Fresh Start Daily

I’ve learned to trust God more as I learn about His character. When I realized how big God is, how generous He is to His children, I started to feel secure. God is a GIVING GOD. He knows the needs of His children. When I’m in need, I pray to God and I am reminded that my FATHER IN HEAVEN owns EVERYTHING! HE owns the universe. There is nothing He cannot give me, if He wills to give it to me.

I’ve proven the Lord’s faithfulness many times. I appreciate God in big things but it’s in the little things that I see how much He cares for me. When I’m hungry and I don’t have time to buy food because I’m busy with work or other tasks, I pray to God and He sends me someone to give me food. In the office, He often uses my prayerful friend, Anna.

Every time I forget my apartment keys, I ask God for someone in the compound to open the gate for me and every time I come home, the gate is open. When I’m running late for work and the cab driver who drives me to work every morning isn’t available, I ask God to give me a ride immediately and He sends a cab right on time.

It’s more amazing when I don’t ask God to tap someone to give me things (thank God I have a job) and He uses people to give them anyway. I remember I was planning to buy shoes last year because the shoes I was using were already worn out. Although I had the money, I couldn’t buy as if something was hindering me. Then when my mother got home, she handed me a pair of shoes! I exclaimed, “Kaya pala hindi ako makabili-bili!”

When I asked God for a miracle to be assured that He still knows me, He dropped a paper bill on the sidewalk. (I did not ask for money. I just asked Him to assure me that He still knows me by giving me a sign.) God does things that leave me in awe of Him. He is so sweet. He answers prayers. When I’m in need, His help always comes right on time. God is able to do anything (Luke 1:37)! God is able to give us anything because He is God. He wants us to rely on Him more than ourselves. God doesn’t like it when we rely on our abilities and forget that our abilities are from Him in the first place. Our talents and skills are from God. Everything is from Him.

I realized, we won’t experience blessings from God when we live in abundance and we are able to provide for our needs. Why will we call on God for help when we can help ourselves, right? Sometimes God allows people to face financial crises because it is when we have nothing left in our pocket that we remember God. Sad to say but it is when our limited power is consumed that we turn to a supernatural being to manifest His limitless power. God will not stop reaching out to us because He cares for us. He loves us. He doesn’t want any of His children to perish.

“Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God…” 2 Corinthians 3:5

My sufficiency is from the Lord. I may be able to do things on my own but without God, the things I do have no meaning. Without God’s guidance, I struggle; with God’s guidance, things run smoothly. Everything I have belongs to God: the roof over my head, the clothes I wear, the money in my wallet, the food I eat, etc. My hands are His, my feet, my body… Everything! He owns everything!

I feel happy for my brothers and sisters in Christ who are blessed materially. I know that whatever they have is a product of God’s grace. 

 There’s no need to feel envious or to compete because God’s children have the assurance of provision (Hebrews 13:5). When we are deeply rooted in Christ, we won’t be blinded by the riches of the world. Even if there’s nothing left in our pocket, God will always, always provide. He can use even wicked people to provide for our needs. The Lord can and will sustain us. All the riches in the world is nothing compared to what God has prepared in heaven for those who love Him.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT

“The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.” Revelation 21:21 NLT

The street that we will walk on in heaven is of pure gold! However, the Lord’s eternal presence excites me more than gold. It says in the Bible that God Himself will wipe every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death, weeping, or pain (Revelation 21:4). There is no need for moon or sun because God’s glory is enough to light the place. Wow!

“And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light.” Revelation 21:23

My prayer is that I will store treasures in heaven more than in this world. Heaven is my home. We are mere sojourners on earth.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

We don’t own anything because everything we have is only entrusted to our care by the Lord. We cannot boast about anything, even if we worked hard for it, because everything is from God–even our strength and ability to make wealth. We are only STEWARDS of God’s creation.

“Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.” 1 Timothy 6:17

“You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” Deuteronomy 8:18

Financial stability is not guaranteed. Even if we have saved enough for the next generations in our family, anything can happen. We can lose our wealth any time. Job was a wealthy man. He was also blameless. One day Satan appeared to God and God boasted to Satan about Job’s righteousness. Satan told God that Job was only obedient to God because HE blessed him. God allowed Satan to test Job but warned him not to take Job’s life. In one day, he lost his livestock, servants, and children. Despite what happened, Job still blessed God.

Satan appeared again to God and HE allowed Satan to test Job for the second time. Job was then inflicted with skin sores. His wife told him to curse God and die and his friends mocked him. Job wished he hadn’t been born. He wanted to know why it all happened to him. God was upset with Job’s friends because they said things that were not right. God had a dialogue with Job and reprimanded him. God described to Job how He created the universe. God reminded him of His power. Job then acknowledged his wrong thinking. He realized God’s sovereignty and God was pleased with Job’s response. God forgave Job’s friends because Job interceded for them. Then the Lord restored his health, doubled his wealth, gave him new children, and gave him a long life.

God is able to give and take away. Job lost everything he possessed but God was able to return them to him twofold. He is God and He can do anything! He is a God that can do miracles. I learned that just because a person is rich doesn’t mean that he/she is blessed by the Lord. There are wealthy people who have no regard for the Lord. What gives joy and security is God. I’ve heard of a lot of stories of rich, famous, and successful people who committed suicide because they were not happy. They lost hope. If God is not in our heart, no matter how big our bank account is, we will always feel empty. There is no true peace without HIM. It says in the Bible that we should not envy the wicked (Proverbs 24:1, Proverbs 24:19-20).

“So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid. For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave. In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success. But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day. People who boast of their wealth don’t understand; they will die, just like animals.” Psalm 49:16-20

“What does a man profit if he gains the world and loses his soul?” Luke 9:25

God’s blessings don’t always come in monetary form. Of all the blessings that I have received, the ones I am most thankful for are those that money cannot buy. I am grateful for the Lord’s salvation, protection, healing, deliverance, mercy… Oh, I can go on and on. I would be a hypocrite if I’d say I don’t need/want money. Who doesn’t need/want money?! To survive, we need to eat, we need to clothe our bodies, we need a shelter, etc. Money is a necessity. Just because a person wants to earn more doesn’t necessarily mean that he/she is not content. We can bless others with what we have. Sometimes our physical presence is not enough help. It’s not enough to just pray for people and spend time with them. Sometimes we really need to help financially/materially, and we cannot give what we don’t have.

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:14-17

“‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:35-40

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Hebrews 13:16

“Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” Matthew 5:42

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.” Proverbs 3:27

“Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Romans 12:13

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.” Proverbs 19:17

“The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” Proverbs 22:9

Money isn’t evil. It’s the love of money that is [evil]. The problem is the motive of the heart. If we want money to heed the lusts of the flesh, to boast…then that’s what’s evil.

“For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.” 1 Timothy 6:10 NLT

“Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!” Ecclesiastes 5:10 NLT

God doesn’t want His children to suffer in poverty. God made Solomon the richest person in the world even without Solomon asking for riches. God returned the wealth of Job and even doubled it. Jabez, the man mentioned in the first Chronicles, prayed to God for His blessing and God granted him what he requested.

“There was a man named Jabez who was more honorable than any of his brothers. His mother named him Jabez because his birth had been so painful. He was the one who prayed to the God of Israel, ‘Oh, that you would bless me and expand my territory! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain!’ And God granted him his request.” 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NLT

God knows we have needs and wants. God is not a miser. God is not selfish. God wants to satisfy the desires of our hearts ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. He wants us to enjoy His creations. God is not narrow-minded. The Lord delights when we are happy.

“The Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, as he took delight in your fathers…” Deuteronomy 30:9 ESV

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 ESV

God is faithful. He will never forsake His children. He will not leave His children’s needs unmet. He is my true wealth. With or without money, I love the Lord. When everything is stripped off, who am I? Sometimes I ask myself this question to check my heart. The body that God gave me is more precious than anything I adorn it with. I’m learning to put God’s agenda before my agenda. I’m learning to just obey the Hoy Spirit. For the desires I have that will not be satisfied, I know God has a reason. I just have to keep on trusting Him. He knows best.

“I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.” Psalm 37:25 ESV

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 ESV

I don’t know why as I get older, I become more clumsy. Last Saturday, I tripped and the back part of my right leg scraped the rough part of the chair. It’s been 6 days and a scab has formed but it’s still painful. The wound is not that big but it causes me to limp.

The thought of it leaving a scar worried me but at the same time, it led me to worship the Lord. I told God that He is more important than my skin or my body. Even if my body gets destroyed, God will give me a new glorious body in heaven. Our bodies will be transformed from perishable to imperishable.

I opened my Bible tonight and was surprisingly led to 1 Corinthians 15:50-54. Goosebumps!!! Not only because He led me to those verses but also because His Words are real.

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

I offer my body to the Lord. My hands, feet, eyes, ears, lips… My entirety is His. God is more important than our body. I surrender everything to my God. 

I experimented with three different chocolate cupcake recipes today to see which one is the best. The third one turned out to have the best texture and taste. This will be my go-to chocolate cupcake recipe from now on