting all of us and provide for us. Bless us and forgive our trespasses. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
21 Feb 13: The True Leader is the Servant and/ Divisions within the Corinthian Church
Prayer: Lord, I pray that you bless this study and each and everyone of the readers. Send your Holy Spirit so we may understand your message. In Jesus' name. Amen.
**Read Matthew 20:20-28 and 1 Corinthians 1:10-17
I. The True Leader is the Servant
- Matthew 20:20-28; We are reminded that greatness is accomplished by serving. Just like the saying, "a great leader is a great follower", we have the commission to spread the gospel and serve our neighbors. Jesus came in this world as the lamb of God, who was sacrificed for our sins so we may have a chance for salvation and eternity. God gave Jesus a purpose, to serve others and die in the cross. We need to be like Jesus and have a servant's heart. Instead of thinking of ourselves, let's start to look at others who might need our help. Instead of collecting riches, let us share our blessings to the poor. Instead of gaining more knowledge, let us share the Word of God. We all have a purpose in this world and we are all given a mission, the Great Commission, to teach others of God's promises and plans for all of us. Let God use us, with the help of the Holy Spirit, as farmers who will plant a seed in our brother/sister's heart with a hope that someday his/her soil (heart) will soften and accept the living water (the Word) that will help that seed grow into a big tree. And this big tree will bear good fruit that will be used to show God's unconditional love for us. Let us all be servants to our Father and glorify His name for He is an awesome God, the Alpha, the Omega, the creator of heavens and earth.
II. Divisions within the Corinthian Church
- 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 is a message of unity among believers. This is a huge church and some had followed Paul, Peter, or Apollos. They had different styles of teaching but are united in their message. Paul urged everyone to not look at the preacher but instead look at Jesus Christ. He emphasized that the message is more important than the messenger. What we need to look for are false teachings that focus on prosperity and greatness of men. All teachings should be Christ-centered, derived from the Bible, that teaches God's sovereignity and greatness. Sometimes we get discouraged after learning that our pastors, teachers, and brothers and sisters in faith have done something Wrong. We are reminded not to look at these people for they are just human beings and are not perfect. We should not be disappointed for people are unrighteous and have a sinful nature. Instead, let's focus on God and His love and mercy on us and let us see His word as it gives us the truth and the way for our salvation. We need to trust in Jesus Christ and repent our sins so through the grace of God, we can have eternal life and inherit the Kingdom of God.
III. Proverbs for Today/10:8-9
8 The wise in heart will receive commands,
But a prating fool will fall.
9 He who walks with integrity walks securely,
But he who perverts his ways will become known.
IV. Additional Old Testament Reading:
Leviticus 11-12 and Psalms 38:1-22
**Read Matthew 20:20-28 and 1 Corinthians 1:10-17
I. The True Leader is the Servant
- Matthew 20:20-28; We are reminded that greatness is accomplished by serving. Just like the saying, "a great leader is a great follower", we have the commission to spread the gospel and serve our neighbors. Jesus came in this world as the lamb of God, who was sacrificed for our sins so we may have a chance for salvation and eternity. God gave Jesus a purpose, to serve others and die in the cross. We need to be like Jesus and have a servant's heart. Instead of thinking of ourselves, let's start to look at others who might need our help. Instead of collecting riches, let us share our blessings to the poor. Instead of gaining more knowledge, let us share the Word of God. We all have a purpose in this world and we are all given a mission, the Great Commission, to teach others of God's promises and plans for all of us. Let God use us, with the help of the Holy Spirit, as farmers who will plant a seed in our brother/sister's heart with a hope that someday his/her soil (heart) will soften and accept the living water (the Word) that will help that seed grow into a big tree. And this big tree will bear good fruit that will be used to show God's unconditional love for us. Let us all be servants to our Father and glorify His name for He is an awesome God, the Alpha, the Omega, the creator of heavens and earth.
II. Divisions within the Corinthian Church
- 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 is a message of unity among believers. This is a huge church and some had followed Paul, Peter, or Apollos. They had different styles of teaching but are united in their message. Paul urged everyone to not look at the preacher but instead look at Jesus Christ. He emphasized that the message is more important than the messenger. What we need to look for are false teachings that focus on prosperity and greatness of men. All teachings should be Christ-centered, derived from the Bible, that teaches God's sovereignity and greatness. Sometimes we get discouraged after learning that our pastors, teachers, and brothers and sisters in faith have done something Wrong. We are reminded not to look at these people for they are just human beings and are not perfect. We should not be disappointed for people are unrighteous and have a sinful nature. Instead, let's focus on God and His love and mercy on us and let us see His word as it gives us the truth and the way for our salvation. We need to trust in Jesus Christ and repent our sins so through the grace of God, we can have eternal life and inherit the Kingdom of God.
III. Proverbs for Today/10:8-9
8 The wise in heart will receive commands,
But a prating fool will fall.
9 He who walks with integrity walks securely,
But he who perverts his ways will become known.
IV. Additional Old Testament Reading:
Leviticus 11-12 and Psalms 38:1-22
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
20 Feb 13: The Parable of the Vineyard Workers and/ God's Gifts to the Corinthian Church
Prayer: Father we thank you for your Word. We thank you for the opportunity to study it to know you. Fill us with your spirit as we learn the good news. Use each and everyone of us to share the gospel. We thank you for this great day and may you bless us to bear good fruit. In Jesus' name. Amen
**Read Matthew 20:1-19 and 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
I. The Parable of the Vineyard Workers
- In Matthew 20:1-19, Jesus described the Kingdom of Heaven as landowners who hire laborers all day. The landowner had agreed with laborers in different hours to work in his vineyard for a denarius a day. After a hard day's work, it was time to pay them and they started with the last one hired. They were given a denarius so when the ones that started first saw this, they thought that they would get more but they only received a denarius also. They were furious for they worked all day and the other only worked for an hour but they all still got paid the same. So they went to the landowner and argued about their wages. The landowner told them that they agreed for a denarius a day and that's what he is paying them.
- In our Christian life, God is the landowner and the laborers are His believers. Sometimes there are Christians who feel like they deserve more than others because they have been saved the longest. Some think that they should get more because of their heritage and "hard work" or more good deeds. They think that they would get rewarded more because they did more but Jesus reminded us that we are all working for one thing which is our salvation. This salvation is not based on how long we were Christians or how many good things we have done but by the grace of God through our faith in Jesus Christ and our repentance of our sins. We should not be jealous of what God has blessed others but instead thank Him and glorify Him for everything that He has given us. Don't be jealous because God has accepted murderers, outcasts, and sinners the same way He did for you even though you have been a law-abiding, true follower for decades. God will take back anybody when they ask for forgiveness and instead of feeling envious, we should rejoice that another soul had been saved.
II. God's Gifts to the Corinthian Church
- In Corinthians 1:1-9, Paul wrote this epistle for the leaders and followers of Christ in the Corinthian Church. Paul reminded them that God has blessed them with spiritual gifts but instead of using them to worship and glorify God, they have wasted their time arguing to each other which gifts were more important. We are also reminded that God has given us these same gifts and we should not use them to get fame or money but to serve the Lord and our fellow believers.
III. Proverbs for Today/10:6-7
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
7 The memory of the righteous is blessed,
But the name of the wicked will rot.
IV. Additional Old Testament Reading
Leviticus 9:7-24, Leviticus 10, and Psalms 37:30-40
**Read Matthew 20:1-19 and 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
I. The Parable of the Vineyard Workers
- In Matthew 20:1-19, Jesus described the Kingdom of Heaven as landowners who hire laborers all day. The landowner had agreed with laborers in different hours to work in his vineyard for a denarius a day. After a hard day's work, it was time to pay them and they started with the last one hired. They were given a denarius so when the ones that started first saw this, they thought that they would get more but they only received a denarius also. They were furious for they worked all day and the other only worked for an hour but they all still got paid the same. So they went to the landowner and argued about their wages. The landowner told them that they agreed for a denarius a day and that's what he is paying them.
- In our Christian life, God is the landowner and the laborers are His believers. Sometimes there are Christians who feel like they deserve more than others because they have been saved the longest. Some think that they should get more because of their heritage and "hard work" or more good deeds. They think that they would get rewarded more because they did more but Jesus reminded us that we are all working for one thing which is our salvation. This salvation is not based on how long we were Christians or how many good things we have done but by the grace of God through our faith in Jesus Christ and our repentance of our sins. We should not be jealous of what God has blessed others but instead thank Him and glorify Him for everything that He has given us. Don't be jealous because God has accepted murderers, outcasts, and sinners the same way He did for you even though you have been a law-abiding, true follower for decades. God will take back anybody when they ask for forgiveness and instead of feeling envious, we should rejoice that another soul had been saved.
II. God's Gifts to the Corinthian Church
- In Corinthians 1:1-9, Paul wrote this epistle for the leaders and followers of Christ in the Corinthian Church. Paul reminded them that God has blessed them with spiritual gifts but instead of using them to worship and glorify God, they have wasted their time arguing to each other which gifts were more important. We are also reminded that God has given us these same gifts and we should not use them to get fame or money but to serve the Lord and our fellow believers.
III. Proverbs for Today/10:6-7
6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous,
But violence covers the mouth of the wicked.
7 The memory of the righteous is blessed,
But the name of the wicked will rot.
IV. Additional Old Testament Reading
Leviticus 9:7-24, Leviticus 10, and Psalms 37:30-40
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
19 Feb 13:Jesus and the Rich Man and/ Avoid Divisive People
Prayer: Father, I pray that you bless this study and make it a blessing for the readers. Bless them, Lord, and send them the Holy Spirit that will help them understand Today's message. In Jesus' name. Amen.
**Read Matthew 19:16-30 and Romans 16:17-27
I. Jesus and the Rich Man
- In Matthew 19:16-30 , a young rich man approached Jesus asking Him how to receive eternal life. Jesus told him to obey the commandments of God and if he wants to be perfect, to sell all his belongings and follow Him.
- The rich man was a good man. He obeyed God's commandments, helped his fellowmen, and also had the desire for salvation. When he asked Jesus what else he needed to do, Jesus told him to give up everything and follow Him. Because he had so many earthly possessions, he could not bear the fact of giving all those away. In truth, he was blinded by all his riches. He could not imagine losing all his money and luxuries in life. He was too attached to all these material things that chose them over God. Following Christ is a lifelong commitment We can not just give a part of our life. We need to devote our entire life of living a Christian life and following His ways. We tend to endure suffering in order to collect riches here on earth. These things have no value in heaven and it is only through our repentance of our sins, our acceptance of our savior, and the grace of God that will give us eternal life.
- In verses 23-28, Jesus told His disciples that it is "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God". They might be good, have different charities, help other people, but all these does not give you a free ticket to heaven. They love their money and their riches so much that they start to worship them. Money is not evil. It is the love of money that gets us in trouble with God. Sometimes, when God had blessed us with everything we need, we still asked for more. We tend to focus on our riches and our fame so we can build our names here on earth that we forget that what really matters is the riches that we build in heaven. When we love money so much, we forget to thank God, praise Him, and worship Him, and we start to glorify ourselves and the "great things" that we did to get where we are at. We forget to glorify God and share the blessings that He had showered upon us. Money and earthly possessions are not everything. Some people always ask God why they did not bless them like the rich people. We, sometimes, feel jealous of how prosperous they are. What we do not know is the same people, even though they have everything that they want, are the ones who are depressed, suffer from anxiety, have family problems, and are not liked and loved by the people around them. People go to them because they have the money and not because they really want to associate with them. I'll rather be loved by my family, friends, neighbors, and by God than be super rich and be lonely. I'll rather have eternal life through our savior Jesus Christ and the grace of God than to have eternal cash that we can't take with us in His Kingdom. Remember in Matthew 6:24,
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
II. Avoid Divisive People
- In Romans 16:17-27, Paul warned us to be vigilant and look for those who cause division. Watch out for those spreading false teachings that are not in the Bible. The Bible is God's Word and we must follow what is written by the apostles who were inspired by God. A common tactic of the enemy is to deceive people by adding to the scriptures. They talk of new laws, new promises, new prophets, and new messages.
Deuteronomy 4:2 says " You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you".
"Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it." - Deuteronomy 12:32
" Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar." - Proverbs 30:5-6
"For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the
holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." - Revelations 22:18-19
- We need to know the truth and to know this, we have to devote our time in studying the Word of God. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can discern false teachings and be closer to God. We can learn of God's promises and God's love. Let us not trust mere human beings but trust God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit that He will reveal to us the message, not according to man, but through His revelation. The message is very simple, we need to repent of our sins and trust the Lord, Jesus Christ. He is the only way, the only mediator, and the only "intercession" that we need to build a relationship with our Father.
"For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" - 1 Timothy 2:5
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6
III Proverbs for Today/ 10:5
He who gathers in summer is a wise son;
He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.
Additional Old Testament Reading:
Leviticus 7:28-38, Leviticus 8, Leviticus 9:1-6, and Psalms 37:12-29
**Read Matthew 19:16-30 and Romans 16:17-27
I. Jesus and the Rich Man
- In Matthew 19:16-30 , a young rich man approached Jesus asking Him how to receive eternal life. Jesus told him to obey the commandments of God and if he wants to be perfect, to sell all his belongings and follow Him.
- The rich man was a good man. He obeyed God's commandments, helped his fellowmen, and also had the desire for salvation. When he asked Jesus what else he needed to do, Jesus told him to give up everything and follow Him. Because he had so many earthly possessions, he could not bear the fact of giving all those away. In truth, he was blinded by all his riches. He could not imagine losing all his money and luxuries in life. He was too attached to all these material things that chose them over God. Following Christ is a lifelong commitment We can not just give a part of our life. We need to devote our entire life of living a Christian life and following His ways. We tend to endure suffering in order to collect riches here on earth. These things have no value in heaven and it is only through our repentance of our sins, our acceptance of our savior, and the grace of God that will give us eternal life.
- In verses 23-28, Jesus told His disciples that it is "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God". They might be good, have different charities, help other people, but all these does not give you a free ticket to heaven. They love their money and their riches so much that they start to worship them. Money is not evil. It is the love of money that gets us in trouble with God. Sometimes, when God had blessed us with everything we need, we still asked for more. We tend to focus on our riches and our fame so we can build our names here on earth that we forget that what really matters is the riches that we build in heaven. When we love money so much, we forget to thank God, praise Him, and worship Him, and we start to glorify ourselves and the "great things" that we did to get where we are at. We forget to glorify God and share the blessings that He had showered upon us. Money and earthly possessions are not everything. Some people always ask God why they did not bless them like the rich people. We, sometimes, feel jealous of how prosperous they are. What we do not know is the same people, even though they have everything that they want, are the ones who are depressed, suffer from anxiety, have family problems, and are not liked and loved by the people around them. People go to them because they have the money and not because they really want to associate with them. I'll rather be loved by my family, friends, neighbors, and by God than be super rich and be lonely. I'll rather have eternal life through our savior Jesus Christ and the grace of God than to have eternal cash that we can't take with us in His Kingdom. Remember in Matthew 6:24,
“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."
II. Avoid Divisive People
- In Romans 16:17-27, Paul warned us to be vigilant and look for those who cause division. Watch out for those spreading false teachings that are not in the Bible. The Bible is God's Word and we must follow what is written by the apostles who were inspired by God. A common tactic of the enemy is to deceive people by adding to the scriptures. They talk of new laws, new promises, new prophets, and new messages.
Deuteronomy 4:2 says " You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you".
"Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it." - Deuteronomy 12:32
" Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar." - Proverbs 30:5-6
"For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the
holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." - Revelations 22:18-19
- We need to know the truth and to know this, we have to devote our time in studying the Word of God. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can discern false teachings and be closer to God. We can learn of God's promises and God's love. Let us not trust mere human beings but trust God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit that He will reveal to us the message, not according to man, but through His revelation. The message is very simple, we need to repent of our sins and trust the Lord, Jesus Christ. He is the only way, the only mediator, and the only "intercession" that we need to build a relationship with our Father.
"For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" - 1 Timothy 2:5
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6
III Proverbs for Today/ 10:5
He who gathers in summer is a wise son;
He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.
Additional Old Testament Reading:
Leviticus 7:28-38, Leviticus 8, Leviticus 9:1-6, and Psalms 37:12-29
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