Deuteronomy 26:4-10
...and bringing us into this country, he gave us this land flowing with milk and honey.10 Therefore, I have now brought you the first fruits of the products of the soil which you, O LORD, have given me.’ And having set them before the LORD, your God, you shall bow down in his presence.”
It just makes sense that we trust somebody that we know. How
can we trust somebody whom we don't know anything about? It's time that we use
all our resources in order to grow in knowledge of who really is our Lord Jesus
Christ. The more we know about Him the more we will love Him. There's still a
lot to know about Him. Nobody can be more interesting than Him, who has the
greatest story ever told. There is really no other way but to God. It may not
be easy but we can be assured that God will always provide for the means like a
very tall ladder that can reach the high heavens. Today's psalm brings back
memories of the endless connections and confirmations of the events which took
place in Oct 2007. I must say, it is just a prelude to the significant and
unforgettable turn of events before the year 2007 ends. Technically speaking,
it was culminated on the very last day of the year, Dec. 31, 2007. On this very
day, I was introduced to Psalm 91. Reading the prayer for the very first time
made me shed tears. It felt like it almost summarized the protection and
guidance that the Lord has been showing me since that memorable month of
October 2007. It was all new to me then since I never knew a single line of it
until that day when I met Tita Tess and Tita Piling who gave me the El Shaddai
bracelet which I still have on my wrist up to this day and handkerchief where
the Psalm 91 is imprinted and the rest is history. Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 91:1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15
R: Be with me, Lord, when I am in trouble.
1 You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty, 2 say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (R) 10 No evil shall befall you, nor shall affliction come near your tent, 11 for to his angels he has given command about you, that they guard you in all your ways. (R) 12 Upon their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. 13 You shall tread upon the asp and the viper; you shall trample down the lion and the dragon. (R) 14 Because he clings to me, I will deliver him; I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in distress; I will deliver him and glorify him.
Sometimes we come to a point in our lives when we have
questions and doubts especially when we encounter situations that cloud our
thinking. It may be foolish to even do so but there are times when we are not
so sure about our beliefs and what to believe in. When we profess that the Lord
our God is over all, in all and for all, this becomes especially difficult at
times when we are confronted of the fact that we live in a world ruled with
chaos, disorder and so much imperfection. We may come up with all kinds of
denials, excuses and justifications but they are just what they really are, as
the word and name itself suggests. In the midst of all these things there are
just two things we can do, to listen and act on the word of God or not. The
message from today's 2nd reading is very clear. It is just a matter of living
for this truth or against it. There are no ifs, buts and no in between. Everything
that happens in this world is within the will of God. Sometimes terrible and
unpleasant things happen and we tend to ask ourselves if they are also part of
God's will. This has always been a very difficult question to answer. We all
have questions and it is so inconsolable when we come to a point when we are at
a loss for answers to these questions. It is like someone groping in the dark,
don't really know and can't find the answers to it then we should get out of
the dark and just decide not to dwell on the things that we do not know rather
just focus on the things that we know. It is not, what we don't know but what
we know and believe about God. He is loving, merciful, all powerful and that is
all that really matters. It should and must be enough to settle us down for He
will not put us through something without seeing us through it. Though, the journey we are on right
now may be long, hard and tedious but it would all be worth it if we are
heading for the destination that God has directed us. Amen. Hallelujah!
Romans 10:8-13
...For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 For the scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
"Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from God." This famous bible passage and song should hold a special meaning for us, Christians who follow and believe in Jesus. More than any time in my life, it is again in 2007 that I began to live and witness the deeper meaning of this more than ever. As everybody may already know it is when I started my daily bible reflection mission when I received God's word in Oct. 7, 2007 in Habakkuk 2:2-3 which is: Then the LORD answered me and said: Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.
From then on I’ve started writing down daily reflections based on the assigned bible readings and during the course of my writing have inevitably included in my journal people whom I have encountered, inspired and touched my life in a special way, . It all just happened in a way that the scriptures unfold and reveal our participation in each and every message being conveyed and sent in the daily readings. These reflections date way back in 2007 and looking back on all those times, especially the people, places and events when God who is Almighty and Ever Living made all things possible, we can no longer deny that Jesus is indeed in each one of us. We have a God who conquered all. With this I quote what Companion said about today's gospel, "Jesus rejects all the attempts of the devil to seduce Him away from His allegiance to God and His will. The example of Jesus here is very instructive because we see that He rejects each temptation by standing on the truth and the promises of the Scriptures — the Word of God. We need to learn how to do this — to call to mind the Scriptures appropriate to our situation so that we will not be seduced by the devil away from the purposes of God." Amen. Hallelujah!
Luke 4:1-13
... He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’ ” ...
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