May

29

Celebrating all veterans!

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This Memorial Day, we celebrate our serviceman and heroes who’ve paid the price and sacrificed so much for our country. We salute them all for their valiant efforts to ensure the safe keeping of our land and its liberty.

America, the land of the free, is a concept our founding fathers brought forth on this continent that all men should be free from tyranny. They acknowledged their Creator as God, thus paving the way for America to become a blessed nation of freedom.

Among the heroic souls who braved their lives to secure our liberty, there’s another who made the ultimate and distinguished sacrifice—our savior, Jesus Christ. The price he paid was the willing offer to give up his own life in obedience to the Father in an effort to bring new life and restoration to every believer.

Thank you, Lord, that we have liberty to worship you in this great land because of the sacrificial efforts of so many…the greatest being your Son.

“…and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” ~2 Corinthians 3:17

May

22

Make a joyful noise

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Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation ~ Psalm 95:1

 What better way to communicate to the Lord than through prayerful and joyous singing. When a joyful surge wells up, it is often expressed through song. In addition to the book of Psalms, God’s word is full of verses that encourage believers to worship him through music.

Ephesians 9:15 says we are to speak to each other in psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.

Colossians 3:16 says to let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

Standing before the tabernacle at the tent of meeting as well as in the temple, cymbals, harps, lyres, trumpets were all used to worship and glorify the Lord. The Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and kinsmen together with the trumpets of the 120 priests, praised the Lord saying, He indeed is good for His lovingkindness is everlasting. Then the house of the Lord was completely filled with a cloud, signifying God’s glory filling the temple.

The word also says to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. No matter the skill or pitch of your vocal cords or whether you can even carry a tune in a handbag, God is honored when the sound you make comes from your heart.

May

17

Let love win

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The church in Corinth had a number of problems in its day; among them, divisions and contentions arose as to who was the better teacher. Within their infighting, they split apart and began to follow different leaders…among them were Apollos and Cephas.

Why the split? Why had contentious groups and factions formed among the brethren? Had they taken their eyes off of Jesus?

“…let there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment…”

~ 1 Corinthians 1:10

 In his letter to the Philippians, Paul encouraged them also to do everything within the fellowship of a united spirit, intent on one purpose—to love without selfishness or empty conceit—while maintaining the same mind and heart and to let each one consider one another as more important than himself.

At times, we need a self-awareness check, lest we get too full of self. Sometimes, self takes a wrong turn. In gentleness and love, we need to heed to a willingness to learn from one another and accept that we might not always see things the same way. Or is the goal to win the battle at all costs, despite the crossfire over being right? Love would rather be wronged. There should be a spirit of love so present that the differences in the matter become secondary and not what really counts. Love is always the goal. In our personal relationships, all that matters is that love wins.

May

08

Praise for our mothers

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Our mothers are the true day-to-day heroes. How blessed are those who’ve been nurtured by a Godly woman…one who takes the responsibility of raising her offspring under the guidance of her heavenly Father…who rises to every occasion to help support, encourage, and teach her offspring the way they should go, often selflessly and at every opportunity.

A good mother’s love often extends beyond herself. Sacrificially, she’ll deny herself before her children. She gives and gives until it’s time to give again—even as her children are grown, they will always be a part of her.

Next to Jesus, there is no other love like a mother’s love. Whether here on earth or at home with the Lord, we remember you today and every day with our utmost love and appreciation.

Mothers are God’s special gift to this world. Today, all mothers—grand, foster, and surrogate—are being celebrated. You are a blessing to your children and they are blessed to call you Mother. We hope you have a lovely day!

 

Lucy and Lena Parisano, my beloved mother and grandmother

May

02

He’s coming for His bride!

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With every covenant God has made with man from Abraham through Noah, David, and on down through the years, God has remained faithful to Israel, an unfaithful people. Though man let go of his end of the relationship and left God in the back seat through sin, he has always kept his promises.

God, by his grace, has proven over and over how much his people—the church—mean to him. Our Lord rejoices over us. Knowing this, we should rejoice always while serving him in our lives.

The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness” ~ Lamentations 3:22-23

 As the story of Hosea and his wife Gomer, God delivered a powerful message to the people regarding their unfaithfulness. As Hosea’s wife, Gomer was unfaithful to her husband, returning to a life of prostitution, so God felt betrayed by Israel’s infidelity as well. However, it wasn’t the end of the story. It didn’t end in divorce.

Though man broke the relationship through sin, God found a way to restore the intimacy. That is where Jesus Christ enters the picture. The penalty for our sins ends at the foot of the cross. The Bride of Christ is now clothed in pure whiteness without spot or blemish thanks to Jesus. We look forward to the marriage supper that, one day, will be. Until then, like the parable of the ten virgins, be ready to meet the bridegroom as we are his bride!