Page 6 of 365: That Place Called "There"

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If God asks you to go to a place like this, will you go? Elijah actually did, and
he, believe it or not, received unlimited blessings here.

As we embark on the journey called "2013", we may ask, "Where am I going from here? How can I receive the things I needed?" They're the same questions the prophet Elijah asked to the Lord when Israel was under a famine. The Lord's answer: Go there... to the east! At that time, the eastern part of Israel was not a healthy place to live.

You may now have an idea about the sixth installment of my TLIMC Project 365. Sometimes, "There" can be a place that you ought NOT to go. But remember: the Lord's way is not our way, and His way is more effective than ours. Even if Elijah knew the Kerith Ravine was not a good place to go, he went on, because he knew the Lord will meet him at his faith there. Guess what. The blessings were there! The water in the brook, which can only flow through rain, was flowing as if it was raining everyday. The food even came from the unlikeliest of deliverers, ravens.

The Lord moves in surprising ways. You never know what lies ahead in that place called "There", but rest assured that He will lead the way. How? Continue doing what God commands you to do in There. As Paul wrote the Galatians (6:9b), "...at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." If you want to go There-bound or if you're already in There and you ask, "Where's the provision?" Just stay humble before the Lord and fear Him, because they "bring wealth, honor, and life (Proverbs 22:4, NIV 1984)." Also, let the Holy Spirit fill you and continue to live by the Holy Spirit.

Read: 1 Kings 17:1-6, Galatians 5:16-26, Galatians 6:1-10, Proverbs 22:1-16, John 7:37-39, Ephesians 5:17-21

On Being Creative

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This is my first non-365 Project post here on TLIMC this year, but this will tackle more on being creative. I'm standing firm on what the Lord says through the apostle Paul in his epistle to the church in Rome: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. (12:2)" The Lord urges us to be creative in such a way that we will glorify God. If you think the most common way to accomplish a task will veer you away from God's plans, ask God for another way. As long as God is pleased with what you're doing as you let Him lead the way, do it! 

Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)-"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

Page 5 of 365: Moral Compass by Tom Felten

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Get God’s “Garmin” to find your way through the wilderness. Get in-
to His Word to find true moral direction. -Tom Felten

If you’re a hiker who depends on a trusted compass to find your way through the wilderness, it might be time to invest in a GPS device. Why? The earth’s magnetic field is changing. According to scientists, the magnetic poles are “sliding towards Siberia at 34 miles per year at a speed that has accelerated 36 percent over the past 10 years.” A compass, which relies on magnetic north, can no longer be trusted. The good news is that fluctuations in the magnetic field have occurred throughout history. Just get that Garmin and you’ll be fine!

It’s obvious that there has been some serious “sliding” in the way people view morality. We could definitely use a moral compass fixed on a true north. That’s what the writer of Hebrews presented to his readers in chapter 5. These fluctuating believers, likely from house churches in Rome, were “spiritually dull” and needed to be taught once again “the basic things about God’s Word” (Hebrews 5:11-12). The writer wanted them to step up their intake of “solid” Scripture so that they could “recognize the difference between right and wrong” (Hebrews 5:14).

God’s Word provides the unchanging instruction we need. It’s our moral compass to navigate life in a way that glorifies Him. Take a few moments and read through some of the Bible’s clear directions:

• Exodus 20:1-17: God’s great commands to obey.

• Mark 7:20-23: Jesus’ partial list of immoral things to avoid.

• Ephesians 4:17–5:21: Paul’s contrasting of morally right and wrong behaviors.

If we don’t take the time to feed on and consciously apply God’s truth to our lives, we’ll remain spiritually dull. The fixed point of our compass will simply move with the masses. Get God’s “Garmin” to find your way through the wilderness. Get into His Word to find true moral direction.

Also read: Hebrews 5:11-14 and 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Think About This: Why do some people feel they don’t need a moral compass? What’s one area in your life that needs the application of God’s moral instruction today?

Source: Our Daily Journey

Page 4 of 365: #AmASinner

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Like how the Lord did not allow the Tower of Babel to be completed, He does
not want us to assert our own will over His.

I have been a Christian for more than a decade now, but the devotional I read today in Our Daily Journey rebuked me a lot. God reminded me that there are times in which I disobey Him, especially when I ignored His plans and go on my own. Every time I think I made something wrong, the barrenness comes. It's as if God is way too far from me. But just like how God spared Noah and his family from the Great Flood, He loves me so much that He never cursed me for my wrongdoings. He even made the way Himself to cleanse the evil inclinations in my heart when He Himself came down to earth to take the form of a human to be crucified. In fact, God is just awaiting for us to repent from our sins. Once we humble ourselves to the Lord, He will take over from there.

My challenge is that I will ask the same question Winn Collier asked me, "In what areas of your life are you tempted to be disobedient to God? How do you see barrenness resulting from your disobedience?"

Page 3 of 365: Face-to-face by Regina Franklin

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Today, I share to you a different view about prayer. Regina Franklin, a contributor for Our Daily Journey, thinks that prayer should not be relegated to a text message and should be used to help build a face-to-face relationship with God. I quote...

"Throughout the day, my husband and I text each other. Some texts consist of requests for information or reminders of a to-do list. Oftentimes, though, a brief message conveying our love does wonders to boost our sense of closeness in an otherwise busy day. A quick text, however, can only accentuate what has already been formed in the larger context of the time and energy invested in our relationship. To expect our marriage to live on texts alone would not only be foolish, but would also speak volumes about the value we place on intimacy.

Prayer is our means of communication with Jesus— the One who loved us enough to selflessly bear our punishment on the cross. If perceived as a requirement, something outside the context of love, prayer can easily become a series of words rooted in works. Just as a marriage will falter when communication becomes obligatory, so too our relationship with Jesus can become awkward and stilted if we don’t understand the true heart of prayer.

More consistent than any human could ever be Psalm 27:10), God is our true refuge (Psalm 27:1-3). Prayer, however, is much bigger than our telling God what we want. When we expect Him to answer our cries for help and then respond with a “text” message to His work, our concept of prayer becomes small and self-serving. Quick prayers have their place, but only when the foundation of invested time and intimacy has been laid. Prayer is a discipline—a skill we grow in over a period of time. Even the disciples—after seeing Jesus preach to the multitudes, heal the sick, and leave the Pharisees speechless—saw prayer as an area in which they needed to grow in understanding (Luke 11:1). Do we see prayer in the same way?"

Read Psalm 27, Isaiah 56:7, Matthew 21:13, and 1 Corinthians 6:19.

Reflect: What happens to our natural relationships if our communication never goes any deeper than surface-level responses? What does it mean to be face-to-face with God?

Source: Our Daily Journey

Page 2 of 365: Song Review-Viva La Vida

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One of Coldplay's greatest hits, Viva La Vida, somehow told the story of the
Israelites when they were conquered by Babylon.

In the second day of my daily reflection series, I decided to take a glimpse around what was the center of the topic: Viva La Vida by Coldplay. The song, officially released in the middle of 2008, is about someone who was once living the king's life but all of a sudden lost everything.

I find it strange that instead of making it a slow emo-ish track, the entire band went upbeat with some accompaniment from the opera. I guess this was done to make it interesting to the ears of the listeners. I also think the song was inspired by the book of Lamentations in the Bible. Lamentations is a collection of five poems made by Jeremiah depicting the picture of Judah during his time. Reading the first chapter would make you realize that the lines are somewhat similar to the lyrics of Viva La Vida. I agree as well with the ODJ article writer about the ironic sense of having Viva La Vida, long live life in English, as the title of a track which talks about someone who has a wasted life.

The meaning of the song is that you have one life to live and you should not waste it. Also, you should stay in the direction God has made and not swerve to other directions as depicted in a context of the song.

Read Lamentations 1 and Isaiah 42:8-13.

Page 1 of 365: As We Wait for the Day

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In line with the imminent return of Jesus Christ, how should we live our lives?

Thinking of what to do with my new journal for the new year, I decided to look for Our Daily Bread. However, I bumped to its "sister" book, Our Daily Journey. With the devotionals specially designed to help you go deeper in your relationship with the Lord, I bought ODJ instead. Because of the eighth item on the "How to Use ODJ" part, I decided to show to you all of the things I learned in my daily quiet time. First up: the end times!

I made an article about the end of the world last December 20, the day before what everybody feared was the day. But in the article by K.T. Sim, the lives that we should live come the day was tackled. Here are some of the things we should live come the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ, which we all know will happen by surprise:

1. Repent, i.e. turn away, from sin and clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 13:11-14).

2. Be self-controlled and put on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:1-10). To add to that, put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18).

3. Live a holy and Godly life. Make every effort to be spotless, blameless, and at peace with Jesus (2 Peter 3:3-15).

For more, read Luke 21.