This Is Now

The first time I ever heard this song was last month at a Casting Crowns concert. It brought tears to my eyes and had a great impact on me. Recently, God has brought this song back to my memory. Only He knows why? Anyways, this song is the story of Peter. The reason why I love this song is because I can relate so much to it. I think we all can. Like you may know, Peter was one of the disciples of Jesus. He was a follower of Christ. Anywhere Jesus went Peter went. He witnessed many of His miracles. Peter loved the Lord very much, but he had many flaws. I just love the story of Peter because we are able to see how flawed he was and how God had to work on him. He was very much human with human-like traits. Just like us he had many weaknesses. He wasn't perfect. God had to mold him and take him through many trials. Throughout his life we are able to see a transformation in him. We first know him as a simple fisherman. Then, he becomes Peter, the doubter. After that, we see him deny Jesus. One thing though, despite all his flaws, he loved Jesus very much. So much that he was willing to lay down his life for Jesus and ultimately died because of Christ. Like Peter, there has been many times where I've felt like I have failed Jesus, where I've felt so unworthy of His love. But then I'm reminded that whenever I feel like I have failed, I can try again and again. His mercies are new every morning. I'm reminded that through my own strength and will I can not make it and that I don't have to overcome anything alone. It is through Him that we are overcomers. It is through Him that we can do ALL things. I'm reminded that His blood is more than sufficient. He paid the price. I'm reminded that I'm worthy of His love...So let's not dwell on the past but live in the present. Like the Apostle Paul said, forgetting what lies behind and straining towards what is ahead, we must press on towards our goal.

January 8: A Rainbow of Promise

"Because Noah obeyed god, He saved his family and made him a promise: the rainbow is the sign of this promise. Every time you see a rainbow let it remind you that God always keeps His promises.

Bible Reading: Genesis 8:18-22, 9:8-16

What I most appreciated from today's reading is that God always keeps His promises. How many times have people failed us with their empty promises or how many times have we failed others or even God with our broken promises? We are humans. We are imperfect. The only perfect one is called Jesus. He will never fail. He remains faithful. I like the fact that God did not only make a promise to Noah, but he also gave him a sign: a rainbow of promise. It's as if God was saying you may forget the promise I make you, but I will never forget; therefore, I give you a sign to remind you of my covenant with you. Today, we can rejoice in the fact that whatever our situation God has thousands of promises in his Word for his children. He has promised to never forsake us. He has promised to give us strength. He has promised to be with us all of the days of our lives. We can rest in his promises. We must trust the Lord. He has never broken any promises and he won't start now. We must hold on to His promises. 

January 7: Noah Obeys God

"God gave Noah an impossible task-to put a pair of every animal inside the ark. And Noah did exactly what God asked. When God gives you an impossible task He will help you to make it possible. You only need to obey and trust Him."

Bible Reading: Genesis 7:1-5, 17-24

I really enjoyed today's reading. Throughout the first few chapters of Genesis we see a list of catastrophes that stem from disobedience. It was because of disobedience that mankind falls into sin. We then see the consequences of sin--death, destruction, violence, shame, guilt, separation from God, and the list goes on. All of this started from a simple act of disobedience. Romans 5:19 tells us, "For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous." That one man that disobeyed was the first couple in the Garden of Eden. And that one man who made us righteous through his obedience was our Lord Jesus. The focus of today's reading is the importance of obedience and the power it can have on many. Obedience has always been important to God. Ever since the beginning. It is required of us as children of God. Why is obedience so important to God? God has a plan for us. He has a perfect will for his children just like he had a perfect will for Adam and Eve. His will was for Adam and Eve to eat from the tree of life so that we would live forever in communion with God where sin, suffering, and death would have no part. However, man disobeyed and that brought God to remap His will for us. God had to prepare the perfect sacrifice to redeem mankind. He gave his one and only son to save the world from condemnation. As his children, God wants us to trust him and trust his will just like we trust our fathers here on Earth because we know that they only want the best for us. Likewise, God knows us the best and wants the best for us. In order for God to carry out His perfect will for us, we must obey and trust him. 

After the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, things just started to go downhill. Sin had entered the world which gave way to violence, destruction and death. Man turned his face from God. They went after the desires of their flesh and the worship to the one true God ceased. This deeply saddened and also enraged God who decided to wipeout mankind off the face of Earth. However, God always has a separate holy remnant for him. In the middle of all the violence and corruption, God had his eyes on one man and his family. That man was Noah. Noah was a righteous man who found favor in the eyes of the Lord. God spoke to Noah to build an ark to save himself, his family and the animals. Hebrews 11:7 tell us that "by faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household." Noah could have easily disobeyed God. Up until that point it had never rained, so to any man the idea that a flood of waters would cover the earth may have sounded absurd. To any man the idea of building an enormous ark for his family and the animals would have been not ridiculous but impossible. However, not only did Noah believed God but he also obeyed him. In doing this he was able to save his household. God takes obedience very seriously. Obedience is very pleasing in the eyes of the Lord. 1 Samuel 15:22 says, "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams." Not only is our obedience great delight to our Lord, but it is the true sign of our love for God. How can we show God that we love him? By obeying him. Jesus said, "if you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15). "And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands" (2 John 1:6). If we love God we must obey him. Obeying him includes trusting him. Sometimes we may feel that what God wants or asks of us is impossible, but we must remember one thing--with man things may be impossible, but with God ALL things are possible (Matthew 19:26). Praise God!!  

January 6: Violence Enters the World

"Cain murdered his brother Abel because God accepted Abel's offering, but not his. God spared Cain's life but banned him from the land."

Bible Reading: Genesis 4:1-14

When reading today's passage the first question that came into my mind was, why did God accept Abel's offering but not Cain's? The bible says that Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. Abel also brought a gift. He presented the Lord with the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The keywords here are "best" and "firstborn." It is important to note that while Cain was a worker of the ground, Abel was a keeper of sheep or a shepherd. As I was reading I tried to think of the job of a shepherd. A shepherd tends, herds, feeds, or guards his sheep. A shepherd is there to protect his sheep from any harm. I can safely assume that Abel cared a lot for his sheep. He had seen them grow and would risk his life to protect them. He had nursed his lambs into sheep. Yet Abel decided to sacrifice not only his best sheep but the firstborn of his flock. Why did Abel choose from the firstborn of his flock? There is something special about the firstborn. I can imagine that Abel took great pride in the very firstborn sheep. It held a special place in his heart. It represented the pay for his hard work, the fruit of his labor and the promise and hope that there were more to come.  For Abel it was very important to give the best to the Lord. That's why it's called a sacrifice. Abel gave God something of great value to him for the sake of something more important or worthy. Abel had a grateful heart and he wanted to please his Lord. You can see this in his offering. He have God the best. He gave God the fat portion of his sheep. Are we giving God our best or are we giving him our leftovers? Where is our heart? Is God our number one priority? What do we have to offer to our Lord? What does God want from us? Do we yearn to please the Lord as much as Abel did? As I was reading, all of these questions came to mind. God brought me to analyze my spiritual life and whether what I have to offer to the Lord is pleasing in his eyes. I pray that my offering can be like Abel's--pleasing in the eyes of my Lord. The sacrifice seen in this chapter of the bible comes to symbolize the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus. Jesus was that perfect and firstborn lamb. The father gave the best he had for us, his one and only son Jesus. Jesus had no sin or blemish or flaw. He was and is perfect! Thank you father for that perfect sacrifice! 

The title for today's reading is "Violence Enters the World." Ever since the first man and woman sinned, we were all under sin. We were ruled by sin and were subject to sin. We see this in this chapter with the first murder registered in the bible. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift but he did not accept Cain and his gift. The bible says that this made Cain very angry. This made me stop and think of the dangers of letting anger seep into our hearts. Anger is a very strong emotion that can easily take control of our lives and make us say and do things that we may later regret. However, we can say that to a certain degree anger is normal. Haven't we all got angry at one point? Even Jesus got angry when he cleared the temple of the money exchangers. The problem is not the emotion, but the action we may make based on anger. We must not let anger control our lives. In this situation Jesus was right to be angry. His anger was not destructive but righteous. He had control of his anger and was not targeted towards one person. When Jesus has shown his anger it was towards sinful behavior and injustice. On the other hand, Cain was angry at his brother for the wrong reasons. His anger was destructive, which led to sin. Cain dwelled on that negative emotion and let it rule his life. He gave way for the Enemy. In verse 7 we see that God tries to warn Cain. He tells him, "Why are you angry? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master." We must control anger and not let it control us. It is no wonder that his Word tell us, "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold" (Ephesians 4:26). James 1:19-20 also tells us, "everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." 

January 5: Punishment for Sin

"God never lets sin go unpunished. He punished Adam and Eve severely for their disobedience. However, God promised that one day Someone will come to undo the work of Satan and to bring people back to God again."

Bible Reading: Genesis 3:12-17, 19, 22-23

For today's reading I will focus on Genesis 3:15. This is where we see the first promise of redemption. Praise God! Romans 3:23-25 states, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood--to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished." Man sinned in the Garden of Eden. The wage for sin was death. Because of one man, sin entered the world which included separation between man and God. Because of sin we were destined for eternal condemnation (death). But, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). I don't know about you, but I rejoice in the fact that we not only have life but eternal life through Christ Jesus. We were the sinners. Only Jesus, the son of God, the only perfect one without blemish or sin could pay the price. He took our place on the cross. For the first time we see that promise of redemption in Genesis 3:15. "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." In the midst of this curse we see hope. Even though Adam and Eve had sinned, God promises to redeem them. It's like He was telling Satan, "I won't let you take them from me. They are mine. I am claiming them. You will be her enemy and she will be yours. You will have nothing to do with my children." How awesome is that?! We sinned but God didn't leave us in that state. He had a plan. And that plan was Jesus!  It is true that Satan temporarily bruised Jesus. He was only able to bruise his heel. Isaiah 53:5 tell us that "he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed." Jesus had to suffer and pay that price on the cross. Satan thought that it was over. He thought that he had won. However, Jesus makes the greatest comeback ever! Jesus was the one who crushed Satan on the head. He gave him the final blow on the cross! Jesus conquered sin and death! Hallelujah! "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). Thank you Jesus for shedding your precious blood on that cross. You have set us free!

January 4: Sin Enters the World

"When the snake tempted Eve, she not only succumbed to temptation, but she also involved Adam. Then sin entered the world and the first people were alienated from God. We still suffer because of the consequences of Eve's wrong decision." 

Bible Reading: Genesis 3:1-11

This right here is what we know as the fall of man. From here and on all of our problems began. Adam and Eve sinned, therefore we all were constituted sinners. Up until that point, man had an intimate and personal connection to God. Adam would speak to God just like we speak to a friend. However, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, sin separated man from God. Man no longer had this personal and immediate connection to God. But our God Almighty, who knows all, already had a plan to redeem the world. He would send his one and only son Jesus to die for our sins, so that by his blood we would be saved. You see, I use to wonder why God made man if he knew he would fail him? I understand now. God knew Adam and Eve would eat the forbidden fruit. God knows everything. He knew man would sin. He still gave man a free will to choose from right or wrong. God wants people who willingly love and serve him. God is a gentleman. He will not force himself unto us. He is patient and waits for us to turn to him. God had this perfect plan even before the Earth was formed. He had his plan of redemption all thought out. Just like sin entered this world by one man, by one man the world would be saved. That man is Jesus! Praise God! God loved us too much to let us perish. He knew we would fail him in that Garden of Eden, but he still sent his son to die for our sins. He didn't see our sins. He saw the future. He saw us in Christ--what we would become in Christ. He saw the bigger picture. He saw the final outcome. He saw his son Jesus redeeming the entire world from sin and eternal condemnation. All we must do now is believe in Him. When Jesus died in that cross, the veil was torn in two. That wall that was separating us from God was broken. We now have full access to the father! How wonderful! Thank you Jesus! 

January 3: The Perfect Mate For Adam

"Adam was lonely before God made him a companion, somebody to help and compliment him. "She is bone from my bone," declares Adam. God's will today is still for you to be the perfect mate for your husband and stand by him no matter what."

Bible Reading: Genesis 2:18-25

Now God had given Adam the task to name each animal that roamed the earth. I can imagine how lonely Adam must have felt when he would see each animal with its companion, yet Adam was alone. But our Almighty father who is not only aware of each one of our needs but also supplies our needs, saw that Adam was alone and in need of a companion and helper. It is so magnificent how God made Eve from one of Adam's ribs. God had created man from dust, but the woman came from a special place. As a single Christian woman I am unsure of God's plans for me, but I do believe that somewhere out there God has the perfect mate for me looking for his missing rib. When that day comes I pray and hope to be the ideal wife. I strive to be the woman from Proverbs 31. Until then, I will trust and wait in His perfect timing. God is writing my love story and I know he has my best interest at heart. "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4). 

 Proverbs 31:10-31: The Woman Who Fears the Lord

"An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet. She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates."

I Am A Proof Of Your Love

Thank you father for sending your son Jesus to die for our sins. Thank you Lord! All I can do right now is praise you for that precious sacrifice. That was the ultimate proof of your love! My heart is just so grateful. I didn't deserve for you to die for me. There are many times when I feel so unworthy. But thank you Jesus for not seeing my failures, my flaws, my mistakes. Thank you for your undeserved love. I'm sorry for failing you daily. Help me become worthy of you Lord! I want to be a living sacrifice--a proof of your love. I do not want to be conformed to this world. I want to be transformed daily till I am a living testimony to those who do not know you. I want to live for you Lord. 

“The world takes us to a silver screen on which flickering images of passion and romance play, and as we watch, the world says, “This is love.” God takes us to the foot of a tree on which a naked and bloodied man hangs and says, “This is love.” -Joshua Harris 

January 2: The Crown Of Creation

"God's last work of creation was making people in His image. He told the first two people to be fruitful and increase in number, and to rule over the earth. God saw that His handiwork was good in every sense."

Bible Reading: Genesis 1:26-2:4


It is wonderful to know that out of everything created, only one creation was made in the image and likeness of God and that was mankind. After God created the heavens and earth, the oceans and rivers, the trees and flowers, and even all the animals, God saw that what he had done was good. However, it was not until God created man that God not only saw his handiwork as good, but very good. We are God's masterpiece. His handiwork. God rejoiced in his creation. He didn't see our mistakes and failures. He looked passed that. He saw the future. He saw the person we would become in Him. There is this one Psalm I really love and enjoy because it talks about God's greatness and how he already knew us before we were even formed in our mother's womb. When he created Adam and Eve, he had already known us. In his book our names were already written. He knows our name! 

Psalm 139: Search Me, O God, and Know My Heart

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down

and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue,

behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is high; I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from your Spirit?

Or where shall I flee from your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, you are there!

If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

If I take the wings of the morning

and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

even there your hand shall lead me,

and your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,

and the light about me be night,”

even the darkness is not dark to you;

the night is bright as the day,

for darkness is as light with you.

For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

If I would count them, they are more than the sand.

I awake, and I am still with you.

Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!

O men of blood, depart from me!

They speak against you with malicious intent;

your enemies take your name in vain.

Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?

I hate them with complete hatred;

I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart!

Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any grievous way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting!

January 1: Let There Be Light!

"God's first words at creation were, "Let there be light." After He made light, He created the expanse, the land, sun, moon and stars, the seas, trees and plants, birds, fish and animals. And God saw that it was good." 

Bible Reading: Genesis 1:1-25

I Just love the fact that the first thing God ever said was, "Let there be light." Then, there was light and God saw that the light was good. How glorious! Here in Genesis 1, we see this physical light. We see how God separated the light from the darkness and called one day and the other night. We also see how God created the sun, the moon and the stars to light up the sky. However, when I read this again I can't help but look more symbolically into this. In 2 Corinthians 4:6 we read, "For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." How amazing is that! God has shone into us that light. Christ is our light. Not only is he our light but he also wants us to be the light in the midst of the darkness. We are the light of the world. We must shine our light to all those around us. Generally, we think of light as something good. A flicker of light coming from a single candle in a dark room can be seen as hope. When I think of light I think of peace, hope and happiness. Likewise, when we think of darkness negative words or emotions come into mind. We often associate darkness with evil and fear. When we reread Genesis 1 we come to realize that God did not create darkness. Genesis 4 says, "And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness." Likewise, God did not create evil. Everything God ever did was and is good. When reading the first chapter of Genesis, a story I once read came into mind. It goes like this: 

Does evil exist? A university professor challenged his students with this question. Did God create everything that exists? A student bravely replied, "Yes, he did!" 

 "God created everything? The professor asked. 

"Yes sir", the student replied. 

 The professor answered, "If God created everything, then God created evil since evil exists, and according to the principal that our works define who we are then God is evil". The student became quiet before such an answer. The professor was quite pleased with himself and boasted to the students that he had proven once more that the Christian faith was a myth. 

Another student raised his hand and said, "Can I ask you a question professor?" 

 "Of course", replied the professor. 

The student stood up and asked, "Professor, does cold exist?" 

 "What kind of question is this? Of course it exists. Have you never been cold?" The students snickered at the young man's question. 

The young man replied, "In fact sir, cold does not exist. According to the laws of physics, what we consider cold is in reality the absence of heat. Every body or object is susceptible to study when it has or transmits energy, and heat is what makes a body or matter have or transmit energy. Absolute zero (-460 degrees F) is the total absence of heat; all matter becomes inert and incapable of reaction at that temperature. Cold does not exist. We have created this word to describe how we feel if we have no heat." 

 The student continued, "Professor, does darkness exist?" 

The professor responded, "Of course it does." 

 The student replied, "Once again you are wrong sir, darkness does not exist either. Darkness is in reality the absence of light. Light we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton's prism to break white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. You cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Isn't this correct? Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present." 

Finally the young man asked the professor, "Sir, does evil exist?" 

 Now uncertain, the professor responded, "Of course as I have already said. We see it every day. It is in the daily example of man's inhumanity to man. It is in the multitude of crime and violence everywhere in the world. These manifestations are nothing else but evil." 

To this the student replied, "Evil does not exist sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. Evil is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness and cold, a word that man has created to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. Evil is not like faith, or love that exist just as does light and heat. Evil is the result of what happens when man does not have God's love present in his heart. It's like the cold that comes when there is no heat or the darkness that comes when there is no light." 

 The professor sat down.

To sum everything up. Everything our good Lord created is good. All good things come from Him. But out of everything that God created, His most valuable, worthy and precious creation was you and me. 

The Bible in 366 Days For Women

Starting the new year with this book. "I have called you by name. you are Mine."