The Golden Crumbs: Thought for Today

By Rizalito Etcobanez

The Holy Bible is a life-giving collection of sixty-six inspiring literary masterpieces. Hebrews 4:12 states that The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. The author has first encountered this life-changing word of God over 40 years ago; his life got drastically changed. This book is a collection of his personal thoughts and experiences compiled daily as he studied the Bible during his devotional time. Indeed, great blessings are experienced when the Bible is studied in its entirety. Yet, even a quick perusal can be spiritually beneficial, too. We may liken a Bible verse merely as a crumb from the whole loaf of Gods word. But they are golden, hence, the title The Golden Crumbs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 20, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543455878

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Copyright © 2017 by Rizalito Etcobanez.

ISBN:                        Softcover                        978-1-5434-5588-5

                                  eBook                             978-1-5434-5587-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 10/20/2017

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FOREWORD

T HE GOOD LORD bestowed some rather remarkable talents to the author of this book. And he faithfully uses these abilities with which he has been gifted for the glory of God’s name and for the extension of His kingdom upon e arth.

As one of the ordained elders of the Moreno Hills Church, a Fil-American Church in Southeastern California Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists, Mr. Rizalito R. Etcobanez, or simply Brother Rizo as he is fondly called by his many friends and colleagues, preaches every now and then to his local church. In cooperation with his fellow Sabbath School teachers, he teaches the Tagalog class whenever his turn comes, although he is a full-blooded Cebuano. When requested to give a special number, sometimes he sings one of his many musical compositions, accompanying himself with his trusty guitar, for he can really sing like a bird. (I, too, can sing like a bird—like a crow!) A health lecturer par excellence, he often illustrates his talks with a narration of his experiences in the US Navy where he served for 22 years. And he also formats and prints the weekly church bulletin of Moreno Hills SDA Church.

A devoted family man, Brother Rizo, together with this good wife Merlie, regularly visits their two married children, Meriza Love (married to Micah Strawn with three children, Una Faith, Linus James, and Shirley Susanna) and Rizlie Hope (married to Rochelle), to spend some prime time with their families.

The writer of this volume humbly calls these daily devotional readings as crumbs, but they taste more like whole meals—with an abregana (appetizer), main and side dishes, and complete with a dessert. Enjoy the sumptuous spiritual banquet which Brother Rizo gathered for us from God’s inspired Word. Bon apetit!

— Gil G. Fernandez, PhD

AN INTRODUCTION

But he answered and said, it is not meet to take the children’s bread and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. Matthew 15:26-17, KJV

F OR MORE THAN four decades in the Adventist faith, I was tremendously blessed and spiritually nourished in the banqueting tables of God’s Word feasting on sermons, written materials, audio, and video presentations prepared and presented by trained, experienced, and most of all inspired ministers, teachers, and evangelists. I praise God for these faithful servants who would simply and humbly give God all the glory and redirect all praises to Him when accolades come in recognition for their accomplishm ents.

Bible scholars were given the gifts of understanding and the ability to expound God’s words. With great literary skills, they scholarly pen down what was revealed to them. Their works would eventually become volumes of inspirational books enjoyed and feasted upon by many souls during the many subsequent years. I don’t think I have any literary gift. This is my first attempt to capture in writing and share my thoughts of the understanding God inspired me with from the verses I have had the opportunity to read daily. Unlike the gifted Bible scholars, I can only manage to gather up crumbs from the great banquet of God’s Word. With my meager ability, it is my prayer that those who may find time to read what I was inspired to write may be encouraged to do the same - to experience, capture, and share what God reveals to them. Yes, they may be just crumbs, but they are golden, nonetheless.

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Food crumbs accumulate by being broken and have fallen off from the main body of food and may end up outside the plate. Breadcrumbs were originally part of the whole bread with the same ingredients, texture, and nutritional content. When carefully gathered, they still provide the same nutrition as the original bread. Although sometimes they are intentionally made, crumbs are normally collected only to be discarded.

Each verse of the Holy Bible is an individual crumb that is very much part of the whole loaf of God’s Word. Although it primarily contributes to the whole context, the individual verses can provide spiritual nutrition independently on its own. Therefore, none of the spiritual crumbs should be ignored and discarded. The Canaanite woman pleaded for a few crumbs and was blessed by Jesus as a result (Matthew 15:21-28). Spiritual crumbs are as much spiritually nutritious and must be enjoyed with gusto as with the rest of the Bread of Life.

May you enjoy partaking of The Golden Crumbs of God’s Holy Word. May you experience the infilling, strengthening, and healing effects of their spiritual nutrients. May each crumb encourage you to hunger for more and make you crave for a spiritual feast of God’s Word.

Praise God for the crumbs of His Holy Word. He is truly an awesome God!

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Master Index

Month of January

A NEW THING

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"Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth;

shall ye not know it? I will even make a way

in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert."

Isaiah 43:19, KJV

Table Of Contents

A NEW THING

January 1

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Isaiah 43:19, KJV

H APPY NEW YEAR! It’s the first day of the year. From countries where the sun first rises and to where it finally sets, the world welcomes this day with great fanfare: elegant parades, spectacular fireworks, wild parties, fun games, and, it is declared as an official holiday with almost all businesses and offices closed - meaning time off from work.

Anything that is new always makes us excited. New house, new car, new clothes, etc. So it is with the new year. Many even get excited to make new year’s resolutions vowing to do better this year than the year before. Records, however, seemed to indicate that most new year’s resolutions sadly resulted in more failures than successes. Plans were made and will be aggressively pursued initially but only to quickly fade out. When a resolution dies out, it means that the person is not sincere enough to make the resolution in the first place. It may be that the desired change is not really that important to them. It could be that the benefit is important but the drive or the motivation is just not there.

Countless unsuccessful new year’s resolutions were made every new year. The most famous one is probably to lose weight. Few have done well, but far much more have failed. Another example is to read the entire Bible throughout the year, some may have succeeded but many never make it to the last page of completion. And so, they will wait again for another new year to come and probably make the same resolution again, but only to fail again, and again. And the cycle continues. We must admit it, we are good in making vows and promises but we are terrible in fulfilling them.

Only God can make promises and fulfill them to the fullest. He promised that He will make a new thing… even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert (Isaiah 43:19). Jesus Himself declared to His disciples that there is no impossibility in God’s vocabulary. As the Creator, there is no limit or boundary to God’s omnipotence, And Jesus looking upon them saith, with men, it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27). Man fails but God doesn’t. Only through God’s power that we can truly be successful.

God’s track record is beyond perfect. His promises recorded in the Bible were fulfilled exactly as predicted in the most perfect and timely manner. We can completely trust that His future promises will come true based on His perfect record of fulfillment in the past even up to this present moment.

So, what’s your new year’s resolution? Sorry to disappoint you, but you will miserably fail, if you do it without God. Unless you partner with Jesus Christ, the Savior, you are only setting yourself up for a disappointing failure.

God’s greatest promise that is yet to be fulfilled, is His promise that He would come back and take His children to heaven, yes, to our heavenly home (John 14:1-3). What can be far greater than that promise being fulfilled in this new year? Do you think His children are ready to go home though? Are you? Am I?

PRAYER: Dear God. Thank you for the new year, but please, come soon, maybe this year, Lord?

THE KEY INGREDIENT

January 2

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:2, KJV

F OR EVERY MENU among countless food preparations, whether in homes or commercial kitchens, there is almost always one key ingredient that makes it unique. That menu is made up of many ingredients and yet without the key ingredient, it cannot be labeled and called with a specific name that people will remember and recog nize.

So also in our spiritual lives. Our loving God endowed each of us with talents, some more than others, and with the abilities to function in many aspects of life. As what our verse today indicated, we may be able to preach, we may be able to expound and explain the Bible well, we may have all the knowledge, we may have the strongest faith, and yet, this concentration of talents is nothing without the key ingredient with four letter words: L-O-V-E.

To be labeled as Christians, we must learn to love as Jesus Christ loves. We may be faithful in our church attendance, faithful in returning our tithes and generous in our offerings, we may be active in participating in many church projects and activities, we may be involved in outreach ministries and mission work, but if we don’t have love in our hearts, they will all amount to nothing before the God of the universe.

While all the activities mentioned above are important and necessary ingredients for healthy Christian living, it is an incomplete menu for an optimal spiritual life worthy of heaven’s standard. Apostle Paul affirmed the above proposition with these words: And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2).

Even a philanthropic or an altruistic deed cannot impress God if it is not motivated by love. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing (v. 3). One who may have had much of this world’s wisdom, together with a theoretical understanding of the relationship that should exist between man and God, and yet had no experimental knowledge of love, would still be lost (SDA Bible Commentary on 1 Corinthians 13:2).

Certain foods may emit some captivating aroma that tickles the palate. Foods may excite the taste buds and make the person salivate, but without the key ingredient, it is incomplete and may disappoint our taste buds. It is the indwelling of love in our hearts that complete the spiritual menu as demonstrated by the Son God when He willingly died on the cross of Calvary. There is no greater ingredient in our Christian living more essential than love. It is genuine love that wins the attention of a loving God and pleases our Father above. When an unfailing love permeates the heart, an aura of care and compassion become evident thereby making any faithful Christian unique and peculiar.

There is only one key ingredient that will lead many souls to the foot of the cross. Let us, therefore, strive to season our lives with this key ingredient labelled as LOVE.

PRAYER: Dear God. Please season and marinate my heart with the key ingredient of Your love.

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INEQUALITY

January 3

But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly.

Matthew 6:3-4, KJV

W HEN IT COMES to wealth distribution, extreme inequalities exist and common everywhere. It is estimated that as few as 1% of the world’s population are considered rich while the other 99% are unfortunately classified as poor. The gap between these two extremes of social status are ever widening. The rich is getting richer while the poor are getting even po orer.

With wealth comes power. It is not uncommon for the rich to oppress and abuse the poor. The 99% are usually at the mercy of the 1%. Realistically, if the wealth hoarded by the rich are generously shared equally, none will be considered poor.

God is never short on blessings. He has an abundant and inexhaustible resources. He made them available to all and there are more than enough for everyone. Sadly, the rich greedily gathered exceedingly more than what they need thereby depriving the poor of the blessings the would have otherwise gathered themselves. In many instances, those that ‘haves’ extravagantly and wastefully spent their wealth at the expense of the ‘have-nots.’

The Bible gave us this advice, When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow (Deuteronomy 24:21). There are always people that got caught in some unfortunate circumstances beyond their control. Whatever material blessings God entrusted us, we must be generous and make the effort to share them to those who doesn’t have as much as we have.

There is nothing wrong with being wealthy. God gave some people the skills to create wealth so they can share and generously distribute them to the poor and needy. Unfortunately, those with skills in wealth creation tend to greedily hoard their wealth with only very few who may be willing to share their fortunes through charitable contributions. Sadly, most of the charitable gestures of the rich are well publicized for all the world to know and most often done with ulterior motives—tax shelters. Although not all, the rich will only share their wealth if there is a profit to be gained. For instance, charitable giving can be used as tax exemptions.

Wealth inequalities and publicized giving are mostly motivated by greed and pride. These hypocritical acts displeased God and they are contrary to His will. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret Himself shall reward thee openly (Matthew 6:3-4).

Most of us may not be wealthy, but there are always those that are much less fortunate and has greater needs than us. There are always people that are hungry, thirsty, sick, in prison and strangers. Christ said, … Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:34-40). Let us seize every opportunity to help the needy. We must show them the love of Christ so we may eventually lead them to the foot of the cross.

PRAYER: Dear God. Let me see the needy through the loving and compassionate eyes of Jesus.

GOD FIRST

January 4

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

Matthew 22:37-38, KJV

G OD WANTS OUR full commitment. If we can’t give it all, then it is not enough. It is all or nothing. There is absolutely no one else who can claim the throne of God, God is the only God. He must be first and above everything else in our individual lives. God must be recognized as greater than the greatest and higher than the highest. He alone must be exalted, and He alone must be seated majestically on the throne of our hearts. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment (Matthew 22:37-38). Everything we have and all we do and say, they must be all for the glory of God, nothing less.

We are all capable of loving. God embedded this noblest virtue in each of us. Sin, however, suppresses our ability to express love. Sin is like dross that contaminates the purity of silver by taking away the luster and prevent it to sparkle. Because of our sinful nature, our love is oftentimes misguided and misdirected causing us so much pain and miseries. Unless the dross is purged, silver will remain impure thereby lessening its beauty and value. Similarly, unless sin is purged from our lives, our ability to love will be less than ideal.

To purge the dross, silver must go through extreme heat. Any impurities are only dissolved by fire. When heated, the unwanted dross will float to the surface and separate itself from the precious metal. "Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer" (Proverbs 25:4). So, it is also with our spiritual lives, the fire of trials and temptations will separate the dross of sins that contaminated the righteousness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that He has imputed upon all His faithful children.

To love and fear God is the whole duty of humanity (Ecclesiastes 12:13, John 14:15). Unless this duty is fulfilled all other undertakings and endeavors will surely fail. This is becoming more and more evident in our world today. Hatred has dominated because most of the people rejected God. To love Him, the infinite, the omniscient one, with the whole strength and mind and heart, means the highest development of every power. It means that in the whole being—the body, the mind, as well as the soul—the image of God is to be restored (Reflecting Christ, p. 52).

If only we can seriously take heed to the words of Jesus - to love God first with all our hearts, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). If only we can sincerely pour out all our efforts to love the One who loves us first—God and God alone. It is then, and only then, that we can claim that we are truly a loving family of believers and can completely discern what true love really is. If we truly love God, we can genuinely feel His love beating in our hearts and will enable us to love others, even the least lovable of all.

To put God first now is to claim the promise of eternal life with Him for eternity. Any other arrangements will only result in an eternal end. Let’s take a fresh start with God today and every day. At all times, let Him be our priority and everything else as secondary.

PRAYER: Dear God. Help me to never allow anything to come in between You and me.

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CHRISTIAN CHARADE

January 5

Wherefore the Lord said, forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

Isaiah 29:13, KJV

I T IS EASY to claim who we are. But many are less than honest about themselves and pretend to be someone other than their real selves. It is, therefore, difficult to ascertain the veracity of the person’s identity. There is probably no way of knowing who the person truly is. And, it is not humanly possible to know, with absolute certainty, what is in a person’s heart or what is in person’s mind.

There are times, if not often, in which people would wear different faces, one in public and a different one in private. We can only know the person by what they would tell us and by how much they are willing to reveal about themselves. Their deeds may tell a different story from what they said about who they claimed to be. A person’s credibility is compromised if the action being shown does not correlate with the words being said. As we are all aware, action is more believable than words. Hence, the saying action speaks louder than words.

There is only one who can perfectly discern what is really in the person’s heart or in the person’s mind with absolute transparency. No matter what we say and do, God knows exactly who we really are. Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD (Jeremiah 23:24). Even before we say anything or do anything, God knows our intentions and our motivations, For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether (Psalm 139:4)

Despite having knowledge about God’s omniscience, many would still attempt to be somebody else other than their true identity. And it is disturbing that this charade may not be uncommon among professed Christians. Wherefore the Lord said, forasmuch as this people draw near Me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour Me, but have removed their heart far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the precept of men: (Isaiah 29:13). Indeed, there are many who honor God with their mouths but not with their hearts.

It is sad that some would practice Christianity as if they can conceal their true self and identity from God. Many would piously don the facade of Christianity when they are in the company of fellow believers, but would grossly misrepresent God when they mingle with the crowd of unbelievers. We all know that no one, I mean, no one can ever hide from God. "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there…." (Psalms 139:7-8, read up to verse 12). God can see us and can hear us all the time.

Dishonest believers are misrepresenting God, they are rather agents of the enemy of God or subtle representatives of the devil. Those who think they can safely play a Christian charade is only fooling themselves. Unfaithful Christians may fool the world or even their fellow believers, but most certainly, they cannot fool God.

PRAYER: Dear God. Please remind me, I cannot hide from you. Help me to be sincere and true.

HE IS NOT HERE

January 6

And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Matthew 28:5-6, KJV

G OD IS OMNIPRESENT. He is everywhere. However, there are places where He chooses to withdraw His presence. Wherever sin propagates, God would unwillingly abandon the place. He can be there if He wants to, but sin is so abhorrent and offensive to a perfect God. Where sin lingers, God maintains His distance until one remorseful sinner would humbly summon a rescue and desires to be plucked out from the quagmire of sins he or she has fallen into.

One place that can be void of God’s presence is the tomb. The very place where lifeless bodies are laid to their final rest is the ultimate symbol of sin, for the wages of sin is death… (Romans 6:23). Therefore, as the author of life, God would rather not be where the dead lay until the very day He would call everyone out of their graves (John 5:28). The Son of God may have momentarily succumbed to death to pay for the penalty of the sins of the world, but He rose on the third day and left the tomb empty. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Our Savior conquered death so we may have eternal life. The grip of death cannot keep its hold on the author of life.

God is the source of life. Where God is, life flourishes. There are many places in this world that are experiencing spiritual death because God’s presence is not there. Regardless how dry and desolate the desert may be, when the rain kisses the ground and drenched the otherwise parched and dry land, life would spring out. So, there is hope for everyone. There will be a revival, rejuvenation, and transformation when the heart is graced by the life-giving presence of God. Jesus said, I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life… (John 14:6).

The absence of God creates a vacuum of holiness where the devil rush to fill in. Vast numbers of unfortunate souls are trapped in this God-forsaken sinful places. People immersed themselves with all the hideous sins that Satan lured them into. Their sinful paths will surely lead them farther and farther away from God and will only take them towards the road of unnecessary perdition.

Few people realized their dire sinful situation. They can sense that there is something missing, and there is a void in their empty lives. Unfortunately, many looked for answers in the wrong places. Sin is not compatible and, therefore, cannot coexist with God’s holiness. For God to be present, sin must be absent.

God comes into the heart by personal invitation only. He can if He wants to, but God never forces Himself into a heart where He is not invited or where He is not welcome. Let us, therefore, sincerely search our hearts today. If sin is present, Jesus may not be there. What a dreadful thought it would be when God’s angels peek into our hearts and declare with terror, grief, and sadness, He (Jesus) is not here.

PRAYER: Dear God. Help me let go of my sins. Cleanse my heart, Lord, so You may dwell in me.

LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE

January 7

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16, KJV

L IGHT AND DARKNESS cannot coexist. When light is present, darkness simply dissipates. There is only an element of light, darkness is simply the absence of it. In scientific term, light is an electromagnetic wave spectrum that carries energy in tiny packets of electromagnetic radiation called photons. Objects become visible only when the light is reflected or refracted on it. Without these photons, nothing is visible, hence the term dark ness.

Light symbolizes righteousness, while darkness symbolizes sin. They cannot coexist. Sin is simply the absence of righteousness. God is righteousness, He is the light of truth (John 8:12). Satan represents unrighteousness, he is the father of lies (John 8:44), he operates only in the dark (Ephesians 6:12). Where God is, there is only righteousness and truth. Satan does not linger around wherever the presence of God is evident.

The light of truth was diminished after the fall of our first parents. The devil took advantage of the situation and blanketed this world with the darkness of his unrighteousness. For over six thousand years, humanity was groping in the darkness of sin wandering aimlessly.

God, in His great mercy and love, provided hope to this otherwise hopeless world. He sent His Son two thousand years ago to be the light of this dying world. Those who receive the Son of God will receive an illumination on their darkened paths, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path (Psalms 119:105). Jesus is synonymous with righteousness. He is the Word, He is God (John 1:1), He is life and He is light (v. 4).

Until the promised return of our Savior, God’s children must navigate through this hostile world with what little light of truth and righteousness they received from God. While waiting for the second advent, the light must be shared so that others may also have the hope of salvation and the opportunity to receive the promised eternal life.

God’s word gave us this advice, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). Jesus is the source of light, we must reflect that light in our lives. Our lights will not only brighten our paths but also the paths of those who are in our immediate vicinity. If we sincerely and faithfully reflect the character of our Savior in our daily interaction with people, they cannot help but glorify God and many of them will be lead to the foot of the cross towards their own salvation.

This sinful world unknowingly benefited the light emitted by the children of God. The mere presence of one Christian in a community can put the curse of sin at bay and will give that community a chance to be led towards the greater light of the Sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2). God is willing to save Sodom and Gomorrah with just ten righteous souls in the city (Genesis 18:22-33). So also, God is willing to give any community a chance of salvation by the presence of only a few of His children.

Let us keep our lights shining brightly that it may illuminate our paths and of others until Christ’s promised return.

PRAYER: Dear God. Help me to reflect Your light that I may be a shining example to others.

CHILDREN OF LIGHT

January 8

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Matthew 5:14, KJV

T HE TORCHES OF truth that God handed and entrusted to us as His children must shine brightly in its uninhibited brilliance. God’s children must boldly hoist the light of the Holy Scriptures way up high so that it may provide the life-giving spiritual guidance, not for ours only, but for those of others as well. As professed children of the Heavenly King, we are given the responsibility to share the luminescence and the brightness emitted by the truth of the gospel to those within the sphere of our influ ence.

The Son of God commissioned us to illuminate this world lost in sin with the light of the righteousness of Christ as reflected in our characters. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said, Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid (Matthew 5:14). The light we received, no matter how little, will provide illumination on a darkened path. It will attract the attention, and maybe even greatly appreciated by those who were fumbling and stumbling in the darkness of sin. There are many lost souls that need to be guided back to the source of light that they may also receive their own light and be able to navigate themselves safely as they continue their journey in this dark, treacherous, and hostile world.

Apostle John penned down these words of our Savior thus, Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12). Jesus assured His disciples by saying further, As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:5). Jesus is the true light. His children are merely reflecting His light. Unless we maintain the unmarred luster of our characters through the help of the Holy Spirit, we cannot reflect the light of the Sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2) in its purity.

We must never let our lights to diminish its intensity and should never allow them to die. If ever our lights die out, not only are we endangering ourselves but also those that rely on the illumination provided by our lights along the paths of life. We must always keep our guards up, remain sober and vigilant because the devil and his evil angels are intent to snuff our lights out, Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8).

The devil lurks and operates in the dark. The brightness of truth shining in our lives will disclose Satan’s cunning plots and will foil his deceptions. The devil is determined to mar our characters. He wants us to deaden our first love (Revelation 2:4) and dim our enthusiasm so we may deprive ourselves of the ability to reflect the true light of Christ.

Friends, let us encourage one another to boldly guard our lights and keep them shining brightly for the world to see. Soon and very soon, the true light Himself, our Savior Jesus Christ, will come back and forever banish the darkness away so that His children may forever live in the light of truth and receive the promise of everlasting life.

PRAYER: Dear God. Help me guard my light and let me raise it up high for all the world to see.

THE TRUE ENEMY

January 9

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Ephesians 6:12, KJV

T HERE IS SO much evil, injustice, and hatred in this world. Human beings fought against fellow human beings. Lives were prematurely curtailed due to intolerance and prejudices based on ethnicity, religion, cultures, values, and other differing issues. Many are oblivious and unaware of the fact that the chaos in the physical and moral world is the result of the great controversy that started in the spiritual realm. Apostle Paul wrote, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). The sufferings here on earth are collateral damage from the war that started in heaven (Revelation 12:7). The so-called great controversy was between God, the Creator, and Satan, a creation. Human beings are caught in the crossfire. We have no choice but to pick sides on whose camp to be long.

If we can see the face of the person we considered an enemy, then we got it all wrong. The true enemy is invisible to the human eye. When one of His apostles made a mistake, Jesus rebuked Satan instead of Peter (Matthew 16:23). Any perceived human enemy is also a fellow victim of Satan’s deceptions. It is not us against each other, it should be the world against Satan and his angels. The only option to achieve victory is to side with God, the winning side.

Satan lures people deep into his territory of sinful pleasures and selfish desires. He propagates the seeds of egocentric motives and greedy intentions in each unsuspecting heart. He instigates troublous and disturbing situations that spark the violent nature of humanity. To Satan’s amusement and delight, he provokes people to dislike themselves and hate others. He then stirs them to have quarrels amongst each other hoping that it could turn into violent fights. He would then proudly claim a minuscule victory against God if people kill each other.

The devil is only bent towards the destruction of humanity. Since his fall, this angelic creature who once held the highest position among the heavenly hosts, now considered his Creator as his sworn enemy. Satan cannot stand up against the Almighty God. To hurt the loving Creator, the devil picked on His children. When we are hurting, God is hurting.

Oh, if only people would realize that the true enemy is the devil. Instead of fighting each other, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, families, and friends, should team up against the real enemy. When neighbors are at odds with each other, when communities, cities, states, provinces, and countries are at war with one another, they are fighting the wrong enemies. It is not people against people, it should be people versus the devil.

Jesus came the first time two thousand years ago to rally His people together to fight the true enemy. It may appear that God’s people are losing the battle, but victory is guaranteed to favor on the side of the Almighty God.

Our Savior is coming back the second time to execute the final blow and render Satan his ultimate defeat, and that would be very soon. While waiting for that dreadful day, we should assess ourselves daily whose side we belong. There is only one winning side, God’s side. All other choices, including not making any, will automatically place us on the wrong side.

PRAYER: Dear God. Help my faith to never waiver, let me stand firmly on Your side.

TIME TO GIVE

January 10

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Luke 6:38, KJV

G IVING IS A generous gesture. It is when we willingly share something that we own to others. The recipients are usually those who may have less, those who may have lacked something, those who have nothing to sustain themselves with, or unable to meet even their most basic needs. We usually give something out of what we have in abundance and what we have been blessed with. But the best act of giving is when we don’t have much and yet we are still willing to bless others with whatever meager resource we may have on hand.

Giving gifts has become a tradition in many special occasions and other milestones achieved in one’s life. Exchanging gifts are normally done in extravagance during the holiday season. Gift-giving during this occasion is not prompted by need but by want. When giving is not motivated by need, it is rather appreciated less. There is no greater joy than to willingly and lovingly give to someone who is dire need and cannot return the favor.

God promised abundant blessings when we give. Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again (Luke 6:38). True giving is expecting nothing in return. Genuine giving yields genuine blessings.

Giving primarily involves material things such as money, food, clothing, electronic gadgets, household items, etc. However, the personal time we can afford to give maybe more valuable than material things we are able to give. Time is the only commodity that we all have an equal share. Nobody has more time than the other. We each have 60 seconds in one minute, 60 minutes in one hour, 24 hours in one day, 7 days in one week, 30 days in one month and 12 months in one year. Time is the only thing that is equally distributed to all.

If we give or set aside our time for others, we are sharing something we lose to spend for ourselves. Time is something we cannot hold on to, every second that ticks is gone forever. We could never retrieve it back. We cannot accumulate time. It is spent as soon as we have it. Based on our ability, we can earn money and even accumulate more money. But not with time. While we can invest time, the interest or gain comes in different form.

Yes, it is a noble and an honorable gesture to give material things. But it is even more virtuous to give our time to others. Above everything else, we should give time to God first and foremost. Let us set aside time each day to spend precious moments with our Savior. We must especially remember that He wants to spend time with us every Sabbath, Saturday, the seventh-day of the week.

We must give time to our own families and to our friends. But, the greatest investment of our time is when we spend it by reaching out to those who may have been lost in their sins and lovingly lead them back to the foot of the cross.

PRAYER: Dear God. Help me to be generous and be wise with what you entrusted me with.

PECULIARLY WEIRD

January 11

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:2

T HE CHILDREN OF God became strangers in this cruel, hostile, and wicked world. This was originally intended to be the eternal home of humans, but sin severely contaminated this once unblemished and perfect world. Until the fullness of time comes, when the devil, his angels, all condemned sinners, and ultimately sin itself will be finally and completely effaced from God’s perfect universe, God’s children will continue to be treated unfairly and regarded as a bit of an oddity in their own w orld.

Eagerly waiting for that great day of redemption, God’s children must maintain their identity and be distinctly identifiable from among those that mistakenly thought that this world will remain in its present awful and sinful condition forever. To remind God’s people of their identity, Apostle Paul wrote, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Romans 12:2). Paul admonished all professed Christians not to conform to this world but rather be a peculiar people, hence, a transformation is warranted and necessary.

Paul declared, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23). Therefore, we all need transformation. To be transformed, we must have the desire first and then fully commit our lives totally to God. Even if all our energy is expended towards it, we could never transform ourselves on our own. Only the atoning blood of Jesus Christ has the potency and power to change even a calloused sinner. To be the recipient of the transforming power of our Savior, we must totally surrender our lives to God’s perfect will.

Total transformation can only be achieved through three stages: justification, sanctification, and finally glorification. Justification occurred when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and was baptized. Sanctification is achieved daily by living a life of obedience to God’s perfect will. Glorification is the last and final stage of our transformation which will transpire when Jesus comes the second time. On that day, God will replace our mortal bodies with immortal and glorified bodies. He will then usher us to a millennium of heavenly bliss in His eternal kingdom.

When we feel comfortable, when we act and talk like the rest of the world, and when we do everything else what the world is doing without feeling guilty about it, then we have sadly conformed to this world. When we lost the urgency of time and the excitement of the second advent, then we have dangerously merged and woven ourselves into the fabric of this lost and terribly sinful world.

It is only when we feel uncomfortable. It is when we feel alienated. It is when the world treats us like strangers. It is when the world considers us as peculiar, odd, weird and different. It is only then that we can confidently claim and identify ourselves as citizens of heaven, ready for translation, and excited to be finally home again after this world has undergone a total restoration back to its Edenic perfection.

PRAYER: Dear God. Help me to remain steadfast in my conviction, even if I’m different.

ANTIDOTE TO DISORDER

January 12

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Romans 13:10, KJV

T HERE ARE LAWS for everything. There are physical and natural laws that set all elements in the known universe in perfect order and harmony. The sun and its planets and moons, the stars and all other heavenly bodies flawlessly follow their set paths. Except with few errant asteroids that occasionally collide other objects in space, the universe perfectly follows the laws that regulate their exist ence.

This earth requires several sets of laws to govern its complicated life forms. All living things, animate and inanimate, follow the laws that preserve them in their natural habitat. The plant and animal kingdoms instinctively live their lives according to these unwritten yet essential natural laws that maintain balance and symbiotic relations among living things.

Where and when there are gatherings of people, laws are necessary to maintain order. Within businesses, communities, cities, and countries, laws are created and implemented to let the individual members know the extent and limits of their rights and privileges. There are even unwritten laws within the family circles. Laws establish boundaries to protect individual rights and outline the repercussions when someone violates the rights of others.

Laws, written and unwritten, are obeyed primarily because it is mandated by those that were put in charged to implement them. While most members of the community obeyed and appreciated their benefits, many grudgingly complied and oftentimes disregarded the mandates of the law, thereby endangering the safety of others.

Laws are meant to protect the citizens and members of the community. When honestly obeyed, the laws of the land can provide and maintain the much-needed peace and order and will ensure that all may live in perfect harmony. Realistically speaking, though, many will attempt to circumvent the law as much as possible, especially when no one is looking or when the authorities are not around. There is only one possible way to perfectly obey any type of laws. The Bible said, Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:10). It is very simple, according to this verse, love is the fulfilling of the law. Thus, when love is present in every single heart, there is no law too difficult to follow. Love is not an excuse to ignore the law, rather, it is the very virtue that inspires us to obey the law.

While we may always use the Bible, like the above verse in particular, and some other similar verses in the religious domain, its application is probably the only effective or the only perfect solution to any social, political, and moral chaos that this world is constantly experiencing. When love permeates the hearts, laws are lovingly obeyed.

When laws are disobeyed, when laws are ignored or intentionally violated, chaos and disorder naturally ensue. Without a doubt, there is no better antidote to disorder and chaos than love. Jesus Himself said, If you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15). When love is present, people become obedient and compliant to any established laws. Love and law are words that are perfectly synonymous with the nature of the One who created and governed the universe - THE ALMIGHTY GOD!

PRAYER: Dear God. Help me learn to love like Jesus so I can fulfill and fully obey your laws.

SEEK GOD

January 13

And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13, KJV

I F WE FELT separated from God and it seems as if He is so far away from us, it is because we wandered away from Him. It is our sins that created a chasm and caused the separation between God and His people. Sin removes us from the presence of our Loving God. Thankfully, God will patiently remain exactly where we left Him and position Himself where we can easily find our way back to Him. God never changes, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). God is omnipresent, there is really no place on earth and the entire universe where God’s presence cannot be found. So, at any time we part ways from our sinful lives, we will realize that God never left us, but rather was always there by our side in all those times we thought He abandone d us.

In our careless wanderings, we can lose God’s presence in our lives. When our minds are preoccupied with worldly cares, the veils of sin will cause us to lose sight of our Loving Creator and Savior. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world (Jeremiah 29:13). We are standing right in the middle between the world and God. They are in the exact opposite direction. To look at one end is to lose the other. When our attention is drawn towards the world, we think less of God. When we constantly face towards the world, we will lose sight of God. Satan may only need a moment of our time to lure us away from our Savior.

Satan deceives us into thinking that God will simply abandon us because of our sins. The devil wants us to believe that we are so lost where, in fact, God is only a prayer away. The absolute truth is that God is always close by watching with great concern, tender care, and compassion. Just as the sun is constantly shining beyond the clouds even on stormy days, God’s presence is just behind the clouds of our darkest trials and we can be sure to always find Him no matter how lost we may seem to feel. We must simply remove the veil of evil and eliminate the barriers of sin that separated us from Him. Then we will find out that God is always there close to us, and with open arms, He is always ready and willing to receive us back.

God said, And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13). God is never lost that we need to find Him. We are the ones who wandered away from God’s presence and got lost in the maze of sinful pleasures and need to find our way back to the One who is always forgiving and understanding.

So, if we find ourselves lost in sin, all we must do is look where we last saw God, He will always be there where we left Him. He was there all the time lovingly and longingly waiting for us to come back to the safety of His waiting arms of protection. He is constantly on the lookout for our change of heart and will receive us with His warm embrace of forgiveness and acceptance. Like a loving father who eagerly waits for his lost prodigal son (or daughter) to come home (Luke 15:11-24), God will gladly welcome us back and hold a feast of celebration for our return.

PRAYER: Dear God. Help me not to go astray that I may not be separated from Your presence.

NO SHORTCUT

January 14

And when He had called the people unto Him with His disciples also, He said unto them, whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

Mark 8:34-35, KJV

I F WE COULD, and as much as we can get away with, we would rather receive the reward with the least amount of effort possible, but reluctant to spend too much energy to earn it. Many would rather get paid without working, eat foods without planting and harvesting, drink water without pitching, and to reach their desired destinations without the challenge of traveling. In other words, people love to take short cuts.

We are living in an instant generation. We can get almost anything in an instant with just a touch of a button. We have instant foods, we can get instant credits, we have instant communications via Facebook, Facetime, Skype, Google Hangout, etc., etc. We now have the means to get what we want without putting much effort into it. Because of ease and comfort modern technology have spoiled us with, we now get easily impatient when things drag longer than we expected. When we want something, we want it now, never a moment later.

Many even took their obsessions to acquiring things without earning them through proper means by violating the eighth commandment, Thou shalt not steal (Exodus 20:15). When an opportunity presents, many unethically and illegally take something that doesn’t belong to them. Thieves spent their twisted minds planning mischievous plots to intentionally commit a crime. Without regards to human lives, criminals won’t let anything get in their way as long as they get what they want. The victims are usually those who have worked hard to earn a living to acquire household properties and material belongings.

In our sinful and fallen human nature, the focus and inclination are to selfishly place the personal wants and desires first above all else. Before committing to doing anything, the question is always asked, what’s is in it for me? Unless there is personal gain, many are hesitant to spend their personal time and efforts. Sin have short-circuited the moral wirings of humanity making people to effortlessly default towards selfishness, greed, self-promotion, and self-preservation.

The Christian principle of self-denial is incompatible with the worldly principle of self-exaltation. Christ Himself said, "…Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it" (Mark 8:34-35). While the world promoted selfishness, Christ promoted selflessness.

To deny self is a prerequisite to follow our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In addition, there is a cross each must bear. When willingness faithfully beats in the heart to fully follow Christ, then we can call ourselves true Christians. Are we willing to make this commitment?

The reward of following Christ is eternal life. There is no greater reward than this. However, we should remind ourselves that there is no shortcut towards receiving it.

PRAYER: Dear God. Help me to deny myself and be willing to follow the footsteps of Jesus.

CHRISTIAN HYPOCRITES

January 15

If a man says, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

1 John 4:20, KJV

W E CAN’T BE any more convincing if what we do accurately depicts what we said. As I have heard and shared many times before, actions speak louder than words. People believe more in what they see in us than what they hear from us. The most effective sermon is visible, not necessarily audible. We would rather put more focus on doing good deeds and should refrain from inflating our egos with flattering words about ourselves. If our actions do not match with our words, we should probably hesitate to declare, and should even be embarrassed to call ourselves Christ ians.

The Bible said, If a man says, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? (1 John 4:20). If what we show is different than what we say, then we are what the Bible labeled as hypocrites and, or liars. God wanted us to demonstrate our love to Him by loving the person next to us and everybody else whom He allows us to encounter in our daily affairs.

Before the throne of God’s glory, Jesus, our Redeemer,