[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (DG) as a daily reading update (reflection) from each chapter of the Bible]
𝔼ℙℍ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝔸ℕ𝕊
𝟙:𝟛
"Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in
the heavenly places in Christ."
It doesn't say, "will bless
us," or "would've blessed us." It says "has blessed
us"
It doesn't say, "a few
blessings" or "some blessings" or "many blessings." It
doesn't even say "abundant blessings" but "every blessing"
Indeed, what to do with such an act
of such blessings! How am I to respond!? Yes, to bless the Lord! This word/phrase, "blessed be God” means
to praise God. To speak well of God. To be happy with God!
𝓨𝓮𝓼
𝓛𝓸𝓻𝓭,
𝓫𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓮𝓭
𝓫𝓮
𝓨𝓸𝓾𝓻
𝓝𝓪𝓶𝓮
𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻
𝓪𝓷𝓭
𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻!
𝓐𝓶𝓮𝓷!
𝔼ℙℍ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝔸ℕ𝕊
𝟚:𝟛
"among whom we all also
formerly conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of
the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the
rest."
I am no better than any sinner
around me because:
1. I was once like them.
2. I am changed not by my desire,
plan, knowledge, or doing; it's solely by God.
3. I would still do the same things
if not being preserved by the power of God
4. Sometimes, I find myself doing
identical things like them.
5. Sometimes, I could be falling
into a specific sinful situation more than them.
Therefore, I cannot glory myself
over them, nor look down on them. I cannot congratulate myself nor despise any
sinner.
I am to glory in the grace of God,
to give Him all the praise and delight in Him.
Also, I am to be merciful to non-Christians,
and proclaim to them the grace of the Gospel!
𝔼ℙℍ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝔸ℕ𝕊
𝟛:𝟙
"For this reason I, Paul, the
prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—"
Did Christ have a prison? Did
Christ arrest Paul? Then why did Paul say that? The Jews arrested him. Handed him over to the
Romans. And kept in a Roman prison. But all these because Paul preached the
Gospel of Jesus so that the Gentiles may be freed from the enslavement of sin
and bondage of Satan.
Paul exchanged his physical freedom
for the spiritual freedom of the Gentiles. Jesus exchanged His life for our
life; He died so that we may have eternal life.
Furthermore, Paul recognized that
it pleased God to suffer for the sake of the Gospel. He knew that God can
release him anytime from the prison, and even if he died, he knew God was in
charge, and therefore, he would still rejoice in the Lord in all situations!
—𝔾𝕠𝕕 𝕀𝕤
𝕀𝕟
ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕝—
𝔼ℙℍ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝔸ℕ𝕊
𝟜:𝟛𝟙
"Let all bitterness and anger
and wrath and shouting and slander be put away from you, along with all
malice."
Bitterness, oh the unhappiness with
others.
Anger, oh the revengeful attitude
Wrath, oh the uncontrollable temper
Shouting, the untamed tongue
Slander, the backbiting,
accusations, criticism, jealousy.
These aren't the virtues of a new
life in Christ. They must be crucified, put away, forsaken.
𝓛𝓸𝓻𝓭,
𝓗𝓮𝓵𝓹
𝓜𝓮!
𝔼ℙℍ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝔸ℕ𝕊
𝟝:𝟙-𝟚
"Therefore be imitators of
God, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and
gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant
aroma."
Children imitate their parents; that's
a fact! If we are children of God, so
must we imitate God. We became His children by hearing the gospel from His word
and seeing the changes in us. Similarly, we can only see Him through His word
to imitate Him, and in applying in our life, transforming day by day!
The standout attribute of God that
this wicked world needs is love, and is still the virtue we need to demonstrate
in loving others. Not to be selfish. Not to think only for self, but to think
for others as well, for the good of others too!
𝔼ℙℍ𝔼𝕊𝕀𝔸ℕ𝕊
𝟞:𝟞-𝟟
"not by way of eyeservice, as
men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
serving with good will as to the Lord, and not to men."
Ultimately, everything we do
anywhere, BPO, Hospital, Industry, any Company's work, we are doing to please
God. We do righteously, sincerely, and with integrity.
Not for money, not to please men,
not for promotion, though these are also part of our objectives of what we do,
but most importantly, we do, knowing God is in control, and that God looks
after those who are faithful!