JESUS- THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN

MI DAILY DEVOTION 05-23-11

JESUS- THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN

(John 14:5- 6) 5- “Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6- Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Mr. Seung Woo Byun in his book “CHRISTIANS GOING TO HELL” once said: “However, the devil’s deception did not stop then. The devil continues to deceive people even to this day. In Genesis, the devil used a serpent. Today, he deceives using “money” (II Timothy 6:10), various “evil desire[s]” (James 1:14), “miraculous signs” (Revelation 19:12), and mostly cult beliefs.” But the Bible is very clear about the doctrine of salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ who came down from Heaven more than 2,000 years ago is coming back again during the rapture. He is the way, the Mediator, the Messiah and the only way to Heaven. (John 10:9) “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10- The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

“A ONE WAY RIDE WITH PRIDE”

MI DAILY DEVOTION 5-22-11

“A ONE WAY RIDE WITH PRIDE”

(Proverbs 28:25) “He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.”

(Proverbs 16:5) “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”

Pride has only one destination- going to destruction. It is a one way traffic. Pride is not the way up, but it’s always on its way down. Pride never say “I’m sorry” and will not care about the feelings of others. Pride is insensitive to the need of others and the need for God. Pride is in the heart of disobedience and not on their knees. Pride is “I” “me” “my” and not God first, others second and “I” last. Pride is about hate and not love. Pride is of the devil and not of God. Pride is destructive and not constructive. Pride is refusing to “eat your own words, swallow your own mistakes and chew your own wrong doing”. Pride is refusing the moving and working of the Holy Spirit of God. Pride is rejecting the Holy Bible and the free gift of salvation. Pride is the leader of rebellion that leads the way to destruction. Does pride has “U” or “YOU” have pride? Does pride has “I” or do “I” have pride? (Proverbs 16:18- 19) 18- “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 19- Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.”

3 REASONS WHY THE PREDICTION OF THE RAPTURE TODAY AT 6 PM WAS A BIG JOKE AND NOT BIBLICAL…

MI DAILY DEVOTION 05- 21- 11

3 REASONS WHY THE PREDICTION OF THE RAPTURE TODAY AT 6 PM WAS A BIG JOKE AND NOT BIBLICAL…

(Matthew 24:36; 42- 44) 36- “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 42- Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43- But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44- Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

Definition of watch: 1. transitive and intransitive verb observe: to look at and keep your attention on something or somebody over a period of timeAre you coming to watch the game?I watched him as he walked off down the street.Would you mind doing that again? I wasn't watching.

2. intransitive verb keep lookout: to keep a lookout for something that might appear or happenYour job is to watch for anyone coming. be on the watch for somebody or something to look out for somebody or something (MSN Encarta dictionary-On line) 1- “But of that day and hour (referring to His coming which is the rapture) knoweth no man…” No one knows here on earth… and Jesus continued on to say, “no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” No one knows in the heavens both the good and evil angels (principalities and powers in the air which is the second heaven), but God the Father only. Is he God that he knows the time of Christ’s coming? 2- Because the Bible did not say anything about the month, the day and the year and even the hour of His coming. Verse 42- “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” And Jesus did not say that He will destroy the whole world right away, but for sure there will be chaos and accidents like never before since Old Testament times. 3- According to Apostle Paul’s writing in (I Corinthians 15:52) “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” There is no Scripture reference about Christians being told to celebrate and have a big party while waiting for His coming. (Matthew 24:44) “44- Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” It’s “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…” It will not be base on someone else’s calendar and timetable, but according to the Bible, it will be like “the thief in the night.” You must be ready and must be watching!!! Check out (I Thessalonians 5:13- 18)

"I AM THE LORD, I CHANGE NOT"

Ely R. Sagansay

MI DAILY DEVOTION 05-20-11 "I AM THE LORD, I CHANGE NOT"
(Isaiah 41:4) “Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.”

God is in charge of our past, of our present and our future. We are not supposed to be standing on a fallow and shallow ground. Charles Haddon Spurgeon in his book “Morning by Morning once said: “The delight that the mariner feels when, after having been tossed about for many days, he steps again on solid shore is the satisfaction of a Christian when, amid all the changes of this stormy life, he rests the foot of his faith on this truth: “I am the LORD, I change not.” The stability that the anchor gives the ship when it has at last obtained a holdfast is like that which the Christian affords him when it fixes itself on this glorious truth. With God “is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17) KJV

(Isaiah 41:19- 20) “I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: 20- That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.”

LEARNING BY TRUSTING THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

05- 11- 11 MI DAILY DEVOTION (John14:26; 15:26)

LEARNING BY TRUSTING THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

26- “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” 26- “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”

God is a God of mercy. God is good. God is patient. God is love. God is Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient and never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Bible says in (Hebrews 13:8) “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

If we are serving that kind of God, then it’s just right to trust the leading of the Holy Spirit.

A preacher said: “…we could learn from this analogy of the potter and the clay at this point is that God is very merciful; He’s very patient, that when people are flawed or have defects, (sin, we would say), He doesn’t just throw them away and get a new lump of clay, but He continues to work with that same lump of clay, over and over, until finally it’s one that He’s happy with. Now I think we take a lot of delight, a lot of relief in knowing that God works with us. Once He starts to work with us He doesn’t stop; He continues until we’re to the place that He’s content.”

No matter how good the Potter is, if the clay would not yield, nothing will happen. No matter how good God is, how powerful God is, if we don’t yield and cooperate with what God is doing, everything would be a mess. No matter how powerful God is, if you don’t trust the leading of the Holy Spirit, then we would never receive God’s blessing and the Lord cannot work in us and through us. (Proverbs 3:5- 6) 5- “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6- In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

God can’t work in you and through you unless you will put your trust in Him by letting Him work in you. According to STEPS IN DEVELOPING HUMILITY- “The true knowledge of God leads to humility. Humility is not the self deprecation with which many of us are often acquainted. Rather, it is the refusal to trust oneself for fulfillment of needs, looking instead to the Lord.” (Spirit Filled Life Bible, page 754)

Let us be encouraged from the words of Apostle Paul in the Book of (Romans 9:20- 21; 23) 20- “Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21- Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 23- And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,”

UNITY IN MARRIAGE

05- 10- 11 MI DAILY DEVOTION (Ephesians 5:21- 25)

UNITY IN MARRIAGE

21- “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22- Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23- For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24- Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25- Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;”

What is the main purpose of unity in marriage? Is it just about sex and the physical unity of the couple as husband and wife? Is it just about their relationship as husband and wife or it’s about their relationship with God? It means marriage is always a love triangle then? Yes it is always a love triangle with God and your spouse. How about the level of support and the set of standard of living in your home? Are you both comfortable with your relationship and in all areas of your life as parents and a married man and woman? Are you fully supported by your spouse in your career, in your studies, or in your business and dreams? Do you receive spiritual, emotional, financial support and other support you needed from your spouse? Those are some of the issues and problems you may have in your relationship as husband and wife. You may have heard of people who refused to support their spouse in their endeavor. Be it in politics, in business or the ministry.

The Lord’s purpose in marriage is to honor Him and to honor and be submissive to God and to each other. (Ephesians 5:21) “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”

Here in Ephesians chapter 5, we can learn some of the reasons and other basic things to observe and practice so we can keep our marriage and have the unity of spirit and in love. First, we must be followers of God and we must walk in love. (Ephesians 5:1- 2) 1- “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2- And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” Second, we must not be partakers of the works of the darkness... If you read from verses 3- 6; Paul named some of the sins that destroyed many lives. And the sad thing is; those same sins are destroying millions of homes all over the world right at this moment. Paul said in verses 7- 8; “Be not ye therefore partakers with them.”  Paul explained those principles to his followers very clearly as he goes on in verse 8, he said; “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:” He was telling them that they don’t belong to the spirit of darkness but they are the children of light. Thirdly, we must have the fruit of the spirit and learn to reprove and rebuke the work of darkness and have no fellowship with them. You don’t agree with their sinful acts. If you notice, Paul was actually trying to tell us that everything starts from our heart. The love of God and the love for God started from the heart of God to our heart. The desire to hate sins and darkness… (Ephesians 5:9- 11) 9- “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10- Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11- And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”

GOD’S GREATEST PROMISED IN THE BIBLE

05- 09- 11 MI DAILY DEVOTION (John 15:13)

GOD’S GREATEST PROMISED IN THE BIBLE

13- “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

In this world, we have what we called the greatest athlete, the greatest man, the greatest singer and we can go on and on… But the question is; until when and what’s the assurance that that man’s greatness will last forever and will never change. In the Bible, Paul talked about the greatest love of God and this love of God is forever. (I Corinthians 13:13) “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” In the Scriptures, Apostle Paul also talked about the greatest promised of God. And Paul was talking about the promised of salvation. (Romans 10:9- 13) 9- “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10- For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11- For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12- For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13- For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The good thing about this salvation is; we can be sure of this great promised of God from the Bible about our salvation. The good thing about the salvation that God has promised us is that; we can be sure of it too. There are those who preached about salvation by good works, through religious rituals and other means. And they tell the world that no one can be sure of it, but the Bible said we can be sure of it. In (I John 5:10- 13) Apostle John gave us his very clear points about salvation and the reasons why we can be sure of it: 1- We believed and we have a witness, in verse 10- “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.” 2- God has given us the record and that record is in His Son. In verse 11- “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” 3- We have the Son of God in our heart. He dwells in our heart when we received Him as our Lord and Savior. In verse 12- “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” 4- The Bible said so, in verse 13- “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” So, not only that God has the greatest promised for us which would be our salvation and it was given to us through the death of His Son for free to anyone who wants to accept Him in their heart. And we can be sure of this salvation by grace through faith and repentance. The best thing for us to know is that, we are secured and that salvation is secured in the hands of Christ our Savior and in the hands of God the Father. In (John 10:27- 30) 27- “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28- And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29- My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30- I and my Father are one.”