Conquered fear.

Day 32: Lucas 15:32 [MBB05]

Nararapat lang na tayo'y magsaya at magdiwang, sapagkat patay na ang kapatid mo, ngunit nabuhay; nawala, ngunit muling natagpuan. Sa kwentong ito, makikita natin na kahit na umalis at iniwan ng kaniyang anak ang kanilang pamilya (na nakapagpapakita ng kasakiman), hindi lamang siya tinanggap ng kaniyang ama, siya rin ay ipinaghanda ng isang piging upang pagsaluhan at ipagdiwang ang kaniyang pagbabalik. Ganito rin ang pagmamahal sa atin ng ating Panginoon. Ninanais ng ating Diyos na matagpuan at magbalikloob ang mga nawawala, at sa pagkasalba ng ating mga kapatid, ang buong kalangitan ay umaapaw sa kagalakan. Tayo ay hinihintay lamang Niyang magbalikloob sa Kaniya.

Day 30: Genesis 50:20 [Voice]

Joseph: Even though you intended to harm me, God intended it only for good, and through me, He preserved the lives of countless people, as He is still doing today.

In this passage, Joseph talks to his brothers about what they have done to him. In that story, Joseph’s brothers betrayed him and sold him into slavery when he was only a boy. With challenges and hardships, Joseph became the second-in-command of the Pharaoh, and was able to help lots of people to survive through the famine. Indeed, everything happens for a reason. We may be currently being through lots of obstacles and difficulties in our lives, but we must fear nothing, for God is great, and He surely does have good plans for all of us. For those experiencing failures and storms in their lives, let us hold onto Him and trust Him. Let's just remember that God can take even the meanest intention and worst situation and make it all work for good for His people.

Day 26: Psalm 32:8-9 [Voice]

I will teach you and tell you the way to go and how you get there; I will give you good counsel, and I will watch over you. But don't be stubborn and stupid like horses and mules who, if not reined by leather and metal, will run wild, ignoring their masters. There may be times in our lives that we feel lost, worry not, for our Lord said that He will instruct us, His people. Indeed, He encourages us to open hearts, trust and accept His instructions, and discourages us to be like animals who ignores Him, if we are given our feet. Trust Him, He will instruct us.

Day 25: Matthew 12:50 [Voice]

Jesus: Anyone who does the will of My Father in heaven is My mother and brother and sister. Some people consider their relationships with Jesus Christ as a friend, a best friend or maybe a very special friend. In a deeper sense, with this passage, He had declared that He is a family member to anyone who follows, trusts and believes in God. What He had declared means that obedience to God's will represents the source of true kinship - a relationship, a linkage between one another, through Him.

Day 24: Deuteronomy 4:31 [Voice]

He is a compassionate God. He won't abandon you or destroy you or forget the covenant He made with your ancestors - He swore to them that He'd keep it! I thought of sharing this because I felt empty and sad. Indeed, this passage is an encouragement for me, and all of us, that whatever situation we are in, whatever we've been through, He will always be with us, and He will accept our repentance since He is merciful and faithful to His covenant promises. Trust Him, and we will all be safe and alright.

Day 23: Isaiah 43:2 [Voice]

Eternal One: When you face stormy seas I will be there with you with endurance and calm; you will not be engulfed in raging rivers. It seems like you're walking through fire with flames licking at your limbs, keep going; you won't be burned. Whenever we feel afraid, alone or in distress, we should not be for He will always be with us. We will always be safe, for with Him, the impossibles are possible.

Day 22: Galatians 5:1 [NIV]

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Slavery is a state of a person who is strongly influenced and controlled by something (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Therefore, it happens when a person lose his/her freedom to choose. "I just can't say no." Familiar line? This is just one basic form of our slavery, when we could not have a free decision on our own. And when there is a loss in freedom, there is a loss of happiness to some degree, because when we do not have choices, we do not freedom, and we get depressed. With this passage, it is a reminder for us that God does not want for anyone or any behavior to be control us. We are created to be free.

Day 21: 2 Timothy 1:7 [Voice]

You see, God did not give us a cowardly spirit but a powerful, loving, and disciplined spirit.

We are not created to be weak, not to be someone who lacks courage. In our life, I am pretty sure we all felt weakness at least once, but we must always remember that we are given a spirit of great self-discipline to set as an example to other people, a spirit who is loving which allows us to portray the greatest of the Christian values(1 Co 13:13), and a spirit that is full of courage and power for us to perform our duties as a Christian such as to proclaim and tell the world about the gospel of Christ. We may feel weakness, but if we believe and trust in His words and His doings, we can always be reminded that we are given a powerful, loving and a disciplined spirit inside us.

In addition (from my LIFE Group leader): That spirit is the promised Holy Spirit through Christ. The invitation is inclusive of everyone but exclusive only to those who received through faith in Jesus.

✝✝inspiration/verse✝✝

Day 20: Proverbs 12:15 [ESV]

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. We all are just human beings, who care capable of mistakes. Indeed, as just mere human beings, this passage is really a good reminder for all of us. Accepting and realizing our own mistakes means we are growing as a person, for we can see a perspective that is really difficult for most of us to see. And if the case others try to come forth and talk to us, we should always have open ears and consider for what they might have to say. Again, we are foolish enough if we just only consider what we think is right.

Day 19: Ecclesiastes 4:10 [ESV]

For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! We are not meant to be alone. Our lives were designed by God to be lived in close relationship with others. Like any other thing in the universe that is alive, we are also relational in nature. As mentioned by Dr. Henry Cloud in his book The Secret Things of God, "We live in a relational universe. To survive, and to prosper, we have to be connected to others." True enough, we could have experienced this at least once in our lives, that in order for us not to feel empty, that in order for us to get up when we fall, we need to have friends, not just simple friends, but anyone whom you can build relationships that that go deeper than the surface, to where we literally have our hearts connected with one another in the spiritual realm. There may just be some time where we shut other people out of our lives, but we should also remember that we will be happy that we let others inside our lives. For those who are having issues of being alone, and such, you have to learn to open up with a few people, God did not intend for us to be alone. Life is just easier with your friends in it. :)

Day 18: Psalm 34:10 [Voice]

Young lions may grow tired and hungry, but those intent on knowing the Eternal God will have everything they need. This passage serves a reminder for all of us that even the big, vicious, king of the jungle, which is as we all know, good predators and mighty animals, may still be hungry and be exhausted in time, but those who looks forward to knowing Him, to have a continuous walk with Him, will have whatever they need for He is God and He will always be with us. God will provide, if we trust and put our faith in Him.

Day 17: Genesis 22:10-12 [Voice]

Just as Abraham reached over to grab the knife that would kill his son, the special messenger of the Eternal One called his name from heaven. Special Messenger: Abraham! Abraham!

Abraham: I am right here!

Special Messenger: Don't lay your hand on the boy or do anything to harm him. I know now that you respect the one True God and will be loyal to Him and follow His commands, because you were willing to give up your son, to Me.

This is the part when God tests Abraham and he passes with flying colors! Abraham did trust and put his faith in God, even if he was instructed to sacrifice his own son, he really is willing to do anything that the Lord says. Even though he is willing to sacrifice Isaac, he still believes in God's covenant with him, that somehow, whatever God's plan is, it will still be Isaac through whom God's blessings come to the world. He knows that God will provide, that God won't fail him. We may think that the fact sacrificing your own offspring is ridiculous, but if we really think this through, nothing is impossible with God.. We just need to put our trust in Him and lift everything up to Him. There may be days of sorrow, disappointments, problems, etc., in our lives, but come to think of it, what if we are just being tested by God? Only God knows. But whatever these negative days are, we can always trust that He will never fail us, that He will always be with us, and He will always love us, for as long as we put our faith in Him.