2013 Day 302 – Unforgettable

29 Tuesday Oct 2013

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Three years ago this past Saturday, my dad passed away from a relatively short battle with cancer. While both of my parents have always meant a lot to me, I always credit my dad for making me the man that I am today. The memory of his life is always one of respected and honor. But the memory of his last year with us is painful. To watch this man suffer and experience the tremendous amounts of pain he endured burns sadness in my heart.

The day before the anniversary of his death, I came across a post on Facebook with the following article. It painted, in pictures, the journey one man took watching his wife succumb to breast cancer. In the three years since my dad’s death, I have never found a closer representation (though far from exact) of what we went through watching my dad suffer. The author warns of the last three pictures, not because of anything graphic, but because he said “the last 3 photos destroyed me”. It destroyed me too.

This Guy’s Wife Got Cancer, So He Did Something Unforgettable. The Last 3 Photos Destroyed 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.

2013 Day 301 – Ezekiel 16-19, Isaiah 39

28 Monday Oct 2013

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Again, not too much from today’s reading other than this thought… God does not find pleasure in punishment. God repeatedly allowed the Israelites the opportunity to turn from their wicked ways, but they continued to sin until God finally had enough. For us, this means that God wants to bless us. He wants to show nothing but loving kindness. But when we continue in sin there comes a time when God removes His hand of protection and allows the consequences of our sin to take over. It is up to us to make sure we listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and obey His calling for us because the consequences of sin is never pleasant.

2013 Day 300 – Ezekiel 12-15, Isaiah 38

27 Sunday Oct 2013

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I do not have much to say about today’s reading. I do have a thought from last night’s dinner conversation with friends… Judgement from God comes as much from what we do as what we don’t do. Obedience comes from following God (not necessary the rules) and being willing to deal with the consequences of where He leads us. If you were asked to renounce your faith or be imprisoned, would you be obedient or would you avoid prison? My initial answer is simple, but what if prison meant physical and emotional torture? Obedience requires much more than rule following, it requires submission to the plan God has before us and being willing to accept an outcome which may not be for our personal best interest. We must accept where God leads us and realize the impact His plan will have in the light of eternity.

2013 Day 299 – Ezekiel 8-11, Isaiah 37

26 Saturday Oct 2013

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Even when we are in the middle of trials in our lives, God is our sanctuary. In Ezekiel 11:16 it says, “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.’” No matter how dark it seems, God is with us and looks to be the place we can go to find comfort. I would imagine people who are imprisoned for their faith finding God to be their sanctuary when they face torture and confinement. I too often find myself waiting too long to find comfort from God. He wants to be there for me throughout and I need to trust in Him immediately instead of waiting. God is my comforter and in Him is where my trust should be.

2013 Day 298 – Ezekiel 5-7, Isaiah 36

25 Friday Oct 2013

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The people of Judah trusted in their abilities, prosperity and possessions instead of God. Because of this, God allowed them to be destroyed on the basis of their trust. Ezekiel 7:8 says, I am about to pour out my wrath on you and spend my anger against you. I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices. When we trust in our careers, family, friends, the economy, government or military for our security, we put God as a backup. We are to put God first and foremost as our protector and guide in all we do.

2013 Day 297 – Ezekiel 1-4, Isaiah 35

24 Thursday Oct 2013

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Today we begin the book of Ezekiel who was a younger contemporary of Jeremiah. While Jeremiah ministered to the people while they were still in Judah, Ezekiel prophesied to the people who were already exiled to Babylon. He was taken there in 597 B.C. and the book was written approximately 571 B.C. The purpose of the book was to once again announce judgement on Israel and other nations. The book also takes part in announcing salvation to God’s people. Like God’s people back in Ezekiel’s day, we are never without explanation and direction. We just need to choose to follow God’s instruction.

2013 Day 296 – 1 Peter 4-5, Isaiah 34

23 Wednesday Oct 2013

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Trust is a difficult thing. It requires us to humble ourselves into allowing someone else to care for us. The same applies to trusting in God with all our needs. When we attempt to do it all on our own it creates anxiety and stress in our lives. 1 Peter 5:7 says, Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. When we carry all the stresses and worries by ourselves, we show we do not fully trust God with our lives. Sometimes we think the struggles cause by our own sin and foolishness are not concerns of God. But when we turn our trust over to God, He will even bear the burden of carrying the burden from that anxiety as well.

2013 Day 295 – 1 Peter 1-3, Isaiah 33

22 Tuesday Oct 2013

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Today we begin the letters of the Apostle Peter starting with the book of 1 Peter. The letters were written to encourage Christians who were beginning to suffer for their faith. One of the ways Peter encouraged believers was to remind them of the everlasting power of salvation through Jesus Christ. He reminded them, no matter what happened to them on earth, their salvation was forever. In 1 Peter 1:24, Peter quotes a verse from Isaiah 40:6-8 reminding them that the thing of this world will fade but God and His ways are permanent, For, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever. Let this be a reminder to us; while our sadness, pain, and suffering may feel overwhelming at times, God’s grace, mercy, and peace are always available to us.

2013 Day 294 – Francis Chan: Two Scariest Lies in the World Right Now

21 Monday Oct 2013

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For this week’s Reflection post, I wanted to share this video by Francis Chan. As believers who have accepted Christ and His gift of salvation, we know how much we need Him. But right now there are two lies this world likes to tell everyone that keeps them from wanting and experiencing Christ; “you are a good person” and “because God is a loving God, He will not punish us”. In Roman 3:23 it says, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Do not be deceived by the lies of this world. While we do not deserve it, God loves us and wants to provide the grace we need no matter how much we want to believe the lies that are told.

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.

2013 Day 293 – 2 & 3 John, Isaiah 32

20 Sunday Oct 2013

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The verse that stood out to me the most today was 2 John 1:6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. Loving one another is a recurring theme throughout the Bible and it is a reflection of Christ’s love that we are to show one another. There are many hurting people in this world and it is easy to forget that not everyone knows Christ’s love for us. It is our responsibility to be that reflection of who He is and how much He cares for us.