30 Sunday Jun 2013
Posted in Reflection
I know most people have heard of the Duck Dynasty show. I love the show for several reasons. First, because it is entertaining. Second, because they are unafraid to share their lives as believers in a time when being called a “Christian” is not very popular. This short video shows how doing the right thing in the eyes of God is what is important.
If you ever come across anything you’d like me to post on this blog, please feel free to contact me at dino.evangelista@gmail.com.
29 Saturday Jun 2013
Posted in Reflection
Baptisms are one of my favorite things to witness in another believer’s life because they are the outward expression of what God is already doing inside of a person’s heart, mind, and spirit. I came across this short Hillsong NYC video they produced about their baptisms. The reason why I love this video is because it is so genuine. When baptism is done in an authentic way, it is simple and yet so powerful. I hope this video moves you the way it moved me.
If you ever come across anything you’d like me to post on this blog, please feel free to contact me at dino.evangelista@gmail.com.
28 Friday Jun 2013
Posted in Daily Reading
In today’s reading, Jesus once again praises John the Baptist for fulfilling his purpose in life better than anyone. In John 7:28 Jesus says, “I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” I was confused by that last part of the verse, but the notes in my Bible explained that everyone who comes after John the Baptist is greater because they have a greater knowledge of who Christ was and His real purpose on earth. John was the last to function like an Old Testament prophet because he was the last to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah. But even John did not fully understand Jesus Christ’s true purpose and and the actual function of the Messiah.
27 Thursday Jun 2013
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We spend a lot of time coming ere every day to read the Bible. While this is obviously a very good thing, we must do more than just read God’s word. We must apply the things we learn and His commandments for our lives. Luke 6:49 says, “But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” Let us not spend our time simply reading God’s word. Let us live out our lives based on God’s commands and the example left to us by Jesus Christ our savior.
26 Wednesday Jun 2013
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One of my favorite characters in the Bible is John the Baptist. The thing I love about him is how he lived his life and the sense of his purpose in the light of eternity. Everything John did in his life was to prepare the way for Jesus. Nothing was important to him other than glorifying God and paving the way for the Messiah. This is the perfect example of how we should be in relation to God. Don’t get me wrong, we do not need to live in the wilderness and eat locusts, but we should consciously do everything for the glory of God and to reflect Christ in our lives. John gave everything, including his life, for the glory of God. Are we willing to do the same?
25 Tuesday Jun 2013
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After generations of poor leadership (with a few exceptions), God finally lets the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah fall to the Babylonians in these last few chapters of 2 Kings. God gave them plenty of opportunities to do the right thing, but in the end they chose to trust in things other than God. Our reading in Psalm 91:1 fits nicely with this theme where it says, He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. If the Israelites had followed these words they would not have experienced being conquered and exiled from their land. We would do well to listen to this Psalm as well. If we dwell in the protection of our God, we can rest in knowing He will always protect us.
24 Monday Jun 2013
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Today we read more about King Hezekiah, and while he was by many standards a pretty good king, he made a very big mistake. He allowed the Babylonians access to see all that was in his kingdom, which would later in history prove to be a very big mistake because it allowed the Babylonians access to information for making plans for future conquest. This lesson applies to our personal lives as well. While it is good to have close friends, we must guard our hearts and minds to only allow a few select people to be that close. More importantly, we should never allow others to take the place of God in our lives. His presence and influence should never be superseded by anyone or anything. God is sacred and should be the first and most important relationship in our lives.
23 Sunday Jun 2013
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Up until now we have read about the Kings of Israel and how the majority either rebelled against God or chose to not follow Him fully. After all this rebellion, God finally allows the nation of Israel to be carried off into exile. It is important to realize that the Kingdom is divided, Israel and Judah, with completely separate rulers. In 2 Kings 18 we begin to read about the kings of Judah. While Judah also lapses into their own sins, we start by reading about King Hezekiah who tries to do what is right. In the long run we will read about kings who do not sustain what King Hezekiah is able to accomplish. Unfortunately, we are like this as well. Sometimes we do not learn from the examples of sin and foolishness around us.
22 Saturday Jun 2013
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There are plenty of examples of Kings in the history of Israel who tried to do what was right. The problem was that many of these kings failed to remove everything that was evil in the kingdom, which simply gave evil a foothold to come back. This is a great example for our lives. When we choose to do what is right, we must choose to eradicate everything that could have a foothold in our lives. This is how we move forward. Anything less will have a temporary affect.
21 Friday Jun 2013
Posted in Reflection
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I found this video by Andy Stanley for our reflection day this week. He talks about how we can have peace in all of our circumstances. When life in uncertain, God is not. Romans 8:28, “28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” I hope you enjoy today’s video.
If you ever come across anything you’d like me to post on this blog, please feel free to contact me at dino.evangelista@gmail.com.
