Journey to God in Small Steps

Dear reader, I just want to thank you for being in this journey with me. Thank you so much for giving your time and effort to show your support for the gospel. You have been a tremendous help and source of comfort to me. Your support during on-season and off-seasons have been a great blessing to me and to the advancement of the gospel. Thank you for your support. May God be the one to bless you and reward you in turn.  I pray the Lord bless you and keep you. May He continue to make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May He turn His face toward you and give you peace. I hope you flourish in your walk with the Lord. May He surround you with His love and grace always. Jesus forgives all our sins. He is a gracious and merciful God. What He reveals, He tends to restore and heal. Jesus has forgiven all your offenses. His work on the cross is powerful and complete. May He shine in your life and give you peace everlasting. I am so grateful for your life. May you continue to...

             When Isaac was young, his father Abraham was tested and was asked to offer him to the Lord. What may seem like a testing became one of mankind’s greatest triumphs. But most importantly, his simple obedience pleased the very heart of God. Let’s read the story. Some time later God tested   Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,”   he replied. Then God said, “ Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac —and go to the region of Moriah.   Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering   on a mountain I will show you.” (Genesis 22:1-2, NIV)           Early the next morning   Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.   On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.   He said t...

 You and I will hear all sorts of advice. Giving advice is one of life’s gifts. We have heeded some advice, and some advice we did not. God wants us to be wise in which to receive. “ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ” James 3:17 God’s wisdom will be pure. It will not lead us to sin. It will be peace-loving, shown in Jesus’ teaching to love our enemies and not retaliate. It is considerate of others. It is submissive, which means it is not always argumentative. The wisdom from God is full of mercy, based on the cross that forgives all sinners because God loves them. Good fruit means this wisdom when applied will lead to right living. Impartial is giving others their due reward. Sincerity is based on truthfulness and good intention of the person giving the advice. God contrasted wisdom from above with wisdom not from God (James 3:14-16). The opposite is wisdom of...

Hello dear reader, I just want to share some highlights of what is going on in my life and where I am in my walk with God. My last post was in May 2023. That was three months ago and now I would like to share something about my journey since then. My focus the last months has been to fix my inner life with the Lord. God is doing a deeper work in my character, emotions, mental health, my habits and thoughts. I had been through a refining where I repent of every known sin in my personal life and fixing all these with God. This is where the Lord taught me the first ministry is my life. Romans 12:1 says to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God, holy and pleasing unto Him. These include my undocumented daily life, where I align those that are not in the will of God to the will of God. More than sharing about faith, I focused on putting my life in order and letting the private life be a place where God lives again. This goes without saying that I still have imperfections that G...

Some of us are living our best years. Some of us maybe are just living what I call the "Continue" Year. Perhaps life is not as good as the past times. We may not be hitting the newspapers or achieving great feats as before. In fact, things may be difficult. In short, not a lot is happening. But God is encouraging us this year to continue.  In the Bible, the word "continue" is mentioned when people persist in the work. They are in the middle of a great journey and keep going. They stay in their marriage. They resume and carry on with their lives. They keep doing good work and help others. They follow God faithfully trusting Him each day. They keep learning. And they endure life's trials patiently. Maybe this is that season for you. God is looking at your steadfastness to continue to follow Him and trust Him for one more year. The Bible also referred to the word to describe the faithfulness of God. The word "continue" was used to describe God staying wit...

Hello dear reader, how are you holding up? Are you happy, forgiven and blessed? Are you consumed by problems? Are you hopeful or fearful today? I just want to share what God said to me one day. "You may feel overwhelmed by death. But I overwhelm death. Death is overwhelmed by Me." Throughout the pandemic and war, we saw thousands and many being taken by life and disease. Nevertheless I want to remind you, we may feel overwhelmed by death, but when viewed next to God, IT IS DEATH THAT IS OVERWHELMED." Death trembles before the living power of God.  I have this testimony where God saved me from spiritual death twice. When we repent of our sin and when we turn to God asking Him to forgive us, He has the power to bring spiritual and physical life. He can choose to release us even from its grip. That's how powerful our God is. Today, I want to speak about the powerful God that we serve. And since Easter Sunday had us celebrating the reason for our faith, I speak faith ove...

Yesterday, during our small group we discussed the Parable of the Sower ( Luke 8:4-15 ). Normally, this parable pertains to how the Word of God turns people into new believers. However, this parable could also be considered for believers in the faith and their response to the Word of God.  Image by congerdesign from Pixabay The first group hear the Word, but doubt and unbelief keep them from receiving it. Have you had some doubt in God or doubt in the Word? Test where your doubt is coming from. It may be mistrust, other underlying beliefs in the past or a stronghold that keeps you from receiving God's Word. The next group did receive the Word but were not able to grow their roots. It can mean that the Word of God was received intellectually though it has not penetrated the heart. These group of people sometimes I can identify with. A Christian author on Hearing the Voice of God said that you have to meditate on God's Word. It's not just hearing but actually meditating on th...

     “Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen. He had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. And the king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as a stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the Sycamore of the Shephelah. And Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s traders would buy them from Kue for a price. They imported a chariot from Egypt for 600 shekels of silver, and a horse for 150. Likewise through them these were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.” 2 Chronicles 1:14-17   These verses today gave me valuable lessons on trading and sourcing: 1.       Solomon increased the supply of valuable goods. Gold and silver were needed for the palace and house of God. Cedar trees were also in demand. Solomon grew the supply of those three, turning them from rare goods, into plenty. This introduces the value of...

Photo Credit: Unsplash This Sunday morning, I reflected a bit more where my heart is. The past weeks I could not rest completely on God. Some part of me still performs, as if my performance was where I get my security before God. If I do well, maybe I felt better about myself. Some of our lives we keep performing and performing: performing at home or at work, before our friends and trusted people. This Sunday, I was determined to slow down, to stop my works. To focus back on God, not the activity, not even my roles at church or society which can become my own little crowns. I decided to stop and pause and be like Mary again, who sought after God for a relationship with Him, rather than for what He can do, and what we can do for Him. Today is the moment where you can lay it all down before God and rest. Pause and rest your heart, mind and spirit before Him. Be with God today.  May you have that kind of Sunday brothers and sisters in Christ. You can rest from your labors today, enjoy...

Restarting your life is now doable with Jesus Christ as our God and King. Whatever you need a restart on, God can do it. Refresh your mind that you’re a new creation, and the old has indeed been gone. Wear your new Christ-bought self. God can give you new life. He can refresh your days with vigor and enthusiasm. God can restart your walk with Him. It takes a day to recommit and a daily follow-through with that new commitment. If you are wanting a fresh relationship with Jesus Christ today, you can ask Him for it. He will not decline your desire for a new life. Thank you Father that with Jesus, we indeed have a fresh start. A new life. A new commitment. For us that want a start over, will you please lead us as we restart in this area and trust You with our lives today. Amen.

  The word “Surrender” does not always come easy. However, it has benefits to our spiritual walk. The benefit of letting God take over an area that He asks to surrender gives you unexpected but God-driven results. Try singing to God with a surrendered heart and try singing with an unsurrendered heart. The results are quite different. We grow closer to God when we surrender. Our prayers are more aligned with God’s will giving God the grace to answer according to His will for our lives. Surrender is a Lordship issue. Any area not surrendered to God reveals who is the Lord over that area, if it’s Jesus or that area is lord over us. Whatever is our lord drives our motives, thoughts, plans and will. To surrender is to carry your cross, to give God the area no matter how He leads it. An unsurrendered Christian still runs his own life. God can more use a surrendered Christian by His love and grace. Yield to God and allow Him to do which He wants in your life. A yielded life has fruit beca...

You hold me by your hand. Your love surrounds me. The more I try to hold you, to just catch a glimpse of you, You said, ‘Let Me.’   ‘Let Me hold you child. Let Me carry your burdens Let Me embrace and melt your fears away Let me comfort you and bring you joy and peace.   My child, I’ll always be true. I always will be.’   In your presence I am awed My heart melts Just the thought of you near. I thought I was growing with your heart You said, ‘I’m in your heart And always will be.’   My God you are my King The blessing that caresses The things in my heart That have hardened for so long. I am safe in Your arms. Like a child cradled am I so endeared   You said I am treasured and honored. You silenced other voices And drew me nearer to your tender voice.   You said, ‘Let Me’ ‘Let Me speak to you Let Me sweep you off From the hidden gloom You’ve hidden yourself And kept you from Me. Let Me ...

I want to share a childhood story.  When we were young, there was me, my first brother, and other younger siblings in the household. As the eldest and due to some age gap, I wasn't as mischievous anymore. But sometimes, when my younger brothers or sisters would get "too playful", as was normal for children their age, it was customary for the other siblings to also receive the heat of my parents' discipline. Perhaps it was the number of children ㇐ we were six in all ㇐ or maybe as an example to the others, it was done that way at the time. I remember feeling flustered at my other siblings for drawing out the disciplinarian in our parents at times. 😅 And I had a fresh revelation again of what Jesus did for me. Many would probably feel the unjustness of being punished for someone else's mistake. I'm not perfect. I can say I would somehow feel that at times. But for someone innocent as Christ was, and receiving the punishment and ruling reserved for a criminal, it...

" Wisdom will lead you and will guide you. Listen to Him. The voice of Wisdom will lead you and guide you. No other higher will than My wise counsel will lead you and guide you. I guide you in your choices. I guide you every day. I am faithful to guide you. Follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit. And you will always find Me though I was never far from you.  I will not fail you. You will have the BEST. Trust in Me. I will accomplish more good in your life. Trust. Rest in Me.  My favor is upon you. My approval is on you. You will not be disappointed. I love you. Wait for the BEST. I want to give you the BEST. I only want the BEST for you. Trust Me in the dark times and you will see My light guiding and leading you to greener pastures.   I forgive you. There is nothing you can do to disappoint Me.  You cannot disappoint Me. I am not disappointed with you when you fail.  Let Me be your highest goal. Prioritize Me. Those who put Me first will not be disappointed. Re...

We all had been through many storms together and God has been faithful. From recovering from a global recession to transforming our nations and workplaces, God had brought us through. When we felt like the storms got us on our knees, God was with us. Right now, our faith needs to shine once more. We are the salt and  light  of the earth, the lamp in the darkness, wherever we came from. The God who saved us from many difficulties, whether personal, nationwide, corporately, and globally will come through. And we need our faith to rise more than ever. Just a month ago, during our leadership group, we were praying against COVID-19, and we believed that God has raised up modern-day Josephs of our time, people who would be able to come up with different solutions to save a  people  from perishing, to feed the hungry, and to preserve a generation from destruction. Many have already risen up and have acted with wisdom on the local levels. I continue to b...

People have different approaches when reading their Bible. Some consider it as a love letter from God. Others are afraid of it. Others don't believe it. Nevertheless, it lasted this far for a reason. When you are unsure how God may speak, look no further and search the written Word. The point of reading the Bible is to know the Word - in Jesus Christ. Here are just some advice how to approach the Word of God: 1. Do not fear what it says. Fear is what can stop us from reading. We fear what we do not know. Or we have this picture in our mind of an always angry God like He is after the smallest mistake. The trouble may not be on what it says but on our view of God. 2. Treat His Words as instruction. The Bible contains many wise counsel for right living, keeping us from destructive patterns that will not be for our good. 3. Love the Word. Psalm 119 is a beautiful psalm of the treasure of the Word of God. It is described as more important than treasures of gold, and a lamp...

Religion alone - the practices and rituals of spirituality to reach out to a god/gods - can't save us. We can be born into a religion but it does not make us true worshipers from the beginning. In fact, you will find that at an early age to our teen years, we had to grapple with certain habits - cursing, lying, selfishness, sexual perversions, unrestrained anger, rebellion, jealousy, and more - even though we know these violate God's standards. And yet we do them anyway. Why? Because religion alone cannot save nor change us. Self-discipline and rules are not enough to make us change. "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy,  which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces  of this world  rather than on Christ... These are a shadow of the things that were to come;  the reality, however, is found in Christ ... These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish  with use, are ba...

Our passage for reading is in Mark 12:28-31 about the two greatest commandments. It says: " One of the teachers of the law  came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,”  answered Jesus,  “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.   Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength .’ The second is this: ‘ Love your neighbor as yourself .’ There is no commandment greater than these.” In another account in Matthew 22:34-40: " Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,  the Pharisees got together.   One of them, an expert in the law,  tested him with this question:   “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied:  “‘ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and wi...