Fresh Start Daily

I learned that if there is one thing God is intolerant about, it is false teachers. A false teacher is someone who teaches religious things that are not based on the Word of God, or they may be based on the Word of God but they’re twisted.

There are several reasons why some teachers do that. First, they choose political correctness. It’s either because they are scared to offend or they want others to think they’re kind and accepting. They don’t preach the truth about God. They sugarcoat it. Second, they want to take advantage of others.

Third, it may be that they don’t really know God’s Word. They just teach whatever they feel like teaching and sprinkle it with the Word of God to make it sound legit. It can also be that they think what they are taught in their religion is the right thing and they don’t bother finding out if what they are taught is real or not.

Many people are sincere when it comes to their faith. They sincerely want to follow the Lord. The problem is, they are sincerely mistaken. Many of us say we love God, but, do we really know God? Who is God? What did He do? What is He going to do? What pleases Him? What displeases Him? We cannot say we love someone we don’t know.

True love is knowing who the person is. True love is seeking what pleases and displeases the other person. We cannot say, I feel that I love God. Feel. It’s a dangerous word. What if you don’t feel love for Him anymore? What if you don’t feel God anymore? Not feeling God doesn’t mean He’s no longer there. Whatever we feel, God is real. I am not attacking other religions. I am simply sharing my experience. I came from a Catholic background. I prayed the rosary, did the novena, prayed to Mary and the saints canonized by people, joined Marian feasts, etc. I was even a part of the choir in a local Catholic church before.

I practiced the traditions in the Catholic church because that’s what I thought was the right thing to do. When I came to know Christ, I saw how different the Word of God is from what is taught in Catholicism. When I understood His Word, I started following it because God’s Word is valid and reliable.

God and His Word should be our final authority. I understand that believers will be persecuted by nonbelievers. It will happen because it is written in the Scripture. What’s sad is when believers persecute other believers for teaching the truth.

Faith is not based on emotion. Faith should be grounded on the Word of God. Feelings are fickle. We can’t even trust our heart. It says in the Bible that the heart is deceitful.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9

“God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.” 1 John 3:20

What is the basis of our faith? Is it emotion, other people’s opinion, or human tradition? Human tradition is created by humans. I love what pastor Jonathan Bradford said in one of the classes I sat in. He said, “Your opinion doesn’t matter. My opinion doesn’t matter. Only God’s opinion matters.” I couldn’t agree more. No matter what we feel, no matter what we say, no matter how we oppose the Word of God, at the end of the day, it’s God’s opinion that will prevail.

It’s the yeast I can do! 😅

Cashew cheese

Ingredients:

• 2 c raw unsalted cashew nuts (soaked for 1 hr.)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

• Soak the cashew nuts for 1 hour
• Drain the cashew nuts and blend
• Add garlic, salt, and pepper
• Add olive oil and lemon juice

No-cook pizza sauce:

Ingredients:

• 1-2 c tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp basil
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 1 tbsp rosemary

Directions:

• Combine all the ingredients. Mix well.

Pizza dough

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2/3 c lukewarm water

Directions:

• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt
• Add honey, olive oil, and water

Pizza toppings:

Ingredients:

• 2 large bell pepper
• 1 large white onion
• 5 large pieces Portobello mushroom
• fresh basil leaves

I like watching the yeast bloom. I’m weird, I know. 😅😂

When I got inside my room tonight (I came home around seven), I saw the iron still plugged in the socket!!! I left around 10 o’clock this morning and that means I left it on for nine hours!!! THANK GOD our apartment didn’t burn! I remembered that before I left our apartment this morning, I laid my hands on our wall near the door and asked God to protect my family, our apartment here in QC, our house in Naga, and the Tans’ place. I also asked God to cast out evil spirits from our place.

I used to always do that before leaving the house but recently, I forget to do it because I’m usually in a rush. I thank God for reminding me to pray over our house this morning. Prayer is really powerful. God is really powerful. I wonder what would’ve happened if I didn’t pray. Oh God, You are so good! You are my protector. You are my family’s protector. I praise You, Abba! He can protect us even if we don’t ask Him, yes, but He wants us to be intimate with Him. He wants us to always ask. As our heavenly Father, He wants us to talk to Him about anything and everything.

Lately, every time I open my Bible, it opens up to Luke 21:34-36. God has been telling me to watch and pray. I understand why. Lately, I’ve been worried about finding a new job. I know He will open doors of opportunities but I’m being impatient.

After reading these verses, I was awakened spiritually. Jesus is coming really soon and I shouldn’t be too worried about temporary things. I should be more concerned with the state of my spirit, with my heart posture. Of course being worried about finding a new job is a valid feeling but I shouldn’t wallow in it. God will give me a new job IN HIS TIME. I will worship the Lord no matter what.

• God is a HEALER (Exodus 15:26, Genesis 20:17, Deuteronomy 32:39, 2 Kings 20:5, Job 5:18, Psalms 30:2, Psalms 103:2-3, Psalms 147:3).

• God is a PROVIDER (Genesis 22:14, Deuteronomy 11:15, Psalms 68:10, Psalms 111:5, Psalms 147:9, Isaiah 43:20, Jeremiah 33:9, Acts 14:17).

• God is a SHEPHERD (Psalms 23:1, Psalms 80:1, Ezekiel 34:16, Matthew 2:6, John 10:11, 14, Hebrews 13:20).

• God is a PEACE GIVER (John 14:27, Judges 6:24, Psalms 29:11, Psalms 85:8, Psalms 119:165, Isaiah 26:3, Isaiah 32:17, Isaiah 54:10, 13, Isaiah 57:2, Philippians 4:7, 9).

• God is a MASTER (Exodus 4:10, 13)

• God is a FRIEND (2 Chronicles 20:7, Isaiah 41:8, Luke 5:20, John 15:13-14, James 2:23).

• God is a TEACHER (Job 36:22, Matthew 8:19, Matthew 9:11, Matthew 19:16, Matthew 22:16, Matthew 23:10, Matthew 26:18).

Aside from the ones listed above, there are many other names used in the Bible to describe God and His relationship with the people who revere Him. Among His many names, my number 1 is “FATHER”. We have to understand that not everyone is a child of God. We are all created by God but not all of us are children of God. It says in the Bible that only those who receive Him and believe in His name are given the right to become HIS CHILDREN.

“But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12-13 ESV

As part of God’s spiritual family, we can enjoy the rights and privileges that being His child entails. We can come to God boldly because we are His adopted sons and daughters. We even become heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ! 🙂

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.” Romans 8:17 NIV

“So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.” Galatians 4:7 NIV

What an honor and a privilege it is to call God, the creator of the universe, MY Father—MY ABBA, FATHER. It’s so gracious and loving and sweet of God to allow me to call Him that. There is peace, comfort, joy, and security in knowing that I have a heavenly Father who knows everything about me—my flaws and all—and loves me still.

“…because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’. The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:14-16 NIV

“Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father’.” Galatians 4:6 NIV

Jesus encourages us to address God as our Father when we pray. He taught His disciples to pray and call on God as our Father in heaven.

“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name…’” Matthew 6:9 NIV

There are many other verses in the Bible pertaining to God as our Father. It’s overwhelming to know that having an intimate Father-and-child relationship with Him is possible. ❤️

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Dear friends, now we are children of God…” 1 John 3:1-2a NIV

usually go to the Tans uninvited. I’m that pesky auntie who loves to be around the little people in the family. 😆 I decided to surprise my nephews in school today and dropped by at lunch time.

Kulit faces 🤪

Psalm 23 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. However, it’s only now that I’ve come to personally understand the meaning of the LORD as MY shepherd.

I’ve been struggling lately with decision-making. I’ve been asking Him to give me direction. I’ve been asking Him to lead me, to shepherd me. I realized, we will see the true meaning of God’s Word when we are going through trials. I saw the importance of God being my shepherd. Like a sheep that’s prone to going astray, I am in constant need of His guidance, His leading. I am the Lord’s sheep. I just want to be where He wants me to be. I just want to obey Him as He leads me.

“Sheep can get their head caught in briers and die trying to get untangled. There are horrid little flies that like to torment sheep by laying eggs in their nostrils which turn into worms and drive the sheep to beat their head against a rock, sometimes to death. Their ears and eyes are also susceptible to tormenting insects. So the shepherd anoints their whole head with oil. Then there is peace. That oil forms a barrier of protection against the evil that tries to destroy the sheep.

At certain times of the year, great clouds of flies, mosquitoes and other insects would attack the shepherd’s flocks. In addition, the sheep could be afflicted by lice and ticks. These insects would especially attack the heads of the sheep, burrowing into their ears and noses. The results could range from irritation to disease to even death. To protect the sheep, the shepherd would make a mixture of olive oil and anoint the head of the sheep, rubbing the oil into its wool and especially around its nose, eyes, and ears.”

Above is a snippet of the article I read online about the anointing of the sheep’s head with oil. I learned how dependent the sheep is on its shepherd. Without shepherding, they will stray and die. I learned before that the hooked tip of the shepherd’s rod is designed as such because the sheep is prone to wander away from the flock and the shepherd uses that to bring it back. Now I understand why people are referred to as sheep in the Bible.

Heavenly Father, as Your sheep, help me to always heed Your voice and Your voice alone. Help me to obey especially when it’s not easy. You are my shepherd. I am Your sheep. Lead me. Guide my every step. Anoint my head with oil. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.