September 1, 2022

Good News Today

Ecclesiastes 9:12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

Friends, the good news today says TODAY IS THE DAY FOR REPENTANCE, NOT TOMORROW, NOT NEXT WEEK, NOR IN THE FUTURE.

Yesterday August 31, I read in the news that there will be a Super typhoon in the Philippines named GARDO. Immediately, I wrote a message in my public FB account “Let’s All Keep Safe”. After that, I looked at Bible and try to find “how to respond to natural calamities”. Then, I read Luke 13:1-7 Jesus responded to the crowd by saying “I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Jesus’s warning is a word of grace: Turn to the Lord while there is still time. The best preparation we can have.

Today is the day for repentance. We never know what a given day will bring. No one’s guaranteed time to prepare for death. Those on whom tragedy fell were presumably going about their business when tragedy suddenly struck. Everybody else during typhoon Ondoy (September 25-26, 2009) expected a normal day at the office but we all knew, what happened.

The Preacher of Ecclesiastes 9:11–12 puts it like this: Time and chance happen to them all. The man knows not his time. Like fish that are taken in an evil net, and like birds that are caught in a snare, so the children of man are snared at an evil time when it suddenly falls upon them.

On the highway of life, death lurks like an evil shadow around the next bend, hidden from view. It’s true for the Christian as well as the non-believer.

Friends, natural calamities like typhoons, we can prepare physically and emotionally, but Jesus said “unless we repent, we will all likewise perish.”

God bless us all. Keep safe.

August 31, 2022

Good News Today

1 Thessalonians 2:13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

Friends, the good news today says BELIEVE! THE WORD OF GOD IS AT WORK WITH US.

When we face uncertain and difficult times, it is so easy to forget God’s presence and power. Our faith falters and sometimes begin to doubt that God is with us. In extreme cases, we even doubt that God is real and who He says He is.

God knew that at certain points in our life, we would struggle with unbelief and so He has spoken reassuring words to us through the Bible.

When we begin to doubt because of difficulties and hard times, read Bible verses about believing and pray to God to renew our hearts and mind toward who He says He is and who He says we are.

Friends, be encouraged as we see God move through all circumstances in life to grow our faith.

God bless us all. let’s keep the faith.

August 30, 2022

Good News Today

James 2:14-26 What good is it, my brother, if someone says he has faith but does not have work? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have work, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have work.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

Friends, the good news today says DON’T BE STATIC, WE NEED TO GROW IN FAITH.

By profession, I’m an Agriculturist. For 39 years, I worked at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management. One thing I learned, if we want to grow a plant or establish a garden, we must first plant the seeds, or the real plant or flower.

Reading or hearing God’s Word is like planting a garden. God’s word is the seed that grows the faith. Knowing His promises, what God says about us, about life, and about Jesus’ plan for eternal life won’t transplant themselves into our brains by osmosis. We need to read and be familiar with the Bible. Understand what faith is all about by meditating on the word of God. This will give us the starting point for growing or increasing our faith.

James 1:22-24 offers a way to grow our faith: Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. If we fail to heed what we’re reading and ignore what God is telling us, then our faith grows stagnant. It took faith for us to become children of God in the first place. Therefore, to grow and increase our faith, we need to use that “measure” of faith God gives to everyone and build on it.

We need to test if our faith is growing. The process of testing the faith we have may involve trials and difficulties. How can we increase our faith in those trials? We can read in James 1:2-3 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

Friends, as we “test” or act on what God says and experience God’s blessing, our faith grows.

God bless us all. Let’s keep the faith.

August 29, 2022

Good News Today

Deuteronomy 16:16-17
Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you.

Friends, the good news today says WE HAVE ALL THE REASON TO BE GRATEFUL TO GOD.

Every day, we wake up in God’s grace. We say thank you Lord for the night that you cared for us. Immediately after that, we think of what to cook, where to go for the day, and many other things. Sometimes, we even have a WHAT TO DO LIST for the day. I don’t know, but I’m thinking that in most cases in our TO-DO LIST, we don’t even mention WHAT CAN WE OFFER OR DO FOR GOD.

I believe that we have all received something from God. He has made us so we have received life. The gift of his son is for the whole world so its benefits are available to us. Without a doubt, God has done something for us or answered our prayer just yesterday or last week, or last year. Because of this, we have all the reasons to be grateful to God.

Friends, there is a need to recognize our resources as blessings from God. If God has been so good to bless us in this way, should we not respond to him by giving back to him?

God bless us all. Let’s keep the faith.

August 28, 2022

Good News Today

Proverbs 6:6-8 Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.

Friends, the good news today says SAVE FOR OUR FINANCIAL FUTURE BUT PRIORITIZE TO LAY UP TREASURES IN HEAVEN FOR OUR SPIRITUAL FUTURE.

In our cited verse, Solomon encouraged lazy, irresponsible people to look to ants as a better example.

The first five rules of Bible economics are: obey God, pay God first, second pay yourself, work hard, and work smart. These basic rules are guaranteed to work, for God inspired them, and Solomon confirmed them. The ant does four of them: Saves much, works hard, work for the future, and is very smart (Pr 30:25). For sure, we can be better than ants.

Friends, a wise man knows the value of hard work – and frugality. Both are character traits that God encourages us to embrace. More importantly, practice them for our future preparation and blessing.

God bless us all. Let’s keep the faith.

August 27, 2022

Good News Today

Ecclesiastes 12:1-2 Remember your Creator
in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them” before the sun and the light
and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain.

Friends, the good news today says WE PEOPLE OF GOD SHOULD NOT LET THE EXCITEMENT OF YOUTH TO FORGET OUR CREATOR.

When we were young, time seems endless. Big life events like going to college, establishing a career, getting married, and having kids, everything seems endless, it’s easy to live in the now, having little concern for the future.

But then comes the day when we notice the first gray hair, the extra wrinkle around our smile, and the appearance of eye-bags around our eyes. Our whole body begins to ache, metabolism slows down, and we start to forget details.

And that’s when it hits us, we are old. It seems like just yesterday that nothing sagged, our memory was sharp, and we have all the time in the world. But overnight, in just a blink of an eye, we became a part of the older generation, and time doesn’t feel so endless and infinite.

This is why King Solomon advises us to remember God before the door to life’s opportunities is closed; before we become fearful of falling, before our hair turns white, and drag along without energy.

Friends, we don’t have all the time in the world. No one knows if we’ll live another decade or just another day. If our time runs out tomorrow, we don’t want to be standing before our Maker with any regrets. We either knew Him or we didn’t. Decide now or regret it.

God bless us all. Let’s keep the faith.

August 26, 2022

Good News Today

Philippians 4:6, Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Friends, the good news today says GOD PROMISES THAT IF WE TURN TO HIM IN DIFFICULT TIMES, HE WILL GIVE US PEACE BEYOND BELIEF, BEYOND UNDERSTANDING.

When I’m starting my career and family, I experienced electric bills, and water bills are piling up and we are not sure how we are going to pay them. I also experienced the danger of being laid off from a job. These are just a few of my life’s many trials that cause me anxiety, worry, stress, and even doubt.

It wasn’t until I received God as my savior that I can say that I learned to breathe, pray and then let go of all those negative emotions that had absolutely no positive effects on my life.

I’m sure, most of us experienced the things I’ve gone through. But, I can assure everybody in all those hard times, every time I turn to God and pray, God, CAME through for me. It might not have always been the way I wanted Him to solve or help the issue but He always took care of it.

Friends, tell God what you need and thank Him for what He has done.

God bless us all. Let’s keep the faith.

August 25, 2022

Good News Today

2 Samuel 22:2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.

Friends, the good news today says IN GOD, THERE IS SECURITY AND STRENGTH.

I remember the time I haven’t accepted God yet in my life, when I have problems, I always say the word “NANAY”. To be honest, it gives me a feeling of security. I feel secure and protected. There is nothing wrong with that. But as my faith in God grew deeper, I realized there is only one sure protection and security, the Lord my rock and refuge.

God’s word can give us peace while we are in the midst of a wild storm. It can bring comfort while we are afraid, tired, and worn out. We can have hope that he will see us through to the other side.

Romans 15:4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach u so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

The best comfort we find in Scripture is that Christ died for us. It puts everything else into perspective.

Friends, we have something far better waiting for us. Hard times, while they are difficult, will only last for a while.

God bless us all. Let’s keep the faith.

August 24, 2022

Good News Today

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Friends, the good news today says CHRISTIANS NEED TO BE ALERT FOR THE OBVIOUS AND SUBTLE SCHEMES OF THE DEVIL.

Negative thinking can contribute to problems such as social anxiety, depression, stress, and low self-esteem.

On our journey through life, we are called to be humble and hopeful and to show a loving concern for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ, but we are also called to be on our guard and to be watchful in this increasingly godless society. We are called to be sober, serious-minded, and to remain spiritually alert to the wiles of the evil one because our adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Satan can dress himself up in many guises and disguises. He slithers into the lives of believers as the evil serpent, seducing those that are unprepared for his malicious advances and causing many to follow after worldly pursuits or fall into moral corruption. He sometimes disguises himself as an angel of light using doctrines of demons and a multiplicity of false gospel messages to cause many to fall into spiritual adultery.

Friends, be wary, Satan is at work. He is always on the prowl. In spiritual warfare, he never goes on leave.

God bless us all. Let’s keep the faith.

August 23, 2022

Good News Today

Psalms 29:11 – The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.

Friends, the good news today says DO NOT FEAR, DO NOT BE DISMAYED, WE HAVE OUR POWERFUL GOD.

Strength can be defined as the endurance to walk forward even during times of difficulty. Imagine ourselves walking on a shaky hanging bridge over a fierce stream, waves crashing over sharp rocks. If we have the will to walk on the bridge and see ourselves on the other side, we have the strength to do so. We have faith.

We can read in Isaiah 41:10 ” God strengthens you, so do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. God has promised us His strength”

The above verse is one of my favorite verses about strength! Here, God reminds us of His comforting words that He will always be with us. He encourages us not to be fearful, as He will uphold us with His righteous right hand, allowing us to stand firm. He tells us to put our faith in Him.

Friends, choose to walk with God, allow God to give us the strength, and allow ourselves to have faith in Him.

God bless us all. Let’s keep the faith.