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When Your Purpose Is Stronger Than Your Pain
Life is unpredictable, and we often find ourselves in the grip of pain that seems insurmountable. Yet, in these moments of brokenness, our faith and character are tested. It’s in these times that the purpose God has instilled in our hearts becomes a powerful force, guiding us through the storm. When you know why you are here on earth and firmly believe that God wants you to fulfill His purpose, you will have the strength you need. Your purpose is your anchor. It will help you stay rooted no matter what problems or pain you face. Your purpose will serve as your compass, always leading you back on track. This…
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Persevering through Persecution: Paul and Silas in Berea
As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Acts 17:10, NIV Paul and his companions visited Thessalonica and shared the good news in their synagogue. A great number of people followed them, but a certain group of Jews persecuted them. That’s why they went to Berea since the believers in Thessalonica wanted Paul and Silas to be safe and escape persecution. However, in the second part of the verse, Paul and Silas went to the Jewish synagogue and weren’t afraid of persecution. They continued to share the gospel despite what they experienced in Thessalonica. If I…
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Jesus Is The Hope That You Need
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:18-21, NIV Jesus read the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and then proclaimed, “Today, this scripture is fulfilled in…
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Moments When I Forget About His Love
Honestly, I’m still learning how to treat Jesus as my everything. Even though I already treated Him as my personal Savior and tried to connect to Him every single day, there were still instances when I chose to follow my selfish desires. There are still moments when I forget about His love. And it’s those days when I’m in pain and struggling. When problems try to consume my mind, that’s when I usually forget about His goodness in my life. That’s why, up until now, I’m still wondering what it truly feels like to genuinely follow Him. When I read the Bible, I learned about those people who chose to…
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When It Seems Like You Have Lost Everything
Have you ever felt like everything was taken away from you? A relationship, job, an opportunity, or perhaps someone you love? When we go through those difficult moments, we can’t help but feel like we are not that valuable in God’s eyes. When it seems like we have lost everything, there’s a possibility that we will feel taken for granted. Little did we know that behind the pain are immeasurable blessings that God prepared. His ways are mysterious. Most of the time, He needs to remove certain things for us to receive the best gift. In those painful moments, God is inviting us to receive Jesus. It’s when we will…
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Learn To Let Go Of The Bad Things And Allow The Holy Spirit To Move
So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 13: 51-52, NIV When Paul and Barnabas went to Pisidian Antioch, a great number of people followed them after they shared about Jesus. The word spread all throughout the region, but the Jewish leaders tried to persecute them. And so, Paul and Barnabas shook the dust of their feet as a warning to them. After that, they went to another place. Jesus also commanded His disciples to do the same thing when He sent out His twelve disciples. In Matthew…
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We Are Not Only Forgiven, But We Are Also Justified In Him
Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. Acts 13: 38-39, NIV We are forgiven not because of the good things we did and the price we paid. But it’s all because of Jesus. This forgiveness wasn’t just paid out of convenience, but it was birthed out of suffering. The man who loved us died on the cross to save us. This is a hard pill to swallow, especially when you are the kind of…
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God is a Promise-Keeper
From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised. Acts 13:23, NIV Paul was preaching about the gospel to the people in Pisidian Antioch. He started by sharing the story of the Israelites and how God gave Him His promise. And it was Jesus, the savior of the world. In Acts 13:23, Paul emphasized that sending Jesus Christ here on earth was a promise fulfilled by God. He gave His only begotten Son to save and set us free. That’s who He is. The Israelites were waiting for the Messiah to come, and it may have taken a long time, but God still fulfilled…
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What It Means To Be A Christian
and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. Acts 11: 26, NIV The followers of Jesus where once called as disciples, saints, believers, or followers of the way. In Antioch, they were first called as Christians. They were identified as “Jesus’ People.” Christians are those who spread the gospel and truly follow the teachings of Jesus. In the present, Christianity is the most widely practiced religion. But sadly, many of us didn’t really have an intimate relationship with Him. Before, Christians were…
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We Are Commanded To Testify about Jesus And Become His Witnesses
He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. Acts 10:42, NIV Peter said these words while he was in the house of Cornelius, a centurion man who lived in Caesarea. He proclaimed the gospel in front of Cornelius’ family and relatives. In this particular verse, it is important to note the words that Peter used. He said that Jesus commanded his disciples to preach to the people and to testify that He is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. In other words, sharing the…
