roman guevara

ROMAN GUEVARA
Daily Devotional Reading

"Lord, heal my hurts"

Scripture

Psalm 147:3

 ³ He heals the brokenhearted
       and binds up their wounds.

When will it end? Us getting hurt by people. By people we love(d) and thought loved us too.

Whether we acknowledge it or not, admit it or not, show it or not, we all get hurt somehow.

Kasama na ata talaga, sa risk na mapalapit sa kapwa, at magmahal…..ang masaktan.

We
get hurt by our husbands and wives; boyfriends and girlfriends; mga ka
MU (kung meron pa nun ha) ; by our partners in life. We get hurt by our
parents; by our fathers and mothers. By our brothers and sisters. Even
by our in-laws. If you are a parent already, you know that children can
hurt us as well. Mga taong iningatan at inalagaan mo for so long;
angels as you’ve once thought, can turn into demons just overnight, and
hurt those that cared and loved for them, for so much. We can get hurt
by family. By our lovers.

We get hurt by our friends; our
barkada; our clique; our teammates;our classmates; our officemates; and
yes, even by our churchmates. Even if you are a leader, or a Pastor of
a ministry or church; you can’t escape it; for it is the truth, we also
get hurt. We get hurt by our members, by our donors, by our supporters.
We ask for something, they don’t do it. Minsan nga parang nagmamakaawa
ka na, pero, wala padin. It happens.

At ibat-iba ang paraan natin at kakayahan to deal with hurts.

Some
have developed effective means of coping and "self-healing". Maaring
natutunan nila ito dahil sa dalas na sila ay nahe hurt, o dina man kaya
sa paglipas ng panahon, ay, nag mature na din through experience. Some
learn to deal through books and seminars. Through the teachings of
"inner healing" and "deliverance" ministries. While others, have sought
real and sometimes professional counselling to alleviate the pain
brought about by the hurt.

However, this is not the case for
everybody. Hindi lahat capable to deal. Hindi lahat na o overcome ang
pain. Marami pa rin ang quietly suffering. Many times on their own.
Needing healing. Truly hurting.

Meron din kasing "in denial" pa
din that they’ve been hurt. Siguro dahil sa pride. O dinaman kaya, ayaw
nilang makita ng mga nakapalibot sa kanila that they are weak. Kaya
naiiyak na, pinipigilan parin. Ang hirap kaya non. Yung dapat ng
umiyak, pero pinipigilan. Yung iba nag li lider-lideran. Nagma
mature-maturan. Nag la lakas-lakasan. But still, you can’t deny it
forever. It happens. We get hurt.

There are "BIG" hurts and "SMALL hurts.

Big
ones like betrayal o pagtataksil. Your partner or lover having someone
else other than you. Catching him or her with someone else in a very
intimate situation. Your friends, best friends, classmates,
officemates, and even churchmates betraying you for money or for other
people. Betraying your trust and confidence. Being loyal to someone
else. That is pretty painful.

Rejection is also a big one.Yung
hindi ka tanggap. Yung hindi ka gusto. At pinapakita at pinaparamdam
sayo. Linigawan mo, pero basted ka. Gusto mong maging friend pero
iniiwasan ka. Sasali ka sana sa grupo nila pero obviously they dont
want you in. They don’t want you around. Tuloy naging loner kanalang.
Hindi dahil gusto mo. Pero you’ve just been rejected for so many times,
you just don’t want to be hurt again by people. Kaya mabuti na para sa
iyo ang mag isa. O dinaman kaya, sasama kanalang kung kanino, masama
man ang impluwensiya sayo, bad company man sila. E, ang point mo, wala
namang iba, kaya sige narin. Sumama kana sa kanila. Sumama ka na sa
kanya.

Losing someone you love because of death is also a big
one. Pero kahit hindi naman sa kamatayan, people lose people important
in their lives. Yung hindi na kayo magkasama lagi. Yung hindi na kayo
nagkikita. Yung hindi na kayo! Sometimes malinaw ang dahilan kung bakit
di na kayo close. Kung bakit cold na kayo sa isat isa. Siguro me
kasalan sila sayo. O siguro me kasalanan ka sa kanila. Pero, there are
times na hindi rin malinaw ang reason. Para bang gumising ka na lang ng
isang umaga, tapus, you and your friends, mga loved ones mo, people who
use to be important in your life, e, parang ibang tao na kayo sa
isat-isa. It happens. And it’s painful.

Masakit din yung hindi
ka naiimbitahan sa kasal, sa birthday, sa despedida, sa party, o sa
isang event na alam mong dapat kanamang sinali at inimbitahan. But this
can be classified as as a "small" hurt. Or is it?

Madrama ka lang ba o sensitive masyado? O nagiging totoo kalang?

Ang
dami pa. Writing this devotional and thinking about the ways by which
we get hurt has shown me, na there are so many ways, by which we get
hurt. Or siguro, to be really honest, nakita ko rin, the many ways by
which i’ve been hurt. Or can get hurt by others. I can’t deny it. I get
hurt too.

Disappointments. Discouragements. Criticisms. Mga
masasakit na salita thrown at us. Yung sinisiraan ka ng mga tao at
pinagtsi-tsismisan. Yung iniiwan ka ng mga taong inaasahan mo sa buhay.
Iniiwan ka sa ere. Iniiwan ka for someone else. These things happen. We
get hurt.

That’s why we need the Lord.

We need him for many things. But one of the things that he really does very well, is to heal people of their hurts.

Have you been hurt? Are you still hurting? What do you do when you get hurt?

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord,
heal my hurts. I’ve been hurt by people. By people i love and care for.
I’ve been hurt many times and sometimes i wonder if im doing very well
as a person. I have questions. Why these things happen to me. Why
people hurt me. Help me Lord to find the answers. Help me Lord to find
peace of mind. Help me Lord even to forgive. Help me Lord to move on. I
surrender to you all my pain, all my wounds, all my hurts. Heal me Lord
today. For this is my prayer, in the sweet name of Jesus, i pray, amen.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY THIS DEVOTIONAL, FEEL FREE TO RECOPY, REPOST, OR LINK AT YOUR SITE, GOD BLESS.

ROMAN GUEVARA
Daily Devotional Reading

"Having someone to talk to"

Scripture

Genesis 2:18

¹⁸ The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

Pag
tinuloy tuloy ang pagbabasa ng chapter na ito, dire diretso na itong
discussion concerning marriage. Dahil kadalasan, sa mga weddings, at
marriage preparation seminars, and even couple’s retreats, ang chapter
2 ng Genesis sa Bible ay paboritong gamitin ng mga preachers, pastors,
priests, counselors, and facilitators. Specially yung part na pinatulog
si Adan, binigyan ng Eba, at pinagsama sila.

Many have
developed a special preference and fondness for verse 25 kung saan ang
sabi ay "The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame."

Hindi bat yan ang isa sa pinakaaantay ng marami kaya
nagpapakasal? Na maging legal at katanggap tanggap sa lipunan na
nakahubad kang katabi ang ibang tao, but also feel holy and unashamed
while doing it?

I remember attending a seminar kung saan ang
speaker ay isang African-American worship leader, si Ron Kenoly. He
said, na pagkatapos daw niyang mag "ministry-in-the-spirt" anywhere in
the world, one of his greatest joys is to come home, to be with his
wife, so that they can perform naman, their "ministry-to-the-flesh".

But
then of course eventually people realize that marriage is that, but not
all just about that. As this reading is also about marriage, but not
just about marriage.

It’s about not being alone. It’s about having a true helper in your life. It’s about having someone to talk to.

Kaya
it’s not just about marriage. Even if dapat isa ito sa benefits ng
marriage. Ng me boyfriend or girlfriend. Ng me lover. To feel that you
are not "alone".

Na pagkatapos ng yakapan at halikan, sana naman me kuwentuhan!

Cute
nga at maganda ang katawan, kasa wala naman kayong mapagusapan. Walang
connection. Walang understanding. Walang matinong conversation. Things
you really would like to talk about and share. One day, isang araw,
reality will sink in, at magsasawa ka din na siya ang kasama lagi.
Eventually.

It’s also not just about having a maid, or a driver,
a yaya, or an employee as a "helper". Bagamat me mga panahon that you
find yourself drawn to them even for some very personal and intimate
conversation. Kasi sila, walang choice but to listen to your rantings
and drama. Depending on your personality and demands, they will
probably respond exactly the way they should as they are under your
payroll. They would probably laugh, even if, ikamamatay na nating
lahat, ang ka cornihan, ng jokes mo. They would probably shed a tear,
by putting some onion in their eyes. They would probably agree, even if
at the back of  their heads, and deep within their "true" hearts, they
know you are wrong.

Sa ibang bansa nga, specially countries in
the West, like the US, Canada, and societies in Europe, people are
known to "pay" huge sums of money to "shrinks" or psychiatrists, just
to have someone talk to them and listen to them. Dito sa atin meron
ding mangilan ngilan, pero, bihira. Siguro sa mga napaka mayaman lang.
For the rest, siguro, would seek some form of religious counselling
with a priest or a pastor. At kadalasan walang bayad. Chowking lang.

But we should not be alone.

In
our triumphs and victories, we need to have people na puwede nating ka
kwentuhan. Mga taong tunay na magiging masaya for us kasi naging happy
at successful tayo. Mga taong hindi naiinggit o nagwiwish na "malasin"
sana tayo one day. Kasi me mga ganyan. Minsan kamag-anak mo pa. O di
naman kaya mga taong inakala mong kaibigan mo. Somehow, time will
reveal that they are not. You will eventually feel, that, even if, you
don’t really hear it from their lips, but their spirit cannot deny,
they want your downfall. They want you to fail. These are not the
people you would like to share your achievements with. Malamang ang
dating lang sa kanila ng mga kwento mo at pagparada ng trophies, ay
simpleng kayabangan. It should be clear to you already, they are not
your friends.

And yes, this reading is about finding your true and real friends.

People
who would not leave you. Who will be there, not only pag sikat ka. Not
only pag me pera ka. Pero nandidiyan maging sa ating lowest moments in
life. Mga taong tanggap tayo for who we really are. Hindi tayo ija
judge. Iko correct perhaps. But not judge. Pagsasabihan at hindi tayo
ito tolerate pag talagang tayo ay nasa mali. But not judge. People who
love us because of who we are, and not just for what we do and have
done. People you can be emotionally "naked" with, and not feel any
shame.

And yes, a helper.

Mga taong nandiyadiyaan, at
tunay na nakakatulong sa atin. They can help because first of all, they
listen. How hard it is to find people who will truly listen? Marami
gusto dumakdak. Mag sermon. Maraming mahilig magsabi ng "and diba i
told you so!". Pero yung to listen. And to listen sincerely. Listening
and making us feel that they understand and emphatize with us. Well
that’s like looking for a diamond ring in a can full of garbage. Kaya
if you’ve found one, try to truly cherish that person. Take care of
that person. Because that person is God’s precious gift to you, and
maybe to the rest of humanity. That when they open their mouth to talk,
usually they say the right words. They say it the right time. And we
would not want anyone else to say those words other than them.

How important is this? To have someone to talk to?

You know it. I know it. We all know it. It’s very important.

That someone could just save your life.

Hindi
bat in essence, yan ang dahilan why Jesus came? To seek and save the
lost. To have a relationship with us. For us to be his "friends"?

Have you experienced any recent victory? an achievement? a blessing?

Who do you share it with? Is that person happy for you? Are you happy that you are sharing them with this person?

How about burdens? hurts? o kabiguan?

Sino ba ang puwede mong maka kwentuhan na mage gets agad ang tunay mong damdamin at gustong patunguhan?

We all need someone to talk to. I pray that you may find yours in God’s perfect and beautiful timing.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Dear
God in heaven, thank you for your words, and for your plan. Thank you
Lord that it is your plan for me to have someone in my life who will
listen and can understand. Teach me Lord to truly appreciate the
meaning of true, sincere, and lasting friendship. Heal me Lord of any
emotional wound left by my past. Help me to weigh and discern the
people that surrounds my life. And lead me to the right people. To
people who can be my true, sincere, and lasting friend. And make me one
myself. Help me to be a real friend to those that really need one right
now. I dedicate to you the rest of this day. To God be the glory. In
Jesus name, amen.

IF
YOU HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY THIS DEVOTIONAL, AND THE OTHERS BEFORE THIS
ONE, FEEL FREE TO RECOPY, REPOST, OR LINK TO YOUR SITE, THANKS, AND GOD
BLESS.

ROMAN GUEVARA
Daily Devotional Reading

"I’m Reading a Book again!"

Scripture:

Ezra 7:1-10

¹
After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra
son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, ² the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, ³ the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, ⁴ the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, ⁵ the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest- ⁶
this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a teacher well versed in the Law
of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had
granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was
on him. ⁷
Some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers,
gatekeepers and temple servants, also came up to Jerusalem in the
seventh year of King Artaxerxes.

    ⁸ Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king. ⁹
He had begun his journey from Babylon on the first day of the first
month, and he arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month,
for the gracious hand of his God was on him. ¹⁰
For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of
the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.

Gaano karami kaya sa atin ang gustong sabihin yung "I’m Reading a Book again!"?

Ahem, let’s face it, the reality is, bihira naman sa pinoy ang mahilig magbasa ng libro.

Para sa marami sa atin, e, pang "Nerd" lamang ang ganyang trip.

Buti
na nga lang at nauso ang blogging sa internet, kaya, marami ang na re
reintroduce sa kagandahan ng pagbabasa, at minsan pati na na sa
pagsusulat, as people are now just discovering the tremeandous benefits
of being online.

Yun nga lang, we don’t know yet kung me positive
effect ba ang blogging sa pagdevelop ng desire among Filipinos to
really read "Books". Mas maeenganyo ba tayo magbasa ng libro, o mas
dededmahin natin sila, kasi, me internet naman? Kasi dba, at least sa
internet, nakapagbasa kana, nakapaglaro kapa!

Ako man, prior
to this devotional, e, masyado ata ako nalunod ng maraming puwedeng
gawin online, kaya sa kabusy busyhan ko, e, lately ko lang narealize,
na it’s been quite awhile since i held and read any book.

Let me share about my "Nerdish" history.

I
grew up with the Bible on my face, literally. My parents have been
active members of church ministry, ever since the terms "active",
"church", and "ministry" was invented! Kaya by the time i was born, my
parents, specially, my mom, made sure, that the first book, i would
ever see, e, siyempre, yung bible. Be it an adult bible, a children’s
bible, or a children’s comics na bible din pala ang laman, whatever,
basta, bible. O diba exciting!

Kung nakita niyo lang ang mukha ko nun everytime my mother would say it’s bible study time? Nevermind that part.

Going
back, eventually, however, when i was like Grade 4 i think, that was
the first time na nagpabili ako ke mama ko ng libro na ako talaga ang
pumili. It’s about greek mythology. Hindi ko rin agad nabasa nung
nabili. But i kept it with me all the time. Kasi hindi ko pa alam noon,
na binabasa pala ang binibiling libro!

Until one day, i was sent
to an interschool spelling competition (i told you me pag ka nerd ang
history na ito e, diba), ang tagal bago magstart, kaya, i decided to
finally read this new book of mine. And i was surprised na na enjoy ko.
At sa madalit sabi, e, bago magstart ang competition, e, natapos ko na
siya. And i kept on reading and reading it, until halos ma memorize ko
na ata ang contents.

And as far as i could remember, that started my love affair with books.

I
grew fond of the encyclopedia. For those who were born late, e, ang
encylopedia ay isang set of books containing general information, as in
anything under the sun from A-Z. Halos araw araw, before ako kumain,
bago pumunta sa school, pag najejebs, or i just want to escape my turn
to wash the dishes, e, nagbabasa ako. I discovered kasi na pagnakikita
ako ng mama ko na nagbabasa ng encyclopedia, nagiging exempted ako sa
dishwashing chore. Kaya ayun, tinodo ko na ang pagbabasa.

Later,
when i became a Pastor at 17 years old, i felt, i needed more training
and knowledge concerning Pastoral ministry. E, hindi naman ako puede pa
mag bible school noon, kasi kasalukuyan akong nagtatapos ng aking
college degree. Kaya naging hobby ko non ang pagpunta sa National
Bookstore, and then later various christian bookstores. I would spend
long hours in the bookstores. Natutunan kung mag enjoy sa pagtingin ng
ibat ibang libro, holding the books, admiring the cover, browsing from
time to time. I know, it’s getting very freaky, but it’s the truth.

Eventually,
pag nagkakapera, bibili na ako ng mga nagustuhan kong libro, until, it
came to a point, na masyado na akong maraming books in my collection,
to put up my personal library.

Now, don’t think i read all the
books i bought. Nung natutunan kong bumili ng libro, medyo nagdecrease
ang reading time ko. Kasi, nararamdaman ko rin naman ang katamaran,
lalo na pag saksakan ng kapal ang libro. At isa pa, mukha kanarin
namang matalino just by bringing the book all the time kaya, narealize
ko na, puwede na rin yong di masyado nagbabasa, basta dala dala mo lang
lagi.

Kaso, nung naging preacher na ako, naguilty naman ako, kaya, i decided to really read and study.

I can say that in my 15 years of ministry, me "highs" and "lows" ang pagbabasa ko ng libro.

Me
mga taon na ang "high" would mean, i read at least (1) book a week,
sometimes pag maikli lang yung book, nasisingit ko pa dalawa o tatlo.
Ang "low" naman would mean (1) lang a month, o dinaman kaya stretched
pa yung (1) book over several months, or at it’s "lowest", siguro, naka
(1) book lang ako sa isang taon.

Like this year.

I started
kasi the year focused on recording, releasing, and promoting my first
worship album since 1999, kaya, i havent had the time to really sit
down and grab i book i’d like to really read. I havent been to any
bookstore lately. Kaya medyo nagbackslide ata ako sa area na ito.

Until one day i realized how important it is for God’s people to really take some time to study God’s word.

Like the man in our scripture today, Ezra.

Sabi, "The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him."

Why was God’s grace on him? Because he "devoted" himself to the study, observance, and teaching of God’s word.

Dapat
ma inspire tayo sa kanya. Subukan din natin na magbasa. Una ng Bibliya.
Pangalawa, ng devotionals katulad nito. Anu ba naman yung magdevote ka
ng time sa isang araw para silipin ang ganitong devotional reading sa
internet? At pangatlo, ng libro. Siyempre, iba pa ding achievement yung
nakahawak ka at nakatapos magbasa ng isang libro, na magpapalakas ng
ating pananampalataya, at magpapayaman ng ating diwa.

I
myself have been convicted of this, kaya, just yesterday, i held and
read a book again. It was such a joy nung hinawakan ko yung librong
binabasa ko ngayon "Growing Deep in the Christian Life" by Chuck
Swindoll. Siyempre, i had to dust it off first, kasi medyo madumi na si
Sir, sa tagal ba namang hindi siya napapansin. As of  this writing, e,
nakaka second chapter na ako. Thank God.

Ikaw, don’t you want to say it too "I’m Reading a Book again!"?

MAKE THIS YOUR PRAYER FOR TODAY

Dear
God, let me just say today that you are indeed a great and mighty God.
You are truly amazing and glorious in all your ways. And i worship you.
I honor you. I give you praise. I come Lord once again before your
presence, bowing at your feet, asking and seeking forgiveness for all
my sins. For the things i thought of, said, and done, that displeased
you in some way, Lord forgive me. Help me Lord today to understand your
message. Help me to see and feel the conviction that comes from the
Holy Spirit. Help me Lord to have the zealousness and passion to read a
book. To read the bible. And other literature that can help me grow as
a person, as a christian. I commit this day to you, believing that you
will protect me, guide me, and bless me in everything that i shall be
doing. I lift to you even my those who are dearest to me, my friends
and family. May they also experience today, the fresh touch of God’s
love. Be glorified in my life, in Jesus name, amen.

IF
YOU HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY THIS DEVOTIONAL, AND THE OTHER ONES IN THIS
SITE, FEEL FREE TO RECOPY, REPOST, OR LINK AT YOUR OWN SITE, GOD BLESS.

ROMAN GUEVARA
Daily Devotional Reading

"The Death of A Neighbor"

Luke 10:25-37
²⁵On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

    ²⁶"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

    ²⁷He
answered: " ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’^[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b]"

    ²⁸"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

    ²⁹But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

    ³⁰In
reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when
he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes,
beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. ³²So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. ³⁴He
went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he
put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.
³⁵The next day he took out two silver coins^[c]
and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I
return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

    ³⁶"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

    ³⁷The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
      Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

I know, it’s kind of spooky to start the day, to the start the week, discussing death.

Not many people are comfortable with this subject.

Yung iba nga, hanggang ngayon, sa mga burol, e, hindi kaya tumingin sa kabaong.

O dinaman kaya e, takot na takot pumunta sa sementeryo, kahit sa liwanag ng araw.

Ako may sawa na sa ka kagamit nito bilang illustration sa aking mga preaching at devotional readings.

Kaso,
sa mga nakalipas na araw at buwan, e naging sunod sunod ang pagbisita
ko sa mga burol ng ilan sa mga mahal sa buhay ng aking mga kaibigan at
kakilala.

And just when i thought tapus na ang funeral season ng 2008, e, e2 na naman si kamatayan!

And this time, it went closer to home. About, umm, 3 floors below my house exactly.

I
live in a (5) storey building.  Each of the floors has about (10)
housing units. Not all the housing units have been filled up. Specially
my floor. And that is why the residents of the building kinda know
almost everybody, whether they like it or not. We bump on each other
almost everyday. Buy at the same grocery, eat the same nearby
"carinderia", and walk through the same lobby and stairs.

But i don’t know many of them. 

I’ve
lived there for almost (7) years, and since i’ve been in the ministry
for quite some time, having people always around you, asking for this,
asking for that, i kinda decided i wanted to have some privacy where i
live. And not knowing much about my neighbors was part of my "privacy
plan".

All this changed one thursday of August 2008.

I was
excited that morning to go to a TV guesting on a major network. It’s
part of our promotion for my band’s new worship album "RISE UP". Kaya
when my companion arrived at my house to pick me up, we just walked
down the stairs like we use to all the time.

My companion
and I were talking as we were going down. Discussing the TV guesting
among other things. When we reached the second floor, hindi ko
mapigilang magreact sa bantot ng aking naamoy.  I stopped for a few
seconds. And I remember telling my companion, "ano yung amoy nayon? Ang
baho naman! Siguro meron na namang hindi nagtapon ng basura nila." But
i noticed that the smell was far worse than decomposing garbage, or
even worse pa sa amoy ng patay na daga. It was something else.

Fast
forward sa hapon ng mga 5pm. Nakauwi na ako mula sa TV guesting.  At
bago ako umakyat sa aking unit, e, kinausap ako ng isa sa "very few"
neighbors i spoke to at the building. Si nanay. Bantay siya ng
nagiisang grocery on the first floor. And she is also one of the few
that knows that i am a Pastor. She said to me "Pastor, nabalitaan niyo
na po siguro?" Sabi ko, "ang ano po Nay?". Sabi niya, "Yung namatay po
sa taas, sa second floor".

I thought it was just one of those
people that die of a heart attack or something, and that they had to be
rushed to a hospital, and  then they died.  But as Nanay was making
kwento, i discovered the following.

First, yung namatay is only in his mid or late twenties.

Second,
yung nangangamoy na mabaho sa second floor? E, siya pala yun. It wasnt
decomposing garbage, or a dead rat. It was a decomposing man. A dead
young man.

And his name was Archie.

He lived alone in his
unit. Very quite. Interacted with only a few people in his floor and
throughout the building. But like me, Nanay of the grocery, knew him
enough, to worry, that it’s been about three days since he was last
seen buying at that lone grocery stop, which was also at the entrance
of our building.  Kaya nung bumaho na ng sobra sa second floor,
nagpautos na si Nanay sa mga bata sa building na pasukin ang kanyang
unit. Nung nabasag na ang bintana ng kanyang bahay, hayun, nakita nung
mga bata ang kanyang bangkay. Sa takot, e, nagtakbuhan ang mga bata, at
hindi na linakad ang hagdan. They just jumped for it!

Initial
investigation by the police indicated that there was no foul play.
Which was quite a relief for everybody in the building. Many believed
that he must have died in his sleep. Ang "tsismis" e, namatay sa
bangungot. At baka nung lunes pa. Kasi nga, dun nagsimula ang amoy.
Bumaho nalang ng bumaho, hanggat sa hindi na kinaya ng mga kapitbahay.

Ano ang napulot kong lesson dito?

Actually, i was surprised myself, na marami rami ang lessons ko sa pangyayaring ito.

First, rebuke.

The bible says "LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF".

As
a preacher i have preached on this passage on many levels. Sometimes,
even to my own standards, very deep ang naging interpretation ko nito.
To deep na nga, to the point, na, namiss ko na ata ang kanyang most
basic at simplest meaning. Which is?

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.

Masyado
na pala ako nablinded ng aking desire for privacy, na najustify ko na
kung bakit hindi ko kinikilala ang aking mga kapitbahay, and as a
result, kung di ko sila kilala, edi, hindi ko sila ma e evangelize o
mawi witnessan! Ang katwiran ko nga before, e, ang dami ko namang Bible
Studies, ang dami ko namang speaking engagement. Minsan sa ibang bansa
pa. Kaya siguro, ok na ke Lord na, deadma nalang ako sa mga taong
nakapalibot sa akin.

Pero that thursday of August 2008, changed everything.

I was wrong. God was telling me something.

Call
me being too spiritual, call me whatever you want, but things happen in
our life, things beyond our control, events that surprises us, catches
our attention. Sometimes, it’s God’s way of telling us something.

Imagine,
the only reason na nalaman ko ang pangalan nung Archie, e nung,
namamaho na ang kanyang decomposing body. Dun ko lang siya napansin.
Dun lang ako napahinto sa dami ng aking ginagawa at iniisip, to think
about that young man living on the second floor of my building. And
then, as the people began to talk about him, who he was, what he looked
like, i suddenly remembered him, and the times na nakakasalubong ko
siya sa grocery, sa carinderia, sa hagdanan, and so on.

I felt guilty. I just didnt care.

We all deserve some privacy.

Specially
people who work so hard during the day, people who have very public
activities like ministry and business. Siyempre gusto naman natin na
paguwi at ease kana at walang iniintindi. Kung baga, time na for you
and for your family. But it wouldnt hurt kung kilala man lang natin ang
ilan sa pinakamalapit nating kapitbahay. Enough to know. Enough to care.

Ako
kasi, i thought, na dahil wala naman akong inaabala, wala naman akong
pineperwisyo, e ok nayon. Ayoko ko kasi nung, "pahiram naman ng
martilyo, ng lagare, ng long nose" na mga kapitbahay, tapus di naman
sino sole. Ayoko rin ng marami silang alam tungkol sayo. Ang mga
tsismoso panaman sa atin e pakakalat kalat lang sa planeta.

Kaso
nga lang, panu na ang witnessing? Me privacy ka nga, napunta naman sa
impyerno ang mga kapitbahay mo? Ano sasagot ko ke God pagnagkita kami?
"Sorry Lord, alam mo naman, kailangan ko ng privacy?"

Tuloy, i
learned a second lesson besides the rebuke. It was also a challenge.
Yes. I was convicted that day to know. To know my neighbors. Their
names. Where they come from. What is their religion. How can i help. To
care.

I know it’s a lot to ask for people whose lives are already complicated in itself.

But we are christians. And christians are the salt and light of the earth. Even in our neighborhood.

Sino ba ang neighbor natin?

Hindi
lang naman ang kapitbahay. Nandiyan ang mga classmates natin. Katrabaho
sa opisina. People we see almost everyday, who may or may not be part
of our lives, yet. 

Maybe some of them are trying to get our attention already.

Some of them have real problems. Many of them, they are looking for God. For people who care. For us.

Aantayin
pa ba natin na mangamoy sila tulad ng isang namamahong bangkay, bago
natin malaman ang kanilang pangalan, bago tayo magka interes na
makilala sila?

Minsan naghahanap tayo ng ministry. Naghahanap
tayo ng mga taong madadala natin sa Lord. E, yun pala, kapitbahay
palang natin, e, madami dami narin yan, na mapag p pray at madadala sa
Panginoon.

Bakit ba minsan ayaw natin sila makilala?

Bakit ba minsan ayaw natin maging "close" sa ating neighbors"?

Bakit ba minsan ayaw natin mag witness sa kanila?

Let the Lord speak to your heart.

I believe he has a message for all of us today.

MAKE THIS YOUR PRAYER FOR TODAY.

Dear
Jesus, thank you Lord for this wonderful day. It is wonderful because
you are amazing. It is wonderful because you made it to be. It is
wonderful because i know you have great plans for my life. And i see
it, each time i read your words. You make it clearer each day. And i
ask Dear Jesus, that you would enable me to fully comprehend your
message for me through this devotional. Help me Lord to understand and
to interpret this correctly. And more importantly, give me the courage
and the faithfulness to apply the lessons learned today in my daily
pursuits. Teach me Lord to love my neighbor as  i love myself. I commit
my neighbors to you. Give me a genuine burden for them. Guide me Lord
as i reach out to them. And show me how each day i can glorify your
name, as i bring people to the feet of Jesus Christ. All these things i
pray, in the most precious name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus, amen.

IF
YOU’VE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY THIS DEVOTIONAL AND OTHER DEVOTIONALS BEFORE
THIS ONE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO RECOPY, REPOST, OR LINK THEM AT YOUR OWN
MULTIPLY SITE, GOD BLESS.

ROMAN GUEVARA
Daily Devotional Reading

"Overcoming Insecurities"

Scripture

Genesis 1:27-31
²⁷ So God created man in his own image,
       in the image of God he created him;
       male and female he created them.

    ²⁸
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number;
fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the
birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the
ground."

    ²⁹
Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the
whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be
yours for food. ³⁰ And to all the beasts of
the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move
on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every
green plant for food." And it was so.

    ³¹ God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Nagspeak
ako sa isang church sa La Union just the other day. And one of my
sessions was with their youth fellowship. There i discussed leadership
and how leaders should have confidence. At the end of the session, some
of the young people came up to me and told me na problema nga nila doon
yun.  Marami sa kanila walang confidence. Marami sa kanila insecure.
And while they were talking, i can’t help but think about all the other
youth i’ve encountered through the years, in the Philippines, na
problema lagi ang confidence.

Napakarami sa atin ang me insecurity.

Kung
isa ka sa iilan ilan na walang insecurity, o dinaman kaya’y hindi
nagkaron, as in, ever, aba, siguro magpasalamat ka sa Diyos, at mahabag
ka sa aming lahat na me history sa concern na ito. Dahil, to some
people, insecurities is a real issue.

Some people experience this
at some point in their lives, but eventually, through some help and
personal efforts, na o overcome din.

However, meron din namang hindi ito ma conquer conquer, kaya tumatanda na insecure.

Yung iba nga, napaka lupit ng effect sa kanila ng insecurities.

Nade
deprive sila ng mga opportunities. Hindi nila nakukuha ang para sa
kanila. Natatalo sa laro ng buhay. Hindi nagkakaron ng mga matitino at
lasting relationships.

And the devil uses our insecurities bilang isa sa kanyang weapons of mass destruction.

Dahil
pag tayo ay insecure, we are not confident. When we are not confident,
we don’t see clearly our potential. And if we don’t see clearly our
potential, how can we journey towards achieving great things in life?

Because the devil has one goal. He wants us to lose. And he wants us to lose big!

I remember when i was a teenager, i didnt like how i looked.

Pag tumitingin ako sa salamin, hindi ko masyado nagugustuhan ang aking nakikita.

(Sa bagay, marami naman ata sa atin, hindi rin masyado nagugustuhan ang reflection sa mirror!)

Lalo
na pagnako compare ko sarili ko sa mga classmates ko.  Karamihan kasi
sa kanila mapuputi. E ako naman, kayumangging kayumanggi. Parang at one
time, ako lang ata, o dinaman kaya, mangilan ngilan lang sa amin sa
room ang mejo dark ang complexion. You felt different. To some extent,
i felt quite inferior.

Tapus panun, ang dami ko pang napansin,
tulad ng ang payat payat ko, while my other classmates were really
well-built. Then it was my teeth. Then it was my bag. My shoes. My
belt. Sunod sunod na. Hanggang sa dumating yung araw na para bang there
was nothing nice about me anymore. I walk each day to school with
sadness and terror.  Feeling so insecure about myself.

Why?

Well it all started with me comparing myself, my complexion, with every one else.

Maputi kasi sila, tapus ako kayumanggi.

I
failed to see, na, teka lang, siyempre maputi sila, e, chinese kasi
sila no. Did i fail to mention na sa Chinese School kasi ako nag high
school?

And then nagsunod sunod na ang mga napuna ko sa sarili
ko. Na because i was different from the rest, i was inferior, i was
less, i was nothing.

Thank God at napa attend ako sa isang youth
camp the next summer, and in that youth camp nakaranas ako ng personal
encounter with God. And among many things, ang natutunan ko din, was
that God created me, and he did not make a mistake.

Surely there
are differences among people. But it doesnt mean you’re different e
ibig sabihin you are inferior. That you are less of a person. That you
are nothing.

These are all lies from Satan.

And knowing
that God created me, and that he did not make a mistake, obliterated
the lies of the devil that i didnt realize at that point, was so much
stored in my heart, that it blinded me to see God’s gifts to my life.

Such
us, my nose.  Oo nga, payat ako nung time nayon. But my nose! Praise
God, marami pala ang nagaadmire sa ilong ko nun. O dba! My skin,
specially my face, habang lahat ng classmates ko e problemadong
problemado sa mukha nila dahil sa pimples, ako namay worry free, dahil,
hindi ako masyado nadadapuan ng mga skin irritation na iyan na common
nung time na yon sa youth. In a twisted sense nga, na insecure pa ata
ako, kasi, bakit sila maraming pimples, ako, halos wala! Talk about
twisted ano?

But seriously, when we realize that God created us,
and that what he created is good, we will be able to overcome our
insecurities, and see the many beautiful gifting he has given us.

Wala namang perfect. Pero wala din namang na zero ng blessings.

Sabi nga ng isang lumang Gospel Hymn, "Count your blessings, name them one by one"

Ikaw, nagkaron kaba ng insecurities? Do you still have them?

Believe that God created you. Believe that he did not make a mistake.

Sabi
nga ng isang kanta nana revive ni Jericho Rosales, "You are beautiful
in my eyes"………..Let the Lord whisper that to your ears, over and
over again. God bless

MAKE THIS YOUR PRAYER FOR TODAY

Thank
you Lord for the reminder. Thank you Lord that you have created me. And
yes i know, you didnt make a mistake. You have a purpose why everything
has come to be in my life. And i surrender myself to your purposes, to
your plans, to your calling for my life. Help me Lord to see clearly.
Help me Lord to have the right self confidence. Teach me to accept
myself for who i really am. Forgive me for having negative thoughts
about myself. Allow me today to feel good about my person. To feel
happy. To feel the peace of God flowing over me, from my head, down to
my feet. I receive your blessing and favor today, in Jesus name, i
pray, amen.

ROMAN GUEVARA
Daily Devotional Reading

"Have you composed a song lately?"

Scripture:

Psalm 40:1-3
¹ I waited patiently for the LORD;
       he turned to me and heard my cry.

    ² He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
       out of the mud and mire;
       he set my feet on a rock
       and gave me a firm place to stand.

    ³ He put a new song in my mouth,
       a hymn of praise to our God.
       Many will see and fear
       and put their trust in the LORD.

Filipinos love to sing.  Masyado na tong paulit ulit na nababanggit.

And when Filipinos become Christians, it is inevitable, that Filipinos love to worship God by singing.

Kaya
nga bentang benta sa atin, hindi lamang ang mga kilalang foreign
entertainers and their albums, pero pati narin ang mga worship leaders
mula sa ibang mga bansa.

Just recently, nakailang concerts din sa Araneta Coliseum ang ilan sa kanila.

And as i am a "fan" of many of them since my youth, ako may nagagalak pag sila ay naririto.

However,
as much as nakakabless ang maraming songs composed by well-known
foreign groups, we should not forget and neglect the compositions that
God has given to our local composers and worship leaders.

And let
me add, na, we should not forget and neglect the compositions that God
has given to us personally.  Who knows, me composition ka pala.  Kaso
nga lang ikaw lang at ang Diyos ang nakakaalam!

I recorded my
"first" worship album, "RISE UP with Roman Guevara", in 1999. Limited
lang ang production at distribution kaya di naman masyado kumalat.  But
there were many beautiful songs written for that album.  Aside from my
compositions, ilan sa mga friends ko contributed.  Tulad ng songs "Be
My Guide", written by Allan Silonga and Joshua Desiderio (now of
Freestyle Band), and the song "Ikaw Lang", written by Cesar Castaneda.

Mejo
napagod ako sa recording na ito, kaya i vowed na, parang ayaw ko na ata
magrecord uli. Atsaka isa pa, my brother, ROMMEL GUEVARA, records naman
a new album almost every year, kaya, suportahan ko nalang ang ministry
niya in that department.

Kaso nga lang, since last year, God has
been dealing with me concerning this. I began to sing again during my
ministries, concerts, and conferences, yung mga songs na nacompose ko.
I shared them with my new musicians, and they began to arrange them for
me.

By February this year, habang nasa Hongkong kami ng brother
ko, si Kuya Rommel, he encouraged me na magrecord ulit. Sabi niya it’s
about time na magrecord nako ulit.  I thought hard about it and made a
deal with God. Sabi ko ke Lord, kung will niya na magrecord ako ulit ng
bagong worship album, kailangan magbigay siya ng mga "fresh" at
"catchy" compositions, and of course, the financial provision to make
everything a reality.

You know what? Ang bilis din ng sagot ni Lord.

Pagbalik
ko ng Pinas,  a good friend of ours, na wala naman kamalay malay sa
"deal" ko with God, came up to me and said, "Pastor magrecord kana,
sagot ko na, just start as soon as you are ready." Edi, ok na ang
financial provision! Totoo nga, that when there is a mission, God gives
the provision.  At bagamat me nakaready na akong mga songs for the
album, along the recording, nagpadala pa ulit si Lord ng mga "fresh"
and what i believe to be more "catchier" compositions.

For
example, nung isang beses na papunta ako sa recording studio, ang tagal
naming nagaantay ng taxi. I said to one of my musicians na kasama ko
nun, siya muna kumuha ng taxi kasi mukhang me nacocompose ata akong
kanta while we were waiting.  By the time na nakakuha ng taxi, nabuo ko
na ang first verse. Buti nalang, nauso na ang cellfones with voice
recorders, kaya, ayun narecord ang first verse agad. But God just kept
going. Binigay din niya ang the rest nung kanta during the trip. Kaya
by the time na nakababa kami sa taxi na ito, at nakarating sa recording
studio, nakumpleto na ang kanta, with chorus and bridge pa.  Eto yung
kantang "YOU ARE AMAZING", na bahagi ngayon ng bago kong worship album
"RISE UP".

And the songs just kept on coming. 

Me
nacomposed sa taxi, me nacompose nung paggising ko sa kama, me
nacompose nung naglalakad ako papuntang mall, me nacocompose sa MRT at
LRT ride, at kung san san pa.

Kailangan nga lang, pagme
nacocompose ka, isulat mo agad. Kahit labolabo pa ang lyrics. Yung tono
naman, kung me voice recorder ka, bitbitin mo lagi, kasi anytime nga
baka me macompose ka. Kung musician kanaman, wag munang katamaran,
kunin mo agad ang basic chord progression.

Furthermore, kung me
worship composition ka, kantahin niyo agad.  Kahit among yourselves sa
band, o dinaman kaya, kung maayos ayos na, e, kantahin na rin sa
church. Later made develop pa yung song, but it doesnt really hurt kung
i try narin agad.

Sabi nga ng verse na binasa natin today "He put
a new song in my mouth", tapos sabi pa "many will see and fear and put
their trust in the Lord".  Marami na tayong nacocompose. Kaso nga lang,
yung "many will see" e sad to say, bihira mangyari.

Why not?

Kasi we dont believe in ourselves. We don’t believe in our compositions.

Wala namang masama na tangkilikin ang mga kanta mula sa ibang bansa.

Ako may "fan" parin nila.

Pero ang masama, e, yung nabuburo naman sa bodega ng ating alaala, ang mga sarili nating gawa.

Kung composer ka, share munaman ang compositions mo to the rest of the world.

Don’t be shy. Be thankful that God gave you a new song.

Kung
di kanaman composer, pero, me kilala kang mga Filipino composers, e,
una sa lahat, bilin mo naman ang CD nila. Wag munaman i burn lang basta
basta at wala ng makaka pagrecord sa mga mangilan ngilang nag aatempt
to come up with descent Filipino worship recordings.

And furthermore, use them sa inyong churches.

E
pagpumunta ka sa kahit anong church, maliit man o malaki, halos 100-90%
ng line up of songs, galing sa mga recordings mula sa Australia, US,
Europe, at pati Singapore. Bihira makalusot ang compositions ng mga
kapatid nating Pinoy.

Balansihin naman natin.

Let us encourage our composers by buying their CD’s and by singing their songs.

Ikaw, have you composed a song lately?

MAKE THIS YOUR PRAYER FOR TODAY

Dear
heavenly father, i thank you for this wonderful day that you have
created for me. I honor you Lord with all of my heart, soul, mind, and
strength. I come to you Lord seeking forgiveness for my sins. Asking
you to humbly wash me with your precious blood, and to make me holy and
pleasing before your sight.  Thank you Lord for the gift of music. For
the gift of song. Enable your servant to appreciate and value the
ministry of praise and worship. Help us Lord to cultivate and develop
Filipino Worship Ministries.  Anoint our composers. Finance our
recordings. And enable our worship albums and compositions to reach not
only our Filipino brothers here in the Philippines, but allow our
worship albums and compositions to reach the nations of this world.  We
offer to you our talents and giftings. We offer to you this day. Stir
up in our hearts the desire to love and serve you more. Be glorified.
Be magnified. In Jesus name, amen.

ROMAN GUEVARA
Daily Devotional Reading

"The People Who Gets to Go to London"

Scripture

Hebrews 11:1
"¹Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

My
brother, Rommel Guevara, was in London, United Kingdom, last year
October for a month of ministry.  It was not his first time to set foot
on British soil, and as this devotional will share, it surely would not
be his last.

It was not his first time because way back in 1996,
nung youth pa kami pareho, e, naimbitahan na kami pumunta dun to do
ministry.  Back then, it was viewed na advantage sa pagkuha ng "visa"
ang pagkakaron ng plane ticket in advance, to prove na capable ka to
go, at nakaset na ang trip.  But, God had other plans. Kahit me ticket
na kami, the British Foreign Office, said no! We were denied. Actually,
siya lang ang nadeny, pero dahil kapatid ko, yung reasons why he was
denied e applicable din daw sakin kaya why bother daw.

E, nabili
na nga ang ticket diba? At yung ticket, connecting flight from London,
then Israel. Sa Israel tuloy kami. However, to get to Israel using our
ticket, kelangan magstopover kami sa LOndon, sa airport nga lang. Doon
pwede kami pumunta. Paglanding nga namin doon, e, dapat magtra transfer
pa kami to another airport, from Heathrow to Gatwick. Kaso di kami
pinayagan kasi baka daw bumaba kami ng bus at mag TNT! Talk about
feeling very Filipino at this time? Anyways, edi ayun, inantay namin
yung next flight available kaya halos isang araw kami on British soil,
yun nga lang airport lang!

Fast forward to 2007, naimbitahan na
naman si brother ko sa London, UK. Pero this time, nabigyan na siya ng
visa. Kaya nung nakalabas siya ng Heathrow airport in London, at naamoy
na niya ang simoy ng hangin ng bansang "napagkait" sa amin ng higit pa
sa isang dekada, eh halos maluwaluwa na siya.  The experience was life
changing for him.  Aside from composing new songs while he was there
(that led him to record a new worship album entitled "STUDIO"), he knew
in his heart na babalik siya doon, pero this time kasama na ang wife
and daughter niya.

This year 2008, naimbitahan siya ulit, and
they made applications for their visa, silang tatlo as early as April I
think. They were expecting that in a few weeks time e makukuha na nila
ang approval.  He had speaking engagements sa London as early as the
last week of May. However, matatapos na ang May, e wala pa ang visa.
They were getting worried. I was getting worried for them. 

Ang hirap nung wala kang magawa kundi mag wait? Diba.

Buti
pa yung kahit paano, there is something pa you can do. But things like
this, pag nagawa muna part mo, really, all you can do is wait. Pray as
you wait. But nonetheless, simply, to wait.

Lumipas na ang May, wala pang visa. Lumipas na ang June, wala pa din.

Kalagitnaan
ng July, umatend kami ng brother ko, kasama ng family niya sa isang
missions seminar. He was asked to lead worship. Specifically, the
organizers asked him to sing his new song na ang title ay "WE
BELIEVE".  It was a difficult time for him obviously. And it was made
more difficult by the fact that he was being asked to sing a song about
believing God for amazing things, when he still didnt have his amazing
"visa".

But he took the challenge. He sang the song with his
wife. And while he was singing, he was led by God to tell the
congregation that he believes that if you have received a word from God
that you will go somewhere, you better shout aloud prophetically and
say "NANDIYAN NA KAMI".  And he said it "NANDIYAN NA KAMI", many times
over, and then went back in singing "WE BELIEVE". It was a very
powerful worship time.

That was a thursday. 

The next
day, friday, their "visas" were sent via mail.  And as im writing this,
my brother Rommel, my sister-in-law Susan, and my niece Rachel, naku,
they are having the time of their lives in London, in the United
Kingdom. God is Good!

Siguro sa mga napakayaman at
napakaimpluwensiyang tao parang di naman big deal ang pagkakaroon ng
visa sa London, United Kingdom.

Pero para sa isang simpleng
manggagawa ng Diyos tulad namin ng brother ko, it’s a miracle na
nabibigyan kami ng ganyang opportunity.

Our message for today?

The
people who gets to go to London, the people who gets to go anywhere,
they are the ones that have the faith to believe na "NANDON NA SILA",
kahit wala pa, at kahit parang imposible.

Ikaw? Do you believe you are called by God to go somewhere? To be somewhere?

Begin to believe and proclaim by faith "NANDIYAN NA KAMI".

MAKE THIS YOUR PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord
thank you for your words of truth.  Thank you for making me a believer
in God. Teach me Lord to have faith in you and in your words. Help me
to overcome doubt. Help me to conquer fear. Help me Lord to see the
perfect will of God for my life. And to have the courage to walk by
faith. To live a life of a true adventure. One that is not boring and
lifeless.  Help me to see what life is truly about.  Speak to me Lord
all throughout this day. And allow me to feel once again a fresh
encounter with the most high God.  This is my prayer for today, in
Jesus name, amen.

ROMAN GUEVARA
Daily Devotional Reading

"Understanding and Not Understanding God"

Scripture

Deuteronomy 29:29
"The
secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed
belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the
words of this law."

Don’t you want to know everything?

Maybe yes, maybe not.

Dun
sa nagsabi ng yes, marahil din kasi, eto yung mga taong maraming
questions about life, about death, about mysteries, about ironies,
about supernatural phenomena, about God himself. Me mga taong matanong.
Merong mga taong maraming tumatakbo sa isipan. At marahil, meron din
silang mga karanasan sa buhay that begs a better explanation.

Christians are called by God to live by faith.

And faith, whether we like it or night, is living each day, understanding God, and not understanding God.

What do we mean by this?

Sabi
nga sa verse that we’ve read for today, there are things that God
reveals to us. They belong to us and to our children forever. Mga bagay
na sinabi ni Lord, gusto ni Lord na malaman natin, dahil alam niyang
kaya natin ito maintindihin, at dapat nating gawin sa ating buhay.

God knows who we are. He created us. He knows our capacity. Our maturity.

Kaya
nga nangyayari na sa isang audience, kahit isa lang ang preacher giving
the same preaching, e, merong ibat-ibang interpretation at message.
Why? e ibat-iba kasi ang capacity natin to digest and understand. Maybe
because of our background, our training, o dinaman kaya, because of our
stubborness of heart. Kanya kanya rin kasi tayo ng katigasan ng ulo!

Kaya
me mga taong mas committed than others, mas faithful than others, mas
forgiving than others, mas loving than others, mas mature than others.

Sometimes
it is our choice if we will remain mature or immature. Lalo na kung
tumatanda na tayo. Kung bata pa, acceptable pa minsan na nagaasta o
nagkikilos na parang bata. Pero pag me edad edad na, ang sagwa na
tingnan.

The things that God wills to reveal, they reveal to us because he knows we can and that we should know and do certain things.

However, don’t expect to understand everything.

Because we just can’t.

Me mga bagay na hindi kaya ng human mind to understand.

Why not?

Well, that’s why we call and recognize God to be God.

His ways are not are ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts.

Kahit na nga he created us in his image and likeness, still, siya ay Diyos. Siya ang Diyos.

And
always remembering that, can give us not only a certain level of
comfort and peace, specially during times of unbelievably painful
tragedies, but this truth can also give us humility.

Puede ka
kasing valedictorian in your class, summa cum laude in college, well
respected by your peers as trully intelligent beyond all men, still,
God is God. We however, we have limits.

And in those times na
limited ang capacity natin to understand God, his ways, his dealings, e
dba jan din sa mga panahon na yan, na tayo ay natututo muling magTIWALA
sa Diyos para sa lahat ng bagay?

Life is like a box of
chocolates. Sabi nga sa pelikula ni Tom Hanks na Forrest Gump.  You’ll
never know what your gonna get. Me dumadating na blessing, pero meron
ding burdens.  Me dumadating na pagpapala, pero meron ding pagpapalo.
Sometimes malinaw bakit nangyari ang nangyari, while at other times, we
just don’t know.

Ganyan ang journey at life of faith.

It’s about understanding and not understanding God.

What should we do?

Just
continue to be receptive to the things that God reveals. Na pag meron
siyang itinuturo, pinapakita, sinasabi, we should pay attention, we
should obey.

Ngunit pag me mga nangyayari na hindi talaga natin
maarok, why they are happening, o kung bakit hinayaan ni Lord, well,
those are the times i believe, na dapat parin tayong magtiwala sa
kanya, dahil siya ay Diyos, siya ang Diyos.

MAKE THIS YOUR PRAYER FOR TODAY

Trully
you are God. You deserve the praise and worship of your people. And i
want to start my day acknowledging and recognizing your power and glory
in my life. Dear God,  i surrender everything to you. My questions, my
doubts, my fears, and my worries in my life.  I seek your face oh Lord.
Your comfort and peace that takes away all the burdens of life. I ask
Lord today that you give me, not what i deserve, but for your mercy and
grace. Yes Lord, i ask for your mercy and grace today. For me, for my
loved ones, for the people that you will bring to my life. Lord give us
your mercy and grace.  Lead me Lord to you. Cover me with your blood.
Protect me with your angels. Empower me with the Holy Spirit. You are
God. You are the Lord of my life. I pray all of these things by faith,
in Jesus name. Amen

ROMAN GUEVARA
Daily Devotional Reading

"You Are Good"

ROMANS 14:16
Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil.

Have you ever been criticized?

Has anyone spoken ill of you? Said bad things about you, your family and friends?

E panlalait? Me nanlait naba sayo? Sa itsura mo? Sa porma mo? Sa buhok mo? Sa pag aaral mo? Sa trabaho mo? Sa ministry mo?

Chances are, meron na!

Whether
sikat ka o simpleng tao, malamang sa malamang e, nakaranas ka narin na
masabihan ng masasakit na salita, mapanghinalaan na gumagawa ng mali, o
di naman kaya e siraan sa ibang mga tao.

Kung sakasakali lamang
na hindi mo pa ito nararanasan, e, buti kapa. Pasalamat ka ng malaki sa
Diyos, kasi, me iba siyang dealing sa buhay mo.

But to many people, even those who are not doing anything wrong, naranasan na nila ang masabihan ng masama.

And
not everyone respond well to criticism. Hindi lahat ng tao emotionally
and spiritually strong to face harsh words said to them.

But the verse that we have for today reminds us to fight back.

Sabi nga, "Do not allow what you consider good to be spoken of as evil."

How?

Hindi
naman sa pamamagitan ng dahas. Hindi naman ibig sabihin to fight back,
e makipagsapakan ka.  Ang ibig lang natin sabihin sa to fight back, e,
do something so that you don’t have to live a life that is simply
victimized by false and harsh criticisms. Me mga bagay na dapat
palampasin kasi none sense at waste of our time. Pero meron din namang
hindi mamamatay na issue, kasi, hindi rin natin ginagawa ang dapat at
tama.

Kaya, first of all, we fight back, by believing that "You Are Good".

Usually,
critics and criticism focus on what’s wrong and what’s bad about us.
Syempre, ang pupunahin e yung pangit, yung butas, yung kulang sa atin.
And sometimes, people generalize.  Kaya tuloy, you didnt just do bad,
ang press release na e, "You Are Bad".  Hindi na ang issue e that
you’ve failed.  Ang pinaguusapan na, e, "You Are A Failure".

Surely
we are not perfect. We make mistakes. And yes, sometimes, we do bad
things. Things we regret. Things we really don’t like doing. As human
beings, we can also fail.

But to fail doesnt mean na failure ka na.

That when you’ve  done bad things, hindi ibig sabihin, bad kana talaga.

People
can say what they want about us. Pero we don’t have to believe what
other people say to us. That when people say that you are a failure,
don’t believe them. That when people say that you  are bad, dont
believe them because you are good.

Second, do good things.

Sabi nga action speaks louder than words.

And
people can only measure us by what they see.  By what we show them.
Kaya, mahalaga na gumagawa tayo ng mabuti.  Hindi lang dahil sa gusto
natin na maganda ang ating image. Kailangan tayong gumawa ng mabuti, at
ng mas mabuti pa sa mga dati nating ginagawa, dahil, ganun ang tunay na
mabuti.

Good people do good things.

If we have been
criticized, wag tayo mapikon. Alamin natin ang mga dahilan. Bakit
sinabi. Wag tayo masyado magfocus sa kung sino ang nagsabi at baka
madismiss lang natin as being too personal.  Even if, just in case,
pine personal ka lang, still, the wiser move is to consider kung me
katotohanan din ang mga nasabing pangit tungkol sa atin.

And then, what do good people do? They improve. They work on what is wrong about themselves and on the things that they do.

Nobody is perfect. But we can surely improve.

MAKE THIS YOUR PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord
God almighty, thank you for your word today.  Thank you that you are
reminding me of my true identity. That i am good. And i am good because
you are good.  Even if i am undeserving of your goodness, still, you
pour it out so freely to my life. Forgive me Lord for believing the
lies and deception of the evil one. Forgive me Lord for believing the
criticisms made by other people towards me. Give me the wisdom to
discern. Give me the ability to hear clearly and to see correctly. Help
me to improve. Help me to be better each day. I commit to you my life,
my character, my heart. Bless me Lord today as well as my loved ones.
Shield me against all works of darkness. Lead me to you always. I pray
all of these things by faith in Jesus name, amen