One Way Only (Christian Devotions)

Sino ang priority mo? (Prioritizing God)

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

The Lord seeks to be the first priority in our lives. May karapatan siya na magdemand dahil unang-una, Diyos siya. He is our Lord. Tinanggap natin Siya, hindi lang bilang saviour, kundi bilang Lord- over our entire lives.

I asked the Lord, "How will I be filled with the Holy Spirit?" We were so excited of the work of God but we do not have the time to actually seek Him first in our lives. And what He gave me was pretty basic: SEEK ME FIRST.

He must be the first one we seek when we wake up in the morning, or even making a decision. Kaya maraming pumapalya sa buhay dahil mas inuuna nila yung akala nila kailangan nila pero sa totoo lang mali yun. Bilang Kristiyano kailangan mas unahin natin si Lord, even above our deadlines.

Lalo na ngayong naka quarantine tayo, dapat mas marami tayong oras para paglaanan si Lord sa buhay natin. Hindi lang niya deserve yung time natin. We need to also hear Him of what He wanted to say or what HE WANTS FOR US.

Pero practically speaking, how do we seek the Lord?

"You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD" Jeremiah 29:13-14 (ESV)

WITH ALL YOUR HEART raw." Paano yung with all your heart"? Ibig sabihin, bawal hati yung devotion mo. Kailangan focused ka lang sa kaniya. Set aside all the distractions. Kung kailangan mong gumising ng maaga para magdevotion, gawin mo. Para hindi maingay ang paligid mo.

With all your heart, SI LORD lang ang nasa isip natin. Si Lord lang yung maging nais natin, hindi yung blessings niya.

Secondly, we must READ HIS WORD. Sabi ni Jesus sa mga Pharisees, " You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me," John 5:39 (ESV)

Ang context niyan ay sinasabihan niya yung mga pharisees na "nagbabasa kayo ng laws pero andito naman ako". Sana all nakita si Jesus di ba? Pero ngayon, what we only have in our hands is the Bible. The Scriptures will point us to Jesus and know more about Him. Dahil sa Word of God, mas nakikilala natin si Lord sa buhay natin at ang mga plano niya para sa atin.

Of course, seeking God means being humble before Him and being humble before Him means praying to Him. We ask for His direction, His will, His plans for our lives. We ask His anointing and favour over us.

So yun, share ko lang. I am working as a graphic designer for a certain company. I prayed for the Lord's wisdom. At yun, may mga sinasabi siya about sa adjustments. May mga directions na pumapasok sa isip ko na akala ko sarili ko lang kaya dinisregard ko. Tapos ayun, tinawagan ako ng client ko tapos yung sinabi niya yung mga naisip ko kanina.

Ewan ko lang ha, pero naniniwala ako na God is actually intervening. He is the God who gives wisdom and knowledge to those who ask Him. Sobrang na awestruck ako sa nangyari. Kaya natutunan ko na laging lumapit sa Kaniya.

Hindi mahirap lumapit kay Lord. Dahil sa pagkamatay ni Jesus sa krus para sa atin, it has been made available to us to approach the presence of God.

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water."
Hebrews 10:19-22 (ESV)

You can directly come to God because you have the blood of Jesus. Yun rin naging pangako niya sa mga disciple niya sa John 16. So let us come boldly to Him!

Prayer:

Lord,

Salamat po kasi maaari po kaming lumapit sa iyo. Salamat Panginoon dahil binigyan mo kami ng ganitong pagkakataon upang mapalapit sayo at mas makilala ka namin sa buhay namin. Panginoon, manguna ka at patuloy mo kaming pagharian.

Maghari ka sa lahat ng pagkakataon, sa mga desisyon namin, sa mga iniisip namin, sa buong buhay namin- Sa bawat aspeto: emosyonal, pisikal, mental, espiritwal, pinansyal, maging sa araw-araw naming mga gawain. Maghari ka sa buong buhay namin Panginoon.

Salamat sa katapatan at kabutihan mo. Sayo ang papuri at pasasalamat. Sa Pangalan ni Hesus, amen.