Building the House of God

MORNING DEVOTION:          December 01, 2010
Biblical Passages: Haggai 1 and 2
"Go up into the mountains and bring them down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored."- Haggai 1:8


Message: 
     It is about the church of the LORD. The place where we worship God. How we invest to build a church? Through our Tithes and Offering for the expansion of the Kingdom of God.


Reflection:
     Did you notice na pag marami ka ng nabigay o nagawa, parang may kulang pa din? According in Haggai 1:6, "You have planted much, but you harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." Ibig sabihin because of your mindset. We only think for ourselves. Iniisip natin kung ano mapapala natin at hindi yung i-honor ang LORD, "Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house." (Haggai 1:9)


Motivation:
     Our church, Doulos for Christ World Harvest Ministry is a best church. Kung babalikan natin ung history ng church building, una sa may Recto, sumunod sa may Masagana Mall and now nasa PhilTrade Center na siya. And now again, we were going to invest 15 million for our new building at talagang sa min na at hindi na kami uupa. Nakaka-motivate di'ba? Lalo na kung magbibigay tayo ng tama at bukal pa sa puso natin. Remember that our investment is for God, Haggai 1:8, "The silver is mine and the gold is mine," declares the LORD Almighty.


Application:
     If we want to claim the promise of the LORD, Haggai 2:4, "The glory of the present house will be greater than the glory of the former house," says the Lord Almighty. And in this place I will grant peace," declares the Lord Almighty.  GIVE THE RIGHT TITHES AND WHOLEHEARTED OFFERING TO THE LORD.

Calling all the Women of God, Princess of God, Queen of God

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."- Proverbs 31:30

BIBLICAL PASSAGES: PSALM 45-47
"Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; A scepter of justice will be the scepter of your Kingdom. Your love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy."- Psalm 45:6-7

MESSAGE
Try to imagine that you belong or part of a Royal Family but only between God and you. God is your King and you are His Princess, the daughter. Yah, Psalm 45 is about women. God appointed all the women of God to lead people. What is the essence of being called "PRINCESS OF GOD" if you don't give an importance to your responsibilities. As a Princess, you have an authority because God gave that to us. May Prinsesa bang binababa ang sarili? As a Princess, ikaw dapat yung tinitingala at ginagalang because you are the daughter of the King and that is God.

REFLECTION
I try to read the passage in Tagalog. May title ung Psalm 45, "Awit sa Maharlikang Kasalan" (Psalm for Royal Wedding). Masasabi ko dito na kinakasal ka sa responsibility mo para sa LORD. The responsibility to lead people. Kung ikakasal ka sa isang Hari, you will be his Queen at part ka na rin ng responsibility ng King sa Nation na nasasakupan nyo. And as a woman, tayo ang nagdadala ng generation that loves God. God planned that our future children will lead also a nation like their Father (Psalm 45:16)

MOTIVATION
How to motivate ourselves to be a "RESPONSIBLE PRINCESS OF GOD?" I remember me encounter days (Feb.27-Mar1,2009), it is not only my Spiritual Birthday but also My Wedding to my King. Which mean I accept all the responsibilities na ibibigay sa akin ng LORD. Hindi dapat sayangin ang opportunity na iyon? Isipin mo na kinasal ka sa isang Prinsipe, sinong tatanggi lalo na kung mahal mo di'ba? At syempre you're going to part of His Kingdom at willing tayo na magkaron ng responsibility kasi mahal natin siya. So how can we maintain on that?
1. Value your People
--As a Princess or a Queen, you need to value your people. Kung gaano kalaki ang pagmamahal ng isang hari sa kanyang nasasakupan, ganun din tayo
2.Don't waste the Trust of the King
--God seen us a desire to our heart that we are willing to serve Him so that He appointed us to be a leader and you need to be responsible on that because God is trusted you (Psalm 45:7)

APPLICATION
Are you dreaming to be famous or popular? Actually, madame ang gusto maging sikat ika nga, maging tanyag. Ang pagiging PRINSESA at tanyag sa ibang bansa, sila yung tinitingala pero tandaan natin ang na ang buhay natin ay para lang sa LORD. Kung gusto man nating makilala, pwede naman eh but through God's Purpose-share the Gospel and lead people to Christ. Apply it everyday to our life and let see kung di ka maging popular nyan. Actually we can change the word "FAMOUS" to a "BLESSING". God designed our life na makilala din tayo because that is His promise to Abraham, Gen 12:2, "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great and you will be a blessing.". Be an ultimate PRINCESS OF GOD.. 

"And the second is like it, 'Love your neighbor as yourself'''.

My devotion for today: Love People 

Date: November 27, 2009 
Biblical Passage: 1 Samuel 23-25 
"As the old saying goes: From evildoers are evil deeds. So my hand will not touch you.''-1 samuel 24:13 

Message: 
As a servant of God, lahat ng kilos natin ay mabuti sa Diyos. We don't need to do wrong ways. David knows that Saul was going to kill him but instead to fight for Saul he spared his life. Wala tayo dapat gawin sa mga kaaway natin, ang mabuti lang nating gawin is apply Matthew 5:44, "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.'' Yan na yan mismo ag ginawa ni David. He praised God because God didn't allow David's hand from wrong doing (1 Samuel 25:34)

Reflection:
I also realize that we haven't a right na maghiganti. Ang paghihiganti ay masama. Only God allows to repay for the sins of our enemies. Basta't always pray for them na lang. I also realize din na we haven't a right na itama ang mali ng iba kung ginagawa rin natin ang masama nilang ginagawa. Sabi nga sa Matthew 7:3, ''Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye.''

Motivation:
May times na nagkakaroon ako ng sama ng loob sa mga kasama ko sa klase. Kasi feeling ko I'm not part of their group. Hindi ko naman alam kung ano ang ayaw nila sa akin. Una kasi sa lahat, I'm a Christian and as a Christian I represent Christ. Need kong gawin ang lahat ng ginagawa ni Jesus noong nabubuhay pa siya sa mundo. Naiisip ko tuloy na ito ba minsan ang dahilan kaya medyo di nila ako pinapansin gaano. Dalawa kaming Christian sa grupo namin. But we are different. Isa pa sa mga gusto ko is ''attention". The last time I cried in school, sila ang dahilan. Gusto ko minsan silang kausapin if may mga bagay ba silang ayaw sa akin. Magiging totoo na ako sa ngayon, they know I'm a quiet person but the truth is I only observed people and after that I'll going to confront them. Isa sa mga ayaw ko is plastik na tao. Gusto ko maging totoo sila, sabihin sa akin if may ayaw sila sa akin, even it is negative. Ayoko kasing nakikisama ako tapos may ayaw pala sa akin. I'm not perfect. In this situation, namotivate ako na i-confront sila but not in the way na against kay God. All I want is itama ang situation. But it not means na porke nagkaroon ako ng sama ng loob sa kanila, I didn't love them. Nope, I love them naman sila, gusto ko lang ayusin ang dapat ayusin. 

Application:
''As of now, Nov 27-28 is G12 Conference. In this event, people's life will really change or transform. Kaya I promise to myself not only for me but also to God na talagang macha-change na ako. I want to proved na hindi na ako yung tulad ng dati. Isa pa sa dapat na i-apply yung ano nga yung pagmamahal sa kapwa. All I can say is, I love them, kahit may times na naiinis ako sa family ko, classmates even sa bestfriend ko, mahal ko sila, gusto ko lang silang itama. I don't care if they going to reject me basta't nagawa ko yung part ko and the rest is for God.

Handle it with care of your disciple

My devotion last Nov. 5, 2009
Biblical Passage: Joshua 9-11
"Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us."- Joshua 10:6

Message:
     After I read the passage, nakita ko dito ang isang characteristic ng isang leader. A cell leader ika nga. Kasi because of God's greatness and power, the Gideonites afraid of it, they surrender theirselves to God and the people of Israelites. They are ready to become their servants basta't tulungan lang sila  na huwag magapi ng mga kaaway.

Reflection:
     Nakikita ko na yung mga Gideonites mismo ang lumapit sa kanila. Para sa akin, nangyari iyan, sa totoo lang kasi hindi ako nagwi-win sa ngayon pero 3 souls mismo ang lumalapit to surrender theirselves to God and become one of his servants. And us a leader, I need to take care of them at hindi pababayaang magapi na naman ng mga kaaway.

Motivation:
     Sabi ni God sa Joshua 10:8, ''Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.'''Kapani-paniwala naman di'ba? God did not forsaken us for everything especially when we going to defend the soul of our loved ones.

Application:
     Trust to God ika nga (Joshua 10:25). Basta't malaki lang ang trust natin sa kanya, nothing is impossible especially we are more than conqueror pa (Romans 8:37).

God's Strategy

My devotion yesterday, November 4, 2009.. I want to share it with you...

Biblical Passages: Joshua 6-8
"Then the LORD said to Joshua, 'See, I have delievered Jericho into your hands.''- Joshua 6:2

Message:
     Its about following the strategy of God like what he gave to Joshua to conquer the Jericho (Joshua 6:3-5). And they done it. The Israelites follow the strategy of God and so that nothing is impossible, the land of Jericho was already their own. Talagang pag si God ang sinusunod natin, paniguradong lahat ng gusto natin ay makukuha natin.

Reflection:
     Sa ngayon, isa sa mga gusto ko ay makapag-open ng cell group. Sa totoo lang, God gave me already an instructions para gawin iyon pero ang problema, ako ang hindi gumagalaw. He already gave me 3 souls na pero anong ginagawa ko, hindi ako kumikilos. Kaya minsan naiinis ako sa sarili ko. May mga oras kasi minsan na pag kinukuha natin ang isang bagay, mahirap siyang gawin dahil walang sinusunod na instructions, ngayon may binigay na, hindi pa rin masunod kaya talagang hindi mabibigay ni God talaga ang hinihiling natin. Lalo na kung ibang way pa ang ginagawa natin na against na minsan sa kanya.

Motivation:
     Isa sa mga nagmo-motivate sa akin ay syempre si God through his Holy Spirit. Sabi nga sa John 14:15-17, ''If you love me, you will obey what I have command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever--the Spirit of Truth. The world cannot accept him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be with you.'' Yah, it is true, God speaks to me through his Holy Spirit that He gave instructions how to successfully opening of cell and he really motivates to do it because he trust me.

Application:
     Listen to God. Magtiwala lang tayo sa kanya dahil hindi naman tayo ipapahamak ni God. Minsan ang problema ay sa akin, napakalaki ng tiwala ng LORD sa akin, He declare me a giant pero ako, napakaliit ng tingin ko sa sarili . Sabi nga sa Joshua 1:9, ''Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.''

Battling the Enemy: Don't Give Up, MIRIELLE

Date: October 29, 2009
BIBLICAL PASSAGE: DEUTERONOMY 20-22
"For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."-Deuteronomy 20:4

Message:
     For every battle we struggle to our evil enemies, God is always there for us. He didn't allowed the enemies to keep the victory against to us. And for us, it remind us don't give up because God is with us.

Reflection:
     Because of God's love to us, hinding-hindi niya tayo pababayaan not only for battling to our enemies but also to provide our needs and there are times nakikipaglaban din tayo sa ugali nating tarantahin dahil hindi natin alam kung saan tayo kukuha ng pangangailangan natin (Deuteronomy 20:3).

Motivation:
     Holy Spirit motivates me. Sa totoo lang kasi, feeling ko susuko na ako. Iniisip ko, tapusin na lang ang SOL 2 ko then pause muna ako. I haven't a disciple yet and because of that naiisip ko na hindi ako karapat-dapat pero hindi ko naman gusto rin iyon because God choose me and it is not my choice, pero habang tumatagal ako sa Kanya, ayoko  ng umalis pero hindi ko naman nagagawa ang responsibility ko sa Kanya kahit gusto ko siyang gawin. Kaya minsan, pumapasok sa utak ko na bumalik sa pagka-emo dahil rin siguro sa kulang sa atensiyon. But the Holy Spirit of God help me to not to do it. Nararamdaman ko ang love ni God na ayaw niya kong umalis. Ayoko namang umalis sa Kanya eh, pero dahil sa hindi ko magawa ang responsibility sa kanya, naiisip ko iyon. Nahihiya ako kasi as a Christian, dapat pinapakita ko iyon wherever I am. Pero iba ang ugali ko sa bahay at sa labas. Oo, there are times I share a gospel to my classmate at ganun din sa family ko but sa totoo lang, maikli ang patience ko sa bahay. Doon ko naiisip na sa paningin ng family ko, walang nagbabago sa akin. But still, the Holy Spirit was still there and guide me and remind me about the matters with my family.

Application:
     My spiritual family motivates me also especially my spiritual parents, Ps. Oriel and Mommy Ger. For every preaching they preach every Sunday Service, lahat ng iyon patama sa akin. totoo nga ang Hebrews 4:12, "For the Word of God is living and active. sharper than any double-edged-sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and atiitude of the heart." Sinasabi dito na there are so many people especially God. Di'ba pag tayo ay namo-motivate talagang kikilos tayo na magagawa natin iyon.