Hate vs Love

Hate is "in". Love is "out". Meanness and vindictiveness are trending. Unknowingly, or knowingly, even Christians have been deceived that it's okay to hate because "it is right". Jesus followers, however, are called to love. Remember ,"Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." -1 John 4:20-21 This is one sign of the end of the age found in Matthew 24:10-13. "At that time ,many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved." Let's not let love grow cold. Let's love even those who are unlovable, that one person who is like sandpaper, that person who is malicious, that person who has crossed the line too many times, that person who has committed a sin even you cannot forgive. Why? Because, hey! That person was created by God and Jesus died for her too. 
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Open Doors

1 Corinthians 16:9

"...because a great door for effective work has opened up for me, and there are many who oppose me."

Isn't it sad when someone is doing well at work, or in school, and yet there will be a few people who will find a way to discredit him or make his work harder that it already is? Crab mentality!

Paul encountered the same situation. He saw an opportunity in Ephesus to do great work for the Kingdom, but he acknowledged that many would not, or rather, did not want him to succeed. Despite the opposition, he courageously, in faith, decided to pursue this opportunity, knowing that it was an open door from God.

May we always have open eyes and hearts to know where You are leading us, just like Paul, Lord. May we courageously follow You despite knowing that there will be people who will make things hard for us. And, may we already claim victory in the name of Your Son, Jesus.

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The Young Man Who Ran

Mark 14:51-51

"A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind."

Once again, an anonymous person. He, however, must have some importance to merit a mention in the gospel. Who was he?Why did he have only a linen garment (in NLT, a long linen shirt)? Why no cloak, considering it might have been chilly at night?

Maybe he was about to rest for the night when he saw the group going towards Gethsemane. Maybe he wanted just to see this Jesus who was so popular. So he ran out of his house and in his haste that he forgot to put on his cloak.

But his curiosity turned awry. What he thought was just a curious crowd following Jesus was actually an angry armed mob (most likely hyped up by the Pharisees) that had set out to arrest Jesus. SIDE NOTE: The chief priests, teachers of the law and elders were such cowards for sending a mob to arrest Jesus 1) at night 2) in an isolated place 3) armed with swords and clubs.

The disciples ALL fled and deserted him, thinking that they too will be arrested. Maybe the mob wanted to arrest them but, because they all had fled, they pounced on the poor young man. A case of mistaken identity? A case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. In his fear, he did everything he could do to escape, even getting out of his garment and flee naked.

What lesson can we learn from this young man? I'm still mulling on this one.

A Lamp on a Stand

Luke 8:16 "No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light."

We have a lamp in our sala. A gift from a friend, given long time ago. It hasn't been lit for quite some time because we feel that there is no need for its light. There are other light fixtures that do the job of illuminating the house in specific areas. So, it stands in a corner, adorned with hanging turquoise and gold ornaments as dictated by design trends. Its wire has been rolled away and it remains unlit, a mere accessory for the room.

Somehow it represents my testimony of the Gospel. It's pretty and people notice it, but the question I need to ask is this: Have I rolled away the means for the Gospel to shed light on those lives who need to hear it? How long has it been since I've actually led someone in prayer to accept Jesus in her heart and receive the gift of salvation? Shouldn't I plug in once again to the Source of Light?

Lord, give me, by Your Holy Spirit, a renewed boldness to proclaim the Gospel of Salvation.

Keeping Watch

Mark 14:37

"Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. 'Simon,' he said,'are you asleep? Could ypu not keep watch for one more hour?'"

Jesus narrated several parables about waiting and keeping watch. the most well-known is The Parable of the Ten Virgins".

Jesus asks us to also keep watch. It is not for a very long time, just "an hour". of course we do not know how long that "hour" really is but the point is we should stay awake, be alert, keep watch for His coming.

Just before this, Peter and his friends stoutly insisted that they would not disown Jesus when the time came. They knew of the plot of the Pharisees to have Jesus arrested. Yet when Jesus went to pray in the Garden of gethsemane, they were not able to guard Him properly. They fell asleep!

Lord, please strengthen me with Your strength so that I will be alert and keep watch for Your coming.

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Judas and God's Will

Matthew 14:21

"The Son of Man will go as it is written about Him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! it would be better for him if he had not been born."

There have been thousands of prophecies on Jesus' sacrificial death for our sake. But Judas was never in those prophecies. God's will to sacrifice Jesus would have pushed through even without Judas' help. In fact, early on, the Pharisees already were plotting to have Jesus arrested.

So why has the name of Judas been associated with betrayal and greed? It is because of SIN.

Did Jesus want him to be the fallguy? I don't believe it. Jesus loved His disciples. he handpicked them. He knew that he was going to die for their sins even before they new it. He loved Judas for sure and even tried to warn him. "Woe to that man..." but Judas hardened his heart and chose silver over the gold that Jesus offered.

Some people say -- and I was one of them -- that Judas was created to sin the sin of betrayal. They say that if Judas had not betrayed Jesus, the plan of God would not have pushed through. This is not possible because...well..God is God! Even before Judas was even born, God;s plan for salvation through Jesus was already in motion. Even without Judas' betrayal, His plan would have its fulfillment.

So why is the story of Judas so important to us? it shows us the frailty of our humanness. Even after knowing Jesus so intimately over 3 years, after being a front-row witness to Jesus' compassion and His miracles, after sitting at His feet listening to His teachings, Judas succumbed to temptation and sinned.

We must always guard our hearts and minds against the enemy who prowls like a hungry lion waiting to pounce on the weakest in the herd.

I also believe that Jesus forgave Judas -- "Father, forgive them for they know not what they're doing." In Matthew 27:3, it says "When Jesus was condemned, he (Judas) was seized with remorse (he was sorry), and returned the thirty pieces of silver (he tried to make things right, repentance".

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Victory in His Will

Matthew 6:10
"THY WILL BE DONE."

Many times we end our narration about some form of misery with "bahala na ang Diyos", "If its His will we cannot do anything". According to Chris Tiegreen in "At His Feet", however, THEY WILL BE DONE is not a feeble resignation to God's will. Rather we should pray it in boldness as an assault on the gates of hell. It is a call to arms against the will of the enemy. A battle royale between the evil will of the devil versus the Holy Will of God. We know already who is the victor.

I never saw this verse in this light@ From a weary end to a prayer, it is in essence a declaration of victory!

Jesus prayed this when He taught the disciples to pray. It is at the beginning of the "Lord's Prayer" --

"Our Father, who art in Heaven Hallowed be Thy Name Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done..."

And again He prayed in Gethsemane, knowing the horrors that He was going to go through. He said --

"But not my will, but Yours."

It is a recognition of God's supremacy, His sovereign will that is perfect and holy, and powerful. By praying "Thy will be done", I am submit to His plans, foresee only His goodness in the outcome, and proclaim the victory that is solely His.

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