Morning By Morning

May 8, 2008

 Experiencing God’s Call!

(Heeding in Active and Dynamic Act of Faith)

     Out of God’s love we are called anew into His intimacy through His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, as His Word reminds us: Psalm 95:7, 8, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart” [NIV].  Finding and knowing that His words bring color and meaning of our existence, how can we resist another day He blesses us with to experience more of the marvelous and wonderful things that only God can ever do?

     Heed to God’s call and be content!  Find out for yourselves how good the Lord is!  For today is the reality of what we have prayed for yesterday as God answers prayers! [Matthew 21:22].  Today is the culmination of what we hope for in His promises for God’s Word is trustworthy! [2 Samuel 7:28].  Today is the experience of God in Spirit and truth as He reveals another Kingdom’s deepest secret! [Matthew 13:11]. 

     So, enjoy your today!  Make today a day of glory!  Let us all please our God as we do our reverent obedience by doing what He requires! - Psalm 116:12-14, “How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me?  I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.  I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of His people” [NIV].

     Contentment comes by active and dynamic act of faith in God.  Heed then, and see for yourself!  Hesitate not and find your way to God! – Psalm 119:2, “Blessed are they who keep His statutes and seek Him with all their heart” [NIV].   

     Glory to God and God bless us all! 

    O Heavenly Father, may we give You honor and glory today, as we heed to Your call and choice to make the difference by our active and dynamic acts of faith.  Bless us to live like Your Son Jesus Christ in obedience and wisdom,

In Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Morning By Morning

May 7, 2008

 Making Each Day Christ’s Day!

(Keeping God’s Word)

     Making each day beautiful is the believers’ divine task!  Every believer should be keeper of God’s Word by observing, fulfilling and maintaining life in Christ through His Word.  Only in spending each day in accord to God’s Word makes each day beautiful … and fruitful!  What a day of blessings! – Revelation 1:3, “Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near” [NIV].

     Yes, God is good!  God is so good to give us knowledge how to live every day under His instructions and guidance!  How can you spend a day beautifully when you do not know what to do?  What a day of blessings to know and understand! - Hosea 4:6, “. . . my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” [NIV]

     Christians should master the Scripture for only in knowing God’s Word we will gain wisdom as we experience God how He makes day beautiful and exciting as it gets!  What a day of blessings to experience God! - Colossians 1:10, “Then you will be able to live as the Lord wants and will always do what pleases Him.  Your lives will produce all kinds of good deeds, and you will grow in your knowledge of God” [TEV]. 

     So, let us all enjoy the beauty of the day by having fellowship with God as we hear Him speak through His written words or in His presence as we come in contrite and humble hearts in prayer and in harmony of faith with the believers as we worship Him in Spirit and in truth!

     Glory to God and God bless us all! 

    O Heavenly Father, may Your will be done in our lives!  You have wonderfully made us to be beautiful in Your sight.  May we be worthy of Your call and choice by making each day beautiful for You, as we live in Spirit and in truth through Your Son Jesus!

In Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Morning By Morning

May 5, 2008

Discovering the Joyful Life!

(In Christ Alone!)

      How do you view life?  Your life that had been turned upside down!  The new life you have now in Christ Jesus!  It should be like a new frontier ready to discover new and greater things that make you joyful and glad each day as you walk to face its challenges for God is with us and is in control!  -  Isaiah 25:9, “In that day they will say, ‘Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him and He saved us.  This is the Lord, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation” [NIV].

     It is the life that blesses the heart for it makes you realize that you are worthwhile for the One who values life gave His all to redeem you!  You are redeemed and recreated by love! – 2 Corinthians 5:17-18, “… if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” [NIV].

     It is the new life that needs to connect with others’ - to influence God in their lives for God has blessed you for the greatest call and purpose of life by His incomparable love: knowing Jesus Christ intimately and loving Him passionately and serving Him in reverent obedience!

     Isn’t life wonderful?  It is made wonderfully by the wonderful and amazing love of God!  Yes, He cares – Jesus cares! 

     So today, enjoy another day!   Enjoy it with Jesus and discover life and its wonder!  Start by praying and with the pages of your Bible for God is ready to reveal another secret to enjoying life with Him! -   

Glory to God and God bless us all! 

    O Heavenly Father, as Your Word is lamp to guide us that enlightens our path, may this day be another joyful one as You reveal Yourself and purpose for us!  And only by practicing faith in obedience to Your Son Jesus Christ we will find true and pure joy! 

In Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Morning By Morning

May 2, 2008

Turning the World Upside Down!!

(The Power of Christ Within Us)

     What are the things that make the world turned upside down?  The awesome display of nature’s fury we watch on our television sets or the pictures we see on books or magazines or newspaper that thrill us!  When volcanoes, tornadoes, wildfire or earthquakes releases its power, you can see how our world is turned upside down!

     When the Lord Jesus Christ came to be with us to tell us about the truth, to teach us how to live upright and to show us how much God loves us so much and to bless us greatly and revealed Himself [John 1:14], the world was turned upside down! 

     When the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ came running through the apostles, the disciples, and the believers and made impact to the peoples of all races, despite persecutions, oppositions, hardships and difficulties [Books of Acts], the world was turned upside down!

     When the Gospel reached you and you believed, accepted and acknowledged Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior and turned your back from the world and even people you are so closed to and face God’s marvelous light – what a life you now have that made your world turned upside down! – Romans 1:16, “I have complete confidence in the gospel; it is God’s power to save all who believe …” [TEV].

      Within you is the power that needs to be released like the fury of a volcano or a tornado or a wildfire or an earthquake!  An awesome display of this force is needed to make someone else’s world turned upside down – Acts 17:6, “These that have turned the world upside down are hither also” [KJV].  Your Christ-likeness is the power within you and its display will be an amazing sight that will fascinate and influence others.  Release it! 

     Glory to God and God bless us all! 

    O Heavenly Father, we are amazed by the wonder of Your love and power in Your Son Jesus Christ!  To be like Him is the chief end of our existence and of our call and choice.  Bless us with courage and boldness and compassionate hearts so we may release the power of Christ within us so people may believe!

In Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Morning By Morning

May 2, 2008

Turning the World Upside Down!!

(The Power of Christ Within Us)

     What are the things that make the world turned upside down?  The awesome display of nature’s fury we watch on our television sets or the pictures we see on books or magazines or newspaper that thrill us!  When volcanoes, tornadoes, wildfire or earthquakes releases its power, you can see how our world is turned upside down!

     When the Lord Jesus Christ came to be with us to tell us about the truth, to teach us how to live upright and to show us how much God loves us so much and to bless us greatly and revealed Himself [John 1:14], the world was turned upside down! 

     When the preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ came running through the apostles, the disciples, and the believers and made impact to the peoples of all races, despite persecutions, oppositions, hardships and difficulties [Books of Acts], the world was turned upside down!

     When the Gospel reached you and you believed, accepted and acknowledged Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior and turned your back from the world and even people you are so closed to and face God’s marvelous light – what a life you now have that made your world turned upside down! – Romans 1:16, “I have complete confidence in the gospel; it is God’s power to save all who believe …” [TEV].

      Within you is the power that needs to be released like the fury of a volcano or a tornado or a wildfire or an earthquake!  An awesome display of this force is needed to make someone else’s world turned upside down – Acts 17:6, “These that have turned the world upside down are hither also” [KJV].  Your Christ-likeness is the power within you and its display will be an amazing sight that will fascinate and influence others.  Release it! 

     Glory to God and God bless us all! 

    O Heavenly Father, we are amazed by the wonder of Your love and power in Your Son Jesus Christ!  To be like Him is the chief end of our existence and of our call and choice.  Bless us with courage and boldness and compassionate hearts so we may release the power of Christ within us so people may believe!

In Christ Jesus.  Amen.

[Correction: MbM5.01.08: Should be: John 21:15-17 instead of John 20:15-17. TY]

Morning By Morning

May 1, 2008  The Word of God! (Christ Jesus Made Manifest!)            Christ Jesus Made Manifest:  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning … He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him … The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us” [John 1, 2, 10, 14]        The Bothering Questions:  “What about those who are good and yet did not hear about Jesus?”  What about other nations or people who believed in other gods?  Are they not saved?   If not!  Isn’t God unfair?”           The Great Facts About Salvation:  (1) God loves us all regardless of language, race, or nation or whatever we have done! [John 3:16]; (2)  Salvation is a gift, not something we can earn; it is by grace through faith, not good works [Ephesians 2:8];  (3)  Christ is the only way to salvation, thus, the Father sent Him on earth, so that by faith In Him, people may be saved [Acts 4:12]; and (4) Faith comes by preaching Christ [Romans 10:17] – people must hear and know Jesus Christ and have faith – just as Abraham heard and believed God and was greatly blessed! [Romans 4:1-5]          The Great Work of Salvation: Christ is the Answer!  -  By God’s grace, we are made part of the Great Commission [Matthew 28:18-20] that we have to do with all our love for Christ and the lost [1 John 3:16].   For by faith in Christ Jesus people will be saved.  Jesus Himself said, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen.  I must bring them also” – John 10:16.  Doing what He entrusted us proves our love for the Lord Jesus! - “Do you truly love me?” … “Feed my sheep!” [John 21:15-17].          God is just and fair and faithful!  He loves us all so much that He wants all people to be saved!  We have our part to do!  Make that love that is ablaze by the fire of God’s love work by sharing Jesus so that faith may come to the life of people!      Glory to God and God bless us all!            O Heavenly Father, bless us to be faithful and diligent in the task You entrusted us!  May we manifest Your Son Jesus in our words and deeds so people may believe and receive Him as their Lord and Savior!  May we share Jesus with love and compassion.      In Christ Jesus.  Amen. 

Morning By Morning

April 30, 2008

Christ to Us: “Do You Love Me?”

 (Loving Christ!)

     You are born spiritually to love truly!  Only by heeding to Christ’s Word we can have the kind of God’s love: “Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres”” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 [NIV].

     Christ commands us to love [John 13:34] and wants proof of your love for Him – 1 John 4:20, “ … For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen” [NIV].  The Lord Jesus Christ reminds us to put love not only in words but in action: Three times the Lord Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” and three times the Lord showed him how he would prove his love: “Feed my sheep.” [John 21:15-17].

     You are at the highest peak of your experience of God!  Let it remain! [John 15:4]  Be consistent! [1 John 3:16].  Be focused! [Hebrews 12:2] - as you: “Let love be your highest goal” – 1 Corinthians 14:1 [NLT].

     Prove your love for Christ by loving truly as we heed to His command of bringing people into His love!     

     Glory to God and God bless us all! 

    O Heavenly Father, we bless Your Holy Name!  For You are Love and You love us truly!  May we share the same love by loving others truly to prove how we have love You and grown in Your love day by day!

In Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Morning By Morning

April 29, 2008

Jesus Christ, My All!

 (Reckoning Life for Christ!)

     You have been set free by the truth! [John 8:32].  Like the Samaritan woman who received and welcomed the truth from the Lord Jesus with all her heart, the outpouring of the gift of the water of life [John 4:10-15] came upon her.  The Lord Jesus became her All!  She did not keep back the outflow of the living water to herself!  She blessed people by sharing the truth to others as well so Christ will be their “All!”

     As the Scripture says in Revelation 22:17, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’  And let him who hear says, ‘Come!’  Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life” [NIV].   The same responsibility is in our hands to tell people that salvation is at hand.  Let us invite them to the fold of our faith in Christ Jesus so they too may be released and be set free [Galatians 5:1].

     The one thing that we have to do is to make Christ, our All! - Philippians 3:7, 8, “But all those things that I might count as profit I now reckon as loss for Christ’s sake.  Not only those things; I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.  For His sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ …” [TEV].

      Let us focus on Jesus!  [Hebrews 12:2].

     Glory to God and God bless us all! 

    O Heavenly Father, You amaze us with Your truth!  May we live by the Truth that has set us free and give us the wisdom, the courage and boldness to share this Truth!  Thank You O Lord, for making Christ our All!

In Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Morning By Morning

April 28, 2008

Come!

 (Our Lifelong Commitment to Jesus!)

     “Come!”  Approach our God for He is loving, caring and compassionate!  Arise in faith!  Let us honor Him so He may be pleased! [Hebrews 11:6].  Get rid of things that rob us of our joy!  Come and see!  See the mighty hands of our God!  See your salvation and be joyful and sing ….  “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song” [Psalm 95:1, 2]. 

     Let us respond to His invitation!  The invitation requiring, “Re’pondez s’il vous plai” (RSVP), that is, “Please respond” - for you belong to Him.  No longer are you called from the outside.  You are now in Him; you are intimately united with Him!  Your lifelong commitment to Him as He reminds us: “Remain in Me, and I will remain in you” [John 15:4].

     Come!  Face the marvelous light of God and let His awesome power free you from all your burdens!  Heed! - “Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke and put in on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest.  For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light.” [TEV].  As a saying¹ says “The shadows will always be behind those who walk toward the light.”

     Come!  See the victory of the Lord!  Come, let us worship our God!  For He is the Rock of our Salvation;  He is Jesus Christ our Lord!  Psalm 95:6-8, “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care.  Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts … .”

     Glory to God and God bless us all! 

    O Heavenly Father, how we enjoy Your marvelous light shining upon us.  You refresh us O Lord with Your great love for us and by the revelations of Your Spirit.  How awesome are you, O Lord!

In Christ Jesus.  Amen.

[Quotation1: Taken from Word of Wisdom by James F. Oates, Jr. Note: All scriptures are taken from the New International Version of the Bible unless specified.]