October 25, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Riches in Glory" Philippians 4:6-7 New Living Translation 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Remember learning to turn our worries into prayers and leaving them at the feet of Jesus. That lesson should stayed with us and regularly go back to that practice. Our world and the craziness of the times in which we live can cause anyone to have anxiety, but that’s where our faith, trust, and prayers come into play. Instead of allowing the worries of this world to drain us of our energy, we hand them over to God. We give Him our concerns and our worries through our prayers, and we trust Him to work in ways that only He can. We are not God, but He is, and He can do more than we could ever imagine. So with thankful hearts for what He has already.

October 24, 2024 Daily Devotion: “Full of Joy in The Lord” Philippians 4:1-5 New Living Translation 4 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters,[a] stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work. 2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true partner,[b] to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life. 4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. What a reminder of the importance of choosing to rejoice! No matter what is going on in our lives, we always have a reason to rejoice because of our relationship with Christ. He is near: near to the brokenhearted; near to the lonely woman; near to those who feel rejected. Because of this truth we rejoice, knowing that God is in control and we can find rest in Him.

October 23, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Press On" Philippians 3:12-14 New Living Translation 12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, [a] but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. We press on! That is the battle cry of our hearts as we day by day live our lives, not for our glory but His. We let go of the past, the pain, the heartbreak, and the disappointments. We let go of the weight that pulls us down – down into depression and down into despair – and instead we choose to live our lives in faith. We take God at His Word. In Christ we are a new creation. We have a new start and we choose to run. We run our race for God’s glory! We press into Him on the hard days because now we do not run our races alone; Jesus has made us His own. May we rejoice in this truth and run our races for God’s glory!

October 22, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Resurrection from The Dead" Philippians 3:5-11 New Living Translation 5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. 7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. [a] For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! In light of what we have in Christ, nothing compares. Nothing this world has to offer comes even close to the blessing of having a personal relationship with Jesus… NOTHING. May our hearts yearn for more of Him and less of this world. May we be men and women who seek after God’s righteousness – not out of pride but out of love. May we yearn for more of Him because He first loved us.

October 21, 2024 Daily Devotion: "United in Purpose" Philippians 2:20-21 New Living Translation 20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. We all live busy lives filled with to-do lists, reminders, and appointments. In the midst of our busyness, we can forget that our true purpose here on earth is to glorify God with the days He has given us. Timothy was such an encouragement to Paul because instead of seeking his own interests, Timothy sought the Lord’s. What a powerful statement Paul shares about Timothy! May we all live lives like Timothy – lives completely sold out to God for His glory.

October 20, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Shining Like Bright Lights" Philippians 2:14-18 New Living Translation 14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. 17 But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. 18 Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy. Our words reflect our hearts. The first step in combatting a complaining attitude is to control what we allow our minds to focus on. This means taking every thought captive. The world is watching to see if what we say we believe is reflected in how we live our lives. Our purpose in the here and now is to reflect Christ to a world that is desperately searching for a Savior. As we run this amazing race of life for God’s glory, we have an opportunity to show the world the difference Christ makes in us through our love, actions, choices, and speech. This world will disappoint us, try to defeat us, and discourage us to no end. But we are not made for this world, and so our source of joy is not found here either. When we view our earthy home as what it is – temporary – we are free to hold this world loosely, knowing heaven is coming. Instead of allowing complaints and arguments to waste our time, may we choose to focus our minds on ways to be a light in this world to a generation who desperately needs Jesus.

October 19, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Master Plan" Philippians 2:12-13 New Living Translation 12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. We are not alone in this amazing work God has called us to! What a comfort to know that God works in us to do His will; He doesn’t just leave us to do it alone. He equips us, guides us, and enables us according to His good purpose. God is the master architect, and He is using each of our lives to build up His beautiful Church. We may not see how powerfully God is using us this side of heaven, but one day we will. Until then, we need to walk in obedience to God’s calling on our lives and trust Him with the master plan.  

October 18, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Let's Get Busy" Philippians 2:5-11 New Living Translation 5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. 9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. One day EVERY knee will bow in honor to the name above all names… Jesus. Not only will everyone bow, but everyone will confess that Jesus is Lord! What a glorious day that will be! In the meantime, we have a lot of work to do! We can never stop reaching out to a hurting world that is desperate to know the One who bears this most powerful name… Jesus! Now is not the time to shrink back or hold back. It’s the time to reach out, roll up our sleeves, and get to work. Now is the time to reach out to a world that needs to feel the love of Christ. Now is the time to help people experience forgiveness and receive unconditional love! That glorious day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess is coming, but until that day let’s get busy!

October 17, 2024 Daily Devotion: "One Mind, One Purpose" Philippians 2:1-4 New Living Translation 2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. When we realize God is ultimately in control and our lives are in His trustworthy hands, we can stop pushing our agenda. Instead of having a selfish, self-centered to-do list, we release our wants, dreams, and desires for something far greater… HIS! Life isn’t about accomplishments but rather relationships: our relationship with Christ and our relationship with others. How we live our lives really comes down to a question we have to answer daily: will we live for Christ or will we live for ourselves? When we live for ourselves – our wants, our desires, and our dreams – we become our own focus, not Jesus. But what if we chose differently? What if when we wake up each morning, we choose Jesus? Before our feet hit the floor, let’s surrender our day to Him. Instead of having an inward focus, let’s reach out in humility to others, recognizing ways we can be Jesus’ hands and feet right where He has placed us. Humility isn’t thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less often – His will over our own.  

October 16, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Ultimately in Control" Philippians 2:4 New Living Translation   4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. When we realize God is ultimately in control and our lives are in His trustworthy hands, we can stop pushing our agenda. Instead of having a selfish, self-centered to-do list, we release our wants, dreams, and desires for something far greater… HIS! Life isn’t about accomplishments but rather relationships: our relationship with Christ and our relationship with others. How we live our lives really comes down to a question we have to answer daily: will we live for Christ or will we live for ourselves? When we live for ourselves – our wants, our desires, and our dreams – we become our own focus, not Jesus. But what if we chose differently? What if when we wake up each morning, we choose Jesus? Before our feet hit the floor, let’s surrender our day to Him. Instead of having an inward focus, let’s reach out in humility to others, recognizing ways we can be Jesus’ hands and feet right where He has placed us. Humility isn’t thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less often – His will over our own.

October 15, 2024 Daily Devotion: "We Live for Christ" Philippians 1:27-30 New Living Translation 27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. 29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. 30 We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it. To live is Christ, and to die is gain. What do we have to lose as Christians? Nothing in this world matters except what we are doing to point others to Christ. This world is not our home. This life is not our end. Heaven awaits, and in the meantime we have work to do here. May we never settle for loving this world and all that it has to offer. We are here for a purpose: to glorify God in the here and now. What you are going through is not a mistake. There is a greater purpose in all our sorrows and celebrations. Because of Paul’s chains, he was able to reach a group of soldiers he otherwise would not have been able to reach. When we live for Christ, we realize we have gained heaven. Paul was able to rejoice despite his circumstances because his joy was not found in the present, but in what was to come.

October 14, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Anchor for Truth" Colossians 2:8 New Living Translation 8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. When we love the world, our perception becomes skewed. We forget that the world is in the power of the evil one. When we do that, the things of the world begin to look attractive and if we are not careful, we can be influenced by the world and as a result, damaged by the devastation of sin. It is, therefore, critical that we are not careless in how we live our lives and instead alert to the different ways we can be influenced by the values found in the world instead of God’s Word. Even though we live in the world, we must remember that we are not of the world. We belong to Christ. Instead of living aimlessly and allowing the world to dictate our affections and beliefs, God calls us to hold firm to His teaching and continue in our belief. By doing this, we will not let go of the Truth when the world tries to sway us a different way. How can you guard against loving the things of this world?

October 13, 2024 Daily Devotion: "We Are Never Alone" Deuteronomy 31:8 New Living Translation 8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Never forget that no matter where you go or where you’ve been, you are never alone. As you continue down your path of faith, Christ is walking step-by-step with you. There is a higher purpose for your life, and Christ is working through your day-to-day circumstances toward His higher calling. Remember these things when you are tempted to complain either vocally or internally: despite what is happening Christ is working, people are watching, and we always have a reason for praise instead of grumbling. In the midst of a dark and angry world, let’s embrace opportunities daily to show unity, love, and to boldly speak truth.

October 12, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Fruit of Salvation" Philippians 1:7-11 New Living Translation 7 So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. 8 God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ[a]—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. “One day” is coming. Until the day when every soul will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and every knee in every language will bow – from every nation and all corners of the world – until that glorious day, we have a job to do. We are to live like Christ. In previous verses (5-8) we see that Christ came as a humble servant to a world that did not know Him. He took on the attitude of humility and emptied Himself as he served those around Him. Sweet friends, until that glorious day when every knee will bow, we have work to do. May it begin with us… here and now.

October 11, 2024 Daily Devotion:   "The Alpha and Omega" Philippians 1:1-6 New Living Translation 1 This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, 5 for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Rest in God’s sovereignty. The amazing work He started in you, He will finish. Life might not be happening the way you expected. Circumstances might not be what you envisioned when you pictured your life years ago, but trust Him in the process. He is working, even when you don’t see Him or feel Him. He will complete what He began in you. He will equip you for the task and see you through. Your job is to abide in Him and leave the results in His hands. The same hands that crafted the evening sunsets and budding flowers are also at work in your life. Don’t disappear when the “work” of your life isn’t turning out as you had expected. God’s not done with you yet!

October 10, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Think Up!" Philippians 4:8 New Living Translation 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. To combat lies, we must think about what is true. Often, we want to think about a worst-case scenario or allow our thoughts to dwell on the things of this world. Scripture commands us to “think up.” As believers, we should renew our minds constantly and think about things of God, not things of earth. So, what are the things of Heaven rather than the things of earth? According to Philippians 4:8, Paul encourages believers to think about whatever will build up the body of Christ. These include things that are honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, or worthy of praise. The messages we receive from television, radio, and the internet can often contradict this Scripture. Therefore, we must be intentional about protecting our minds from the lies of the world and from the deception of the enemy. How might you be more intentional about thinking about Heavenly things? Try to think of three strategies you can place in your daily routine.

October 09, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Truth Over Lies"   Psalm 25:5 New International Version 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Distinguishing between truth and lies can sometimes seem like driving in the fog. The road is difficult to navigate when the path is unclear. Our Heavenly Father wants us to seek Him for clarity. In Psalm 25, when King David was overwhelmed by his enemies, he prays to God for guidance. David’s prayer expresses his complete trust in God’s ability to show him the proper path. God’s character is the foundation of his trust. When we seek the Lord, we will find Him. He will not allow us to walk in darkness. We simply must be patient and wait for His guidance. In what area are you struggling to discern the truth? Take some time to ask God for discernment. He is faithful in showing you the way.

October 08, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Walk in Truth" John 8:31-32 New Living Translation 31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus reminded His disciples in John 8:31-32 that if they obey His word, they are His disciples. The only way to obey Jesus’ word is to know what it is. The only way we will know Truth is by knowing God’s Word. The more we study the Bible, the more we will recognize when someone says something that is contrary to Scripture. Studying Scripture takes time and discipline. Walking in Truth is not easy. The world does not encourage believers to obey Jesus’ teaching. However, the benefit of knowing Jesus’ word, the Truth of our lives, far outweighs the cost. What practice can you set into place to help you walk in Truth?

October 07, 2024 Daily Devotion:   "Grow In Wisdom" James 1:5 New International Version   5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. Overcoming the lies in our lives requires us to exhibit wisdom. Some of us may not think of ourselves as wise. Fortunately, wisdom is a trait we can develop. Scripture mentions a couple of ways we can grow in wisdom. The first way to gain wisdom is by spending time with wise people. There is truth to the English idiom, “birds of a feather, flock together.” Wise people associate with the wise and fools accompany fools. The second way to grow in wisdom to ask God for wisdom. He is faithful to bestow this gift to the ones who ask in faith. When was the last time you sought wisdom from those around you or through prayer?

October 6, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Full Armor of God" Ephesians 6:11-17 New International Version 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Since we must fight for truth, how are we to overcome the lies of this world? One powerful way is to arm ourselves with the armor of God. Ephesians 6:11-17 describes a Christian’s clothing as a war suit. To stand against the lies of the world, we must put on the characteristics of God. We have hope, because God is the one who gives us the armor we need. However, it is our responsibility to clothe ourselves, prepare for, and fight when the battle rages. We are commanded to put on the full armor of God. To overcome the world, every piece is vital. These items include: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God. God’s truth will keep us from falling. Righteousness – or Christlike living – protects us from the consequences of temptation. The gospel gives us a firm foundation. Faith protects us in all things. Salvation is critical for battle. The Word of God allows us to cut through and destroy any lie we encounter. So how do we put on the armor of God? Spending time in God’s Word, prayer, fellowship with other believers, trusting Christ, and sharing the gospel with others all help strengthen our faith. Through these practices, we can resist temptation and have victory over lies. Which piece of armor do you need to remember to put on today?

October 5,2024 Daily Devotion: "New Wine" Psalm 4:6-7 New International Version 6 Many, Lord, are asking, “Who will bring us prosperity?” Let the light of your face shine on us.7 Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound. Psalm 68:3 declares that the righteous will be glad and celebrate because of God. He is the reason for our joy and our salvation. He gives us purpose and life. Those who do not believe often try to fill their lives with other things, but they ultimately are unsatisfied. What is one example where your relationship with Christ has brought you joy?  

October 04, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Pure Joy" James 1:2-4 New International Version 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. When was the last time you rejoiced in your suffering? Most of us do not sing praises when a nail punctures the tire of our car on the drive to work or when we lose a job. Instead, we get frustrated at our situation. Yet, we can experience joy in trials. The New Testament teaches that challenging times allow us, as believers, to grow in our faith. According to Scripture, challenges enable us to develop perseverance – which then allows for us to become mature in our faith. Imagine what would happen if a soldier never trained in adverse conditions. How might he survive in combat? In the same way, with each trial, we become stronger in our faith. We also have hope in our trials and can be confident in our hope because God’s love is faithful. Our Heavenly Father gives us the Holy Spirit as a gift, so we can understand and sense His unfailing love for us, even in our difficulties. How can you have a positive outlook during a difficult circumstance? The task is not easy, but you will not be walking alone.

October 03, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Treasures in Heaven" Matthew 6:19-21 New Living Translation 19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. We think possessions will bring happiness. Retail therapy comforts our tears. Yet, the items we accumulate do not fill our spiritual void. Jesus taught on maintaining a proper perspective of possessions. Ultimately, our wealth and our lives belong to God. We cannot take what we own with us into eternity. Therefore, putting all our time, resources, and energy into material things is fruitless. How we manage the resources God gives us shows where our priorities and affections lie. How are you currently using your possessions to glorify God? Is there anything in your life you need to declutter to make more room for Jesus?

October 02, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The True Provider" Hebrews 13:5 New International Version 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” We like to believe the lie that money brings happiness. However, there are some will justify that money cannot bring true happiness King Solomon, the wealthiest and wisest king of Israel, said in Ecclesiastes 5:10 that the person who loves wealth will never be satisfied. How much do you rely on money for your own satisfaction?

October 01, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Victor’s Mindset" Isaiah 43:18-19 New King James Version “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. Have you ever been hurt by someone? We all have, in one way or another. We live in a broken world with sinful people. Pain is a condition of the human experience. But with God’s help, we don’t have to stay in that pain forever. We can heal and move forward in faith and forgiveness as we let go of the past and embrace the future. We must remember we are never alone in our pain, God is right there with us and gives us the strength to overcome. Joseph, son of Jacob, illustrates this principle. His brothers sold him as a slave, but God used that tragic event to advance His purpose. Instead of acting as a victim in his circumstances, Joseph trusted in God’s plan. Yes, we live in a broken world but we must remember that God is more powerful than any evil, any pain…any heartbreak and He can bring good out of any horrible event. So while we cannot control what happens to us, we do have a choice in how we respond. We can either allow our pain to keep us in our past, or we can choose to move forward in faith trusting God to redeem our pain and bring beauty out of ashes.

September 30, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Walk in Obedience" 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 New International Version 4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. Have you ever known what God wanted you to do in life, but were afraid you were incapable of completing His calling? You are not alone in your fear. A lie many of us believe is that we cannot know or cannot do what God wants for us in this life. We can combat this lie with Scripture. 2nd Corinthians 3:4-5 says we have confidence before God through Christ. God gives us everything we need to complete His plans for us. This confidence is not received by our own accomplishments, but every competency we have comes through Christ. Take a moment to think about something you feel like God wants you to accomplish for Him that you might have been afraid to do in the past. Knowing that God will provide you with all you need to complete His task, what is a step you feel you need to take to walk in obedience?

September 29, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Source of Our Ability" John 15:5 New International Version 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. Multitudes have written on the secret to success. Overnight success stories capture the hearts of nations. Reality television capitalizes on this fascination. When we reach a milestone we have worked toward, it is easy to revel in the accomplishment. It is no wonder that success can be addictive. But we must remember that achievements do not define us. Whenever we reach a milestone in our lives, we must remember Who brought us where we are. Jesus is the source of our ability. It is through Him that we can do.

September 28, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Chosen People" 1 Peter 2:9-10 New International Version 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. We believe that if we fail, we are a failure. Beloved, run from this lie. God allows us to fail to reveal His strength in us. Our failure highlights our need for Christ. It reminds us to surrender to His will. But falling short on a goal does not mean you fall short in the eyes of God. God loves you no matter your weakness or your shortcomings. His priority is your walk with Him. Leave behind the blame. Learn from the past. Remember Whose you are. What failure do you need to lay at the foot of the cross today? Remember, Jesus’ blood covers all your failures: past, present, and future.

September 27, 2024 Daily Devotion: “No Age Limit” 1 Timothy 4:12 New International Version 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Have you ever put an age limit on God’s plans for your life? We often feel that our age restricts us from accomplishing our goals or dreams. Like the height restriction at a rollercoaster, we stand stretching to see if God will let us on the ride. But the truth is that God sets no age restrictions. He uses both the young and old for His glory. God used Josiah, an eight-year-old king, to turn the hearts of the nation of Judah back to Him (2 Kings 22). The Apostle Paul remind Timothy to not allow his youth to be a stumbling block for his ministry – but rather to be an example by how he lived. On the opposite side of the spectrum are those of us who feel that our “glory days” of serving the Lord are over. Because of age, health, or feeling a lack of opportunity, we sense that God has placed us on His eternal display case. Friend, God powerfully uses those with life experience to strengthen, train and encourage the next generation. No matter your age, God WANTS you to be on mission for Him. Are you willing to open yourself to whatever opportunity He has already planned for you?

September 26, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Trust in The Lord" Proverbs 3:5-6 New International Version 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. [a] We live in a world that values individualism. Asking for help appears weak. However, according to Scripture, we do not have to rely on our own strength. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 discusses how God chose to use the weak, foolish, and poor of the world to show the world how insignificant human achievement is compared to salvation. God accomplishes great things through ordinary people. He gives the weary strength. Since it is God who raises us to new heights, we have no right to boast. Those who claim accomplishments on their own neglect God’s role in their life, but when we acknowledge the Lord, He will take us to places we never thought possible. In what ways have you tried to rely on your own strength instead of allowing God to help you? The Lord wants to help you. Will you allow Him?

September 25, 2024 Daily Devotion: "God's Loving Kindness" Romans 5:8 New International Version 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. The most isolating lies we can believe about ourselves is that we are not loved. Some studies estimate 1 in 5 people feel unloved at a given time [1]. The Almighty God, Creator of the Universe loves YOU. He loves you so much that even when you were against Him He had suffer and die for you. God sacrifice His divine nature so He could have a personal relationship with you. Jesus’ sacrifice was not dependent upon your behavior or your personality. It was based exclusively on the character of God. What comfort can you take in the truth of God’s love for you?

September 24, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The God of Peace" Hebrews 13:20-21 New International Version 20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Sometimes we experience a that grasps hold of us and we can’t seem to shake. We begin to believe the lie that we cannot change. We will always be a victim. We will always struggle with the addiction. Yet, God’s Word powerfully refutes these lies. Through Christ, we are a new creation. He is our Great Shepherd. As our Shepherd, He helps move us in the direction He wants us to go. In Him we have the strength to move past any obstacle that keeps us from thriving in our walk with the Lord. What hurt, habit, or hurdle have you told yourself you could not change in your life? Take some time today to reflect on how with Christ’s help, you can conquer whatever it is you face.

September 23, 2024 Daily Devotion: "You Are Enough" Exodus 4:11 New International Version 11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? A lie we often believe about ourselves is that we are not enough. You are not_______ enough. Immediately, a little lie probably crept into your mind. Inadequacy, incompetency, insufficiency. Even some of the greatest Biblical leaders struggled with believing this lie about themselves. When God called Moses to lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt, the chosen leader gave many reasons why he was incapable to perform the job. Even in Moses’ unbelief, God assured him of His presence, of His provision, and of His preparation. Whatever God’s calling is on Your life, you are enough…because of Him. So when you find yourself feeling like you “aren’t enough” lean in a little closer into Jesus. Remember, you are chosen, not because of what you’ve done, but because of His gracious love and plan for your life. God will equip you with what you need to complete the purpose He has for your life. So next time, when you find yourself doubting if you are enough, remember that Christ gives you the strength to face and do anything. He planned the course of your life to do remarkable things for Him and He will equip you with just what you need. In what area are you struggling with feeling like you are not enough? Take a moment to hand that over to God…lean in a little closer and let Him be all that you need.

September 22, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Our Merciful God" 1 John 1:9 New International Version 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Many Christians debate whether there is an “unforgivable sin.” Even if we believe God will forgive us from our sins, sometimes the enemy will have us believe that we have committed such a heinous crime God will not forget. Guilt and shame cascade our souls. Instead of living in freedom, we continue to walk in darkness. Why strive for godliness if forgiveness is not an option? God does not deny His children forgiveness. He is a loving Father who desires a relationship with you. Isaiah 43:25 says that He blots out our transgressions and does not remember our sins for His own sake. Our relationship with Him brings Him delight. As His children, our responsibility is to confess our sins to our Heavenly Father. When we do, He is faithful to forgive and cleanse us. We do not have to worry about God reminding us of our past sins. When He forgives, He forgives completely.

September 21, 2024 Daily Devotion: "His Grace Is Sufficient for Us"   2 Corinthians 12:9 New International Version   9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ”Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. Jesus calls Himself the Bread of Life. He is the life-giving all-sustaining One, able to provide for every need. God is our portion and our strength. His grace is sufficient in every trial we face. Our problem is that we often lack the faith to recognize His sufficiency. We rely on our own strength instead of waiting on the Lord. God is with you and will provide for you in everything you face. How have you shown a lack of faith by trusting in yourself rather than trusting God to provide for you?

September 20, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Live Life Abundantly" Psalm 119:11 New International Version 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you One of the worst feelings in the world is when you make an assumption about someone or something, only to find out that your ignorance led you to the wrong conclusion. It is easy for Satan to deceive us when we do not know God’s Word. Satan is the master of half-truths and if we are not intentional in reading God’s Word and applying it to our lives we can find ourselves believing his lies. God’s Word should be an anchor for our faith. Scripture stresses the importance of knowing God’s Word and putting it into action in our lives. This requires understanding what God’s Word says, reflecting on how it relates to us, and following through with doing what it says. It is so easy to live in ignorance. But God wants more for us. His deepest desire is for you to live life abundantly in the full knowledge of Him.

September 19, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Right Perspective" Colossians 2:8 New International Version 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces[a] of this world rather than on Christ. When we love the world, our perception becomes skewed. We forget that the world is in the power of the evil one. When we do that, the things of the world begin to look attractive and if we are not careful, we can be influenced by the world and as a result, damaged by the devastation of sin. It is, therefore, critical that we are not careless in how we live our lives and instead alert to the different ways we can be influenced by the values found in the world instead of God’s Word. Even though we live in the world, we must remember that we are not of the world. We belong to Christ. Instead of living aimlessly and allowing the world to dictate our affections and beliefs, God calls us to hold firm to His teaching and continue in our belief. By doing this, we will not let go of the Truth when the world tries to sway us a different way. How can you guard against loving the things of this world?

September 18, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Overcomer"   2 Thessalonians 3:3 New International Version 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. Did you know you have an enemy? Greater than any military or political opponent, Satan wars against God and His followers. He is full of deceit and will use this trait to pull others away from following Jesus. Even though we have an enemy working against us, God is on our side. According to 2 Thessalonians 3:3, God is faithful in guarding us from the evil one. Christ defeated Satan through His death, resurrection, and ascension because He gave Satan no right to accuse believers. Therefore, we do not have to fear. You can have peace, knowing Christ has overcome the schemes of our accuser!

September 17, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Full Armor of God" Ephesians 6:11 New International Version 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Have you ever been on the receiving end of a lie? The deception stings like a swarm of bees to the soul. Satan, the father of lies, has plagued humanity since the Garden of Eden. When the serpent tempted Eve, he used half-truths to lure her to disobedience. Satan tempted Eve to focus on what God had forbidden instead of being thankful for all God had given her. Because Eve believed Satan’s lie she doubted God’s goodness and gave in to temptation. We sometimes deny the craftiness and destructive power of Satan. We might picture him to be a cartoon character who exists only on Halloween. To diminish his capacity to harm is to ignore the warnings of Scripture. Jesus warns of Satan’s character as a liar. He calls him the father of lies, without any truth in him. It is therefore in his nature to deceive. Since Satan is actively scheming against us, we must arm ourselves against his deception. The Lord does not leave us empty-handed and defenseless. As our Great Provider, He has given us the spiritual armor to stand against anything Satan throws at us. In what area of your life are you struggling to see the truth about yourself, your relationship, or your circumstance? The father of lies is actively trying to prevent you from understanding the plan God has for you. Today, remember that God has given you everything you need to stand against the devil.

September 16, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Great Commission" Acts 1:7-8 New International Version 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Jesus’ time on earth had ended. He lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death to atone for the sins of the world, and rose from the dead three days later. Before Jesus ascended into heaven He gave His followers a great calling: to be His witnesses. He promised them the Holy Spirit would come (and it did!) and He explained to them how the power of the Holy Spirit would give them the strength to tell the world about Him. After ascending into heaven Jesus empowered the apostles, and all of His followers, to spread the message of the gospel. They were to tell the world all they saw Him do and all they witnessed during His ministry. Jesus changed the world, and it was time for the world to know about it. Empowered with the Holy Spirit, the disciples took the message of the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and the farthest parts of the earth, just as Jesus commanded them.

September 15, 2024 Daily Devotion: "He Is Faithful" Micah 7:18-20 New International Version 18 Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. 19 You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. 20 You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors days long ago. Who is a God like you? There´s no other God. Who else can forgive our sins and cast them into the depths of the sea? Who else can delight in steadfast love towards those who constantly disobey Him? Who else can have compassion on us and show grace and mercy over and over again? Only God can do that! God is faithful to His promises, He won´t break the promises He has made to you. Even when you turn away from Him, He will be faithful. What a wonderful God we have.

September 14, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The God of Our Salvation" Micah 7:7 New International Version 7 But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior my God will hear me. Everything may be falling down around me, but I can wait for the Lord of my salvation. He will hear me. He sees me. He is my rock, my fortress, my refuge. He is mighty to save and loves me with everlasting love. Psalm 62:1-2 says, “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken”. David knew the only thing he needed to survive and thrive was God and His powerful love and care. I may be shaken by the world, but I won´t be “greatly shaken”. I can face my life without fear, because God is with me. As Christians, we know trials will come. We know we´re going to live a lot of different things that will try to tear us down. But we also know that we have a powerful God who fights for us and hears our cries for help.

September 13, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Acts of Salvation" Micah 6:8 New International Version 8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. We´ve read all the things Israel was doing wrong. Now we read what they had to do: They had to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God. Three small, simple things that God asked His people to do and that asks us to do today too. God was tired of religious ceremonies, sacrifices and shallow spiritual lives. The Israelites were not aware of how profoundly they had sinned against the Lord and they thought they could get rid of the guilt be performing religious acts. To be able to do these three things, we need to be saved by Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38) “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.) If we try to live justly, love kindness and walk humbly without presenting ourselves to God as sinners in need of a Savior, we´ll be just being religious people. Don’t try to please God being religious. He wants your heart. He wants a surrendered life. He wants us to behave as his children, as daughters of the King who live by His Word.

September 12, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Divine Grace" Micah 5:7 Living Bible 7 Then the nation of Israel will refresh the world like a gentle dew or the welcome showers of rain, Micah promises the people of Judah that God wouldn´t destroy them forever. The remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many people when Messiah reigns in Jerusalem. That´s a promise that, surely, encouraged their hearts. We have seen also in history how this promise has been fulfilled. All the Scriptures we have in the book of Acts tell us about Jews who came to the feet of Jesus and dwelled among foreign people. We read about synagogues in Thessalonica and Corinth, both Greek cities. We read familiar names like Aquila and Priscilla, Jews who lived in Rome, and Apollos, a Jew from Alexandria, Egypt. Jews have been persecuted in awful ways through history. Still, they are in many countries around the world, living in different places and cultures but keeping their Jewish traditions and way of living. God has taken care of them.

September 11, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Good Shepherd" Micah 5:4-5 New International Version 4 He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. 5 And he will be our peace when the Assyrians invade our land and march through our fortresses. We will raise against them seven shepherds, even eight commanders. Micah looks ahead in time and makes a prophecy of the siege of Jerusalem. He calls Jerusalem “daughter of troops” because he sees the multitude of armies and soldiers that will attack the Holy City. God would use these multitudes of powerful Babylonian troops to fulfill His judgment upon the people of Judah. And then he turns his eyes to the Messiah, Jesus, who would be sent as a tender child to the little town of Bethlehem and will become the ruler of Israel (once more, we have prophecies referred to different times – the first coming of Jesus as a child and His second coming as King at the end of times). When Jesus returns in His second coming, He will shepherd and care for His flock and will make His people dwell secure. Today, He also cares for us as our Good Shepherd. He gives peace and joy to all who come to Him. He has left for us “his precious and very great promises” (2 Peter 1:4) to encourage our hearts. We have a Holy God who doesn´t stand sin but we also have a loving Good Shepherd who takes care of every single need.

September 10, 2024 Daily Devotion: “The Fulfilment” Micah 4:12 New International Version 12 But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor. When we read prophecy, we may get confused with the times of the fulfilment of that prophecy (I, at least, get) confused with it!). We have to be very careful when we read Scriptures like today. In today´s verses, Micah is talking about two different times. In verses 9-10, he is talking about the exile to Babylon and the return to the land under King Cyrus. In verses 11-13, there is a Messianic prophecy referred to the Armageddon right before Christ´s second coming. There are times in our lives when we don´t understand what God is doing. We just don´t get it. He does things in a way we wouldn´t and allows things that we don´t want to live. But, as Romans 8:28 says, for those who love God all things – the good ones, the bad ones, the difficult ones, the hard times, the tears, the sorrows, all things! – work together for good. We may get confused by how God does things. But we can never doubt that He will work everything for our good and His glory even when we don´t understand His will.

September 9, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Remnant" Micah 4:7 Amplified Bible 7 “I shall make the lame a remnant and the outcasts a strong nation; And the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion from this time on and forever. Only in God´s Kingdom those who have no possibility of succeed, according to the world standards, are given a preeminent place at the table. It doesn´t matter how small or how weak the remnant of the Jews might be. God will make them strong when Jesus comes back as King and Jerusalem will be, once again, the tower of the flock, the capital city, as it was in the times of David. The Messiah will come to gather His faithful remnant of the Jewish people and will make them strong against the other nations. Psalm 93 is a beautiful reminder that God´s throne has been established from old and it´s everlasting (93:2). No matter what happens in our lives, He reigns. Storms will come, floods will try to destroy us. Fire will try to consume us. When this happen, we have to remember that God is still God and that He is sitting at the throne. I don´t know what´s your battle today, but God will give you the courage you need to fight it! Remember you can do all things in Christ who strengthens you.

September 08, 2024 Daily Devotion: "New Jerusalem" Micah 4:5 New International Version 5 All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever. After telling the people that Jerusalem would be reduced to ashes, the prophet Micah brings hope to their hearts and tells them of the day when Jerusalem and the temple would be rebuilt. This is a Messianic prophecy that tells us about the period known as “the last days”, when Jesus will return as King to establish His kingdom on earth. There were promises for God´s chosen people and Micah was sure to share them to encourage their hearts. Revelation gives us a glimpse of the “New Jerusalem”, the eternal city without pain, tears, sorrow or dead. The heavenly place where we will spend eternity! What a beautiful hope we have! Even when every earthly thing is destroyed. Even if we lose everything we have, Jesus is preparing a place for us (John 14:2).

September 07, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Salvation to Everyone" Micah 3:8 New International Version 8 But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin. We see the rebuke to the false prophets. These false prophets didn´t talk God´s words, but their own. They said what the people wanted to hear. Therefore, they would be disgraced and put to shame. Micah, on the other hand, was telling the people all the things they didn´t want to hear about: sin, judgment, consequences, hardships. But his words had power because they came from God. That was the message God had for His people. Many of our churches today do not talk about sin anymore. Many Christians don´t do it either. It seems like we don´t want to make others uncomfortable. And we forget that the world today needs Jesus and that in order to be saved, we need to talk about sin and judgment and consequences as Micah did. In Romans 1:16 Paul says that he is not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Paul and Micah knew only the Gospel has power. Let´s remember that today and be bold to share God´s Word with those who don´t know Jesus and to bring back those who have wandered from the truth of God.

September 6, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Promised" Micah 2:12 New International Version 12 “I will surely gather all of you, Jacob; I will surely bring together the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in its pasturen the place will throng with people. The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. This familiar verse in Psalm 23 expresses in a beautiful way the words of the prophet Micah today. Israel and Judah would be taken to a foreign land, scattered for years. But it would come a day when God would gather the faithful remnant of Israel, those who trust Him with all their hearts and do His will. This is a prophecy of the Second coming of Christ, when Jesus returns as King and sits in His throne in Jerusalem. As far as our sin takes us, God will always look for us like the lost sheep the good shepherd looks for in the mountains. He is a Good Father! He will not keep His anger forever. As I read Psalm 103, my heart fills with joy and gratitude towards God. He is the One who forgives, the One who heals, the One who redeems. He covers me with His love and His mercy even when I mess things up.

September 05, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The God of Justice" 2 Chronicles 36:15 New International Version 15 The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again, because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. Micah speaks today to those with “power on their hand”. These richer citizens coveted the land of the poorer farmers and they spent their days thinking how to take their land away. I don´t know how things are where you live. Where I live, money is power. Corruption has reached such high levels, that you can buy everything and everybody. If things don´t work as you want, you just fill the pockets of the men who make the laws and they will change them for you. This is what was happening in Judah. They took what they wanted because of their wealth and their authority, thinking that it was their right to do as they pleased to make huge profits that would make them even richer. Proverbs 22:22 says, “Do not rob the poor, because he is poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate”. The Lord has a big heart for the poor, for the afflicted, for the oppressed. He will make justice for them. Judah didn't´t want to hear the prophets God had sent them and continued in their wicked ways. They didn't want to hear that, soon, the lands of the rich would be taken away by a foreign power. Are we listening to what God is telling us? Are we changing our behavior when God calls our attention?

September 04, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Time to Do Things Right" 2 Kings 17:18-20 New International Version 18 So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left, 19 and even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced. 20 Therefore the Lord rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers, until he thrust them from his presence. Samaria´s sins had spread to Judah. We see the prophet Micah weeping over his country, making a list of cities that were doomed by the Assyrians when they took the Northern Kingdom into exile in 701 B.C. God spared Jerusalem from destruction back then, but, since Judah had copied the idolatry of Israel, it would be destroyed as well. We know sin has consequences in our lives but, sometimes, we willingly suffer these consequences instead of hearing God´s Word and obeying it. This has to stop! It´s time to do things right.

September 03, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Our Merciful God" Micah 1:2-3 New International Version 2 Hear, you peoples, all of you listen, earth and all who live in it, that the Sovereign Lord may bear witness against you the Lord from his holy temple. As if Israel was in a trial and the attorney remembered all their faults, the verses in 2 Kings 17 give us the reasons why Israel went into exile. Micah remembers them in a detailed list that they had feared other gods, they had served idols, they had made wicked things…the list goes on and on. They had made a lot of things that God had told them not to do. They had broken every rule given to them in the Law of God and had sinned in the most awful ways. And yet, verse 13 reminds us how God warned Israel and Judah over and over again “by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes.” Micah was one of these prophets sent to Judah to warn them about the impending judgment of God. The Lord would come in judgment because of their sins. These verses should remind us that the Lord is merciful. Our list of sins may be as big as the sins of the people of Israel and Judah. Yet, He gave them opportunities to repent the same way He gives us opportunities every single morning. Let´s stop wasting the opportunities He gives us and start living according to God and His Word.

September 02, 2024 Daily Devotion:   "The Types of Believers" 2 Chronicles 29:2 New International Version 2 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done. We meet prophet Micah in today´s verses. He was from Moresheth, near Gath, about twenty-five miles southwest of Jerusalem. Micah prophesized social justice in a time when the rich people were buying small farms, affecting the poor. As the other prophets, he remarked the sin of the people and called them to repentance. Micah was a prophet during the reigns of Jotham , Ahaz and Hezekiah. We see today three very different kings that represent three types of believers. King Jotham was not a very bad king, but he didn´t fully commit to God and didn´t stop the idolatry of the people as they still followed corrupt practices. King Ahaz was openly against God and King Hezekiah was a right king. What kind of Christian are you? Are you fully committed to follow God and His commands as King Hezekiah? Are you living according to the world as King Ahaz? Or are you somewhere in between, putting God aside and remembering Him only on Sunday services and special occasions, as King Jotham?

September 01, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Renewed Hope" Isaiah 40:31 New International Version 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. When we are weary from the struggles of life and finding it hard to keep going, we can turn to God and ask Him to renew our strength. Our great God gloriously provides power to those who pursue His presence and fully rely on Him. As we patiently rest in His care with expectation, He brings His healing and hope to help us take flight and finish with fresh enthusiasm and energy. Are you flapping your wings in your own energy right now? Are you weary from struggling to solve your problems with your own strength? Slow down and spend time with the God who is more powerful than your problems. Ask Him to fill you with a renewed hope. Trust that He is at work, and He knows the way. You will always soar when you surrender all to God.

August 31, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Mender" Psalm 34:18 New International Version 18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. When life breaks our heart, we can hold on to this promise: God is a mender of broken hearts. He steps toward those who are in pain with His healing and help. The crushing blows of life cannot fully destroy because God always comes close to rescue you. The enemy of our souls wants us to think God is callous and uncaring when we are suffering, but we must resist those emotions of rejection. Never forget that Jesus is a Man of Sorrows who came to save us from the crushing weight of sin and grief. God always draws near to the hurting and helps us heal. The mending starts when we turn to Him and ask Him to apply His mercy to our hurt. Are you deeply wounded? Lay your pain at the foot of the cross. Christ will bind up your brokenness.

August 30, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Say No to Sin" 1 Corinthians 10:13 New International Version 13 No temptation[a] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[b] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. We fight temptation every day in this sin saturated world, but with God’s help we can resist the attack and stay standing. God is fighting for you, and He will give you the courage you need to say no to the enemy and not fall prey to his schemes. The enemy wants you to think sin is irresistible and believe you are too weak to walk away. When the enemy is whispering lies, you need to escape by shutting down his message and arming yourself with the Truth. Get into the Word. Pray for God’s help. Speak the name of Jesus and think about how He endured great suffering and sacrificed His life on the cross to save you from sin. The Resurrected Christ lives in you, and He will empower you to say no to sin.

August 29, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Beautiful Masterpiece" Colossians 1:15-16 New International Version 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. God holds the whole world in His hands – including your current mess. Before you were created Jesus was already at work and crafting every inch of this earth. He is preeminent over all, and He is preserving everything you see. You may see chaos in some dark corners, but Christ is divinely ordering every detail in His masterful design for your total redemption makeover. The Architect of the Universe is building you into a beautiful masterpiece. He is the cement holding together every brick of your life. You can trust Him with whatever looks messy right now because you are a work in progress. He will be faithful to complete the work He has started in you.

August 28, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Spectacular Ending" Romans 8:28 New International Version 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. Today you may be wondering why God has allowed you to experience tragedy. You want to trust the Master Storyteller with all the plot twists of your life, but this cliffhanger is confusing. Why did God allow this event to happen? God is writing an epic redemption story, but you are currently only reading one page. The Author and Finisher of your Faith has already penned a spectacular ending. You just need to remind yourself that He writes better stories than you do. Every confusing subplot has a grander purpose. You can trust God with the details of your life. Not one sentence of your story has escaped His notice. Hand Him the pen and let Him surprise you.

August 27, 2024 Daily Devotion:  "Heart of Repentance" 1 John 1:9 New International Version 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. No sin is too dirty. God wipes the slate clean whenever we turn to Him with a heart of repentance. If we truly admit we are sinners and ask God to forgive us, He will always receive us with open arms. Confession is acknowledging we are sinners in need of Christ. We agree to hate what hurts God’s heart and follow Him wholeheartedly. Freedom comes when we surrender our selfishness and say, “Jesus is Lord of my life.”    

August 25, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Sword of the Spirit" Isaiah 40:8 New International Version 8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” Your most valuable possession is the eternal Word of God. No enemy can invade your heart and rob you of the powerful work of God’s Word in you. You may lose your health and your profit share, but the incorruptible seed of God’s Word will always bear fruit in your life. How healthy is the garden of your heart today? Are you watering the Word God has planted in you? Any time you invest in growing in wisdom and knowledge of Truth is well spent. Nothing else on your to-do list is more important than growing in God’s wisdom.

August 24, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Ask and Receive" James 1:5 New International Version 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. During trying times, we must turn to God and ask Him for wisdom. Our friends, parents, boss, and noisy neighbors may have advice, but only God knows and sees all. He alone can rightly direct our steps and show us what we should do. If we seek to know God’s will, we can trust He will always guide us step by step as we seek Him. Is your mind cluttered with worry right now because you are confused about troubling circumstances? Set aside some time to sit quietly before God this week with your Bible, a pen, and a notebook. Spend time praying and asking Him to give you discernment as you read your Bible.  

August 23, 2024 Daily Devotion: "God’s Will" Proverbs 3:5-6 New International Version 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. [a] The wisest man on earth is telling us to not trust our own thinking, but to surrender to God’s will. When we fully rely on God to direct our lives and make Him Lord of our agenda, then He opens our understanding and gives us the wisdom to know which way to go. We must lean on the Lord and say goodbye to self-sufficiency. As we pursue His presence, He makes our way plain. We can stop striving and worrying about our next step because we are always moving in His direction, and He is opening doors for us. How will you acknowledge the Lord through your actions today? Ask Him to help you trust Him with every detail of your day.

August 22, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Hope of Heaven" 1 Corinthians 15:58 New International Version 58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. Paul is encouraging the early church believers in Corinth to stand firm in the faith because something greater is coming. Christ will one day return for His children, and the struggle against sin and death will be over forever. Keeping the hope of heaven in view helps Christ followers stay faithful and persevere. Every ounce of effort you put forth in God’s name is making a deposit in eternity. Don’t let the enemy of your soul discourage you and cloud your thinking with doubt. All those who have placed their faith in Christ will experience fullness of joy in His presence one glorious day very soon. Until then, it’s our job to stay steadfast and to shine brightly in this dark world.  

August 21, 2024 Daily Devotion: "True Worship"   Isaiah 58:11 New International Version 11 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. In Isaiah 58, the Prophet Isaiah explains how God desires our true worship —- He longs for us to fully yield our hearts to Him and to look out for opportunities to help the hurting. When we desire to please Him above all else, we will experience a deeper intimacy with Him. Hearts that fully delight in Him hear His guiding voice more clearly. As we open every area of our lives to His leading, He pours in the water of His grace to our weary frames. Are you weary today? Spend a few quiet moments inviting God to refresh your soul. Ask Him to strengthen You, to speak tenderly to Your heart, and to show you which way to go. Sit worshipfully before at the well of your Father and drink deeply.

August 20, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Go Forth" Matthew 28:20 New International Version 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus appointed His disciples to go and share the Good News, but He assured them His presence, power, and protection would providentially provide everything they needed for the journey. Christ is Emanuel—God with us. They could go forward confidently to face the challenges ahead because the Spirit of the resurrected Christ would go with them and empower them for their mission. We too are commissioned to go forth and confess Christ to a world in chaos. Our Savior is with us all the time. We need not fear what others may say because we are on mission with God to teach others how to follow Jesus.  

August 19, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Step in God’s Direction" James 4:8 NLT Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. If we step in God’s direction, He never rejects us. He always embraces the truly repentant who cry out to Him for cleansing. Here God is inviting us to choose Him and purify our lives—to devote all our hearts and find greater intimacy with Him. How will you choose to draw near to God this week? Set aside a few minutes each day to sit quietly in His presence and pray for a single-minded focus and a pure heart. Is there anything you are grappling with that is keeping you from getting closer to God? Are you flirting with a sin you need to shut down? Purpose to come clean before your God and hold nothing back.

August 18, 2024 Daily Devotion: "He Knows the Way" Psalm 1:6 New International Version 6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. Our good God “knows the way” before us – not one detail escapes His notice. He has paved each step of our lives with His providential protection. He surrounds His children with His tender care and is fully committed to providing for our every need. As we choose to follow God’s leading, we will find sweet peace as we face our day. God knows all. He sees all. Today, we can trust that our faithful God is watching over our every move, and He will always make a way for us. Whenever worry rises in your heart, stop and listen for your Father’s whisper: I know the way, My child.

August 17, 2024 Daily Devotion: "God Sized Assignment" Joshua 1:9 New International Version 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua has received a God-sized assignment. Moses is dead, and now Joshua will lead the people into the Promised Land. The fruit of the land is ripe for the picking, but first he must set aside fear and follow God’s leading. He must not focus on the giants in the land, but on the goodness of His great God. Has God called you to do great things? Maybe you are wondering if you have what it takes. Take your focus off the “what ifs” and ask God to fill you with His courage and strength. If God has appointed you to move forward, He will provide whatever you need to accomplish your God-sized assignment.

August 16, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Defender" Isaiah 41:10 New International Version 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. When we are paralyzed by fear and unable to stand, our ever-present Protector has promised to uphold us and strengthen us. He is our all-powerful God, and no enemy can penetrate His protective embrace. He is the Helper of the helpless. This promise is also a command. God has declared He will surround us with His care when anxiety strikes, but He also challenges us to place our full confidence in His Word. Today, we must choose to focus on His faithfulness and stop feeding our fears.

August 15, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Chosen by God" 1 Peter 1:15-16 New International Version 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy. Holiness is hard for one to comprehend. It seems unattainable, lofty, and pure. Once, however, I heard a teacher say that the word “holy” means to be separate. That I can understand. Imagine a miner panning for gold. He sifts through soil and gravel, using special tools to uncover and separate particles of gold. The gold is set apart from the dirt because it is valuable. To be separate, or set apart, is something I can absolutely pursue. As children of God, we are called to be holy, separate from the world, set apart from sin in everything we do. We are valuable to God which is why He calls us to holiness. So let’s not be afraid of holiness, let’s not confuse the word with something that is unattainable or arrogant. Let’s be brave in the pursuit of holiness because we are chosen by God and set apart for His purposes.  

August 14, 2024 Daily Devotion: "God Is the Strength" Psalm 73:26 New International Version 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. When God remains the strength of our heart, His power is made perfect in our weakness. When we don’t have the strength to stand, physically or spiritually, God’s strength holds us up. It’s a holy gravity that makes us strong because God is strong. A lyrics from a song, Gravity, “When I’m overboard and going under, Your love will come and rescue me and somehow You find a way to reach me when I can’t see the road before me. When the world is spinning out of control Your love is like my gravity.” We might feel weak and like a failure, but we can be brave because God is the strength of our heart.

August 13, 2024 Daily Devotion: “Act of Bravery” Philippians 2:3-5 New International Version 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Putting others before us is an act of bravery. It might not seem like it, but putting others first means laying down our pride, humbling ourselves, and thinking of others. This is, as this verse says, the same attitude that Jesus had. Jesus said in Luke 9:48, “Whoever is the least among all of you, he is the greatest.” It takes real courage to be okay with being the least. We can be brave to put others first. We can pray to see people the way God sees them and trust that He will humble us to think of others as better than ourselves. In putting others first, we’re glorifying our Heavenly Father, God can cleanse our hearts of selfishness and strengthen us in humility. We are called to be like Jesus and bravely put others first.

August 12, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Hope of Heaven" Revelation 21:4 New International Version 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[a] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” One of the greatest joys of being a Christ follower is the promise of heaven. Believing in eternal life with God gives us a different perspective when we face loss in this life. Loss is hard. But we have heaven to look forward to, and the promise that in heaven there is no death, sorrow, sadness, or pain. We will experience loss and grief in this life, but as Christians, we know this isn’t the end. There is more to our stories. We have the hope of heaven. We grieve with the perspective that everything will be redeemed by Christ. The promise of eternity makes us brave in the midst of loss.

August 11, 2024 Daily Devotion: “Come to Me” Matthew 11:28-30 New International Version 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” There is so much comfort and encouragement in these verses. It’s an open invitation from Jesus Himself, calling us in our weary condition to lay down what’s weighing us down and trade it for rest for our souls. When we are faced with uncertainties in life, when we are weary and overwhelmed, isn’t that exactly what we need? Someone to lighten our load? Jesus promises to be that Someone. “Let me teach you,” He says, leading us to know Him deeper so that we can take hold of that promise. He wants us to understand the peace and rest that only He can give so that we can be brave in uncertain situations. We might not know what tomorrow holds, but we can know with certainty Who holds our tomorrows. We can come to Him to find our rest. We can be brave in uncertainty.

August 10, 2024 Daily Devotion: “THE PROMISE OF HEAVEN” Revelation 21:4 New International Version 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[a] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” One of the greatest joys of being a Christ follower is the promise of heaven. Believing in eternal life with God gives us a different perspective when we face loss in this life. Loss is hard. But we have heaven to look forward to, and the promise that in heaven there is no death, sorrow, sadness, or pain. We will experience loss and grief in this life, but as Christians, we know this isn’t the end. There is more to our stories. We have the hope of heaven. We grieve with the perspective that everything will be redeemed by Christ. The promise of eternity makes us brave in the midst of loss.

August 9, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Consistent Faith" 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 New International Version 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.   There is something truly remarkable about a person whose faith is consistent. The Bible says there will be troubles, we will be perplexed, and even knocked down. But God is always with us, protecting us from being crushed, driven to despair, and destroyed. We can stay strong in the face of trials because of the promise that God will never abandon us. With God on our side, we can withstand and persevere in all circumstances, and we will grow in faith, trust, and endurance. We are called to be brave when we’re discouraged and display a consistent faith because our God is consistently faithful.

August 8, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Come to Me" Matthew 11:28-30 New International Version 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” There is so much comfort and encouragement in these verses. It’s an open invitation from Jesus Himself, calling us in our weary condition to lay down what’s weighing us down and trade it for rest for our souls. When we are faced with uncertainties in life, when we are weary and overwhelmed, isn’t that exactly what we need? Someone to lighten our load? Jesus promises to be that Someone. “Let me teach you,” He says, leading us to know Him deeper so that we can take hold of that promise. He wants us to understand the peace and rest that only He can give so that we can be brave in uncertain situations. We might not know what tomorrow holds, but we can know with certainty Who holds our tomorrows. We can come to Him to find our rest. We can be brave in uncertainty.

August 07, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Sow Sparingly" 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 New International Version 6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. We are called to live generously. Like the farmer with only a few seeds, we don’t have to have much in order to be generous. All it takes is a heart willing to share a kind word, a few minutes of time, our talents, and our treasures, no matter how great or small. Regardless of what we have, we’re called to give. Our generous Heavenly Father makes sure we always have more than enough. “Open-handed giving, a lavish expression of love and gratitude, can demonstrate our confidence in God’s provision for all His people.” Brave generosity gives cheerfully, without reluctance, confident of God’s provision. Generosity in the Kingdom of God is a win-win every time.

August 06, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Take A Breather" Matthew 11:28-30 New International Version  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” There is so much comfort and encouragement in these verses. It’s an open invitation from Jesus Himself, calling us in our weary condition to lay down what’s weighing us down and trade it for rest for our souls. When we are faced with uncertainties in life, when we are weary and overwhelmed, isn’t that exactly what we need? Someone to lighten our load? Jesus promises to be that Someone. “Let me teach you,” He says, leading us to know Him deeper so that we can take hold of that promise. He wants us to understand the peace and rest that only He can give so that we can be brave in uncertain situations. We might not know what tomorrow holds, but we can know with certainty Who holds our tomorrows. We can come to Him to find our rest. We can be brave in uncertainty.

August 05, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Love and Obedience Rewarded" Deuteronomy 11:1 New International Version 1 Love the Lord your God and keep his requirements, his decrees, his laws and his commands always. The chapter starts with this command to love and always obey and goes on to describe the blessings bestowed on those who are obedient to God’s commands. But what about this takes bravery? What about being obedient makes us brave? I think the answer is right there in verse 16, where Moses warns us, “Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the Lord and serve and worship other gods.” God knows we are easily distracted, deceived, unintentionally careless, and forgetful. It takes courage and bravery to be obedient to God when the world tempts us to turn away. We can stand firm in our faith when the world distracts us with empty promises. Nothing good comes from being disobedient. But being obedient to Him is how we show our love to God, according to verse 22. God graciously calls us to obedience, and He will readily shower us with His blessings when we walk in His ways. In light of this promise, we can live brave and obey God.

August 04, 2024 Daily Devotion: "God's Rest" Hebrews 4:9-10 New International Version 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, [a] just as God did from his. Have you ever had one of those days where you were miraculously blessed with extra minutes somehow, with nothing urgent on the to-do list, and were able to use that time to take a nap? There is something really sweet about giving yourself permission to take a nap, like a child, in the middle of the day. That is the same kind of sweetness in “God’s rest,” a special, holy rest. It might not be a nap, literally, but a calmness of the spirit that comes from trusting God’s sovereignty in your life. We can rest peacefully knowing God has everything under control.

August 03, 2024 Daily Devotion  "The Fear of the Lord Leads to Life" Proverbs 29:25 New International Version 25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. When we are afraid of other people’s disapproval, when we are afraid that we don’t measure up to someone’s standards, and when we are afraid of letting people down, we’re “fearing people.” It is a dangerous trap because in doing so, we are putting our trust in man instead of in the Lord. People pleasing imprisons our hearts. But fearing (trusting wholly) the Lord frees us. We have to choose to be brave to fear God over man, knowing that choice will lead us to safety from the dangerous trap of comparison, discouragement, and discontentment. Trusting God brings contentment, confidence, blessing, freedom, and safety. The fear of the Lord leads to life!

August 02, 2024 Daily Devotion: "God Is with Us" Isaiah 41:10 New International Version 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Fear and discouragement are partners in crime. They work together and make us forget that God is with us, and try to convince us that we are weak and alone. But, man or woman of God, you don’t have to be a victim of fear and discouragement because you have something more powerful: Truth. And the truth is, God is with you. The promise is, He is your God. When you are weak, He will be your strength. When you need help, He is there. In God’s hands, you are a victor, not a victim. We can be brave in facing our fears because God is on our side. We can stand firm in our faith and courageous in Christ when fear and discouragement come our way. Fear flees in the face of faithfulness, and discouragement dissipates when we declare God is with us. Turn and face your fears. God is with you and you are held.

August 01, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Forgive and Be Freed" Colossians 3:13 New International Version 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. When you think of the characteristics of bravery, you might think of strength, perseverance, and resilience. Forgiveness probably isn’t something that comes to mind. Forgiving someone isn’t commonly considered an act of bravery. But maybe it should be. Forgiveness is often difficult. It requires us to be strong in the Lord, to persevere in obedience, and to be resilient in extending grace. Just as the Lord forgave us, we are called to do the brave thing and forgive others. Be brave and forgive. Forgive and be freed.

July 31, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Taste and See" Psalm 34:8 New International Version 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. When we read the word “refuge,” picture a place with a covering, like a shelter or an awning, protecting us from a storm. It’s a great visual for what God is to us: a safe place, protector, covering. But in this verse, there’s something more… “Taste and see that the Lord is good,” tells us that when we take refuge in the Lord, we are able to experience His goodness on a deeper level. Our senses (taste, see) are awakened to His goodness, and what a joy that is! So, not only we are protected, safe, and covered, we are also so close to the Father that we can taste and see that He is good. That brings our hearts so much joy! Taking refuge in the Lord is living a life of closeness to God and a life of abundant joy.

July 30, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Trust in the Lord" Proverbs 3:5-6 New International Version 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. God doesn’t say, “Understand me.” He says, “Trust me.” Trusting without understanding takes a brave faith. There will be many times when we don’t understand what God is doing. But God is faithful, and we know He is good, so we can trust Him with all of our heart. Our own understanding cannot comprehend the greatness of God’s will and plan for our lives. Being brave to trust even when we don’t understand is like stepping out of a boat in the middle of a lake because Jesus said so. We can be brave to trust because of what we know about our God: He will always show you which path to take.    

July 29, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Fight and Hold Tight" 1 Timothy 6:11-12 New International Version 11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. We are called like Timothy to the life God has for us. This great call comes with great responsibility, and it means we have to put forth some effort. We’ll have to run from evil things – literally turn and move away from things that aren’t of God. We’re called to actively be in pursuit of righteousness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. We’re commanded to fight for true faith, defend what is rightfully ours, and protect the promises of God. Fighting is hard, but God knows it’s worthy. We must determine in our hearts to run, pursue, fight, and hold tight. Eternal life is in the balance and witnesses are watching.

July 28, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Send Out" Matthew 9:37-38 New International Version 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” God gives many people natural talents, gifts, and abilities. But on their day of salvation, Christians are given a supernatural gift to be used for the glory of God. As believers serving in the body of Christ, each member serves a valuable purpose and role in the growth of God’s kingdom. When we fail to use our gifts for God, no matter how insignificant we believe we are, we hinder the body of Christ. How are you using the gifts that God has given you? When we serve others, God’s kingdom grows, God’s church is strengthened, and we grow and mature spiritually.  

July 27, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Make Disciples" Matthew 28:19-20 New International Version 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Christians are called to make disciples. We make disciples by helping new believers grow in their relationship with the Lord. This requires establishing deep and meaningful relationships with those who hunger for more of God. Making disciples involves a sacrifice of time and energy. Although this sacrifice seems great, believers also have God’s great promise… the promise of Jesus’ presence with us always until the end of the age. With whom are you sharing your knowledge of the Lord? Even if you don’t believe you have strong Bible knowledge, you are still able to share the things you do know. You can encourage and pray for others. You can fellowship with other believers. You can participate in a church or community Bible study. Let nothing stop you from sharing your love for Christ.  

July 26, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Spiritual Transformation" Romans 12:2 New International Version 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Because a believer is transformed into a new creation on her day of salvation, her motivation, commitment, and calling changes. A Christian’s life is no longer her own, because she is redeemed by the precious sacrifice of Jesus. Christians are to give all we are and all we have to God. What are you doing daily to renew your mind? Spiritual transformation begins in the mind and in the heart. What we believe and think determines how we will act. God’s Word, daily bible study, and prayer reveal to us where our thinking needs to change.  

July 25, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Be Vigilant" Isaiah 38:17 New International Version 17 Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; you have put all my sins behind your back. It is because of God’s great patience and mercy that we have not died in sin. He wishes to deliver and rescue everyone from a horrible eternity spent in Hell. Unbelievers have been given another day to surrender their lives to God and have their sins forgiven. Believers have been given another day to share the gospel message with someone who does not know the Lord. There are no second chances after death. Are you living each day as if it is your last? Are you spending each day with your family, friends, and coworkers as if it is their last? It is easy to get caught up in the cares of this world, forgetting the reality of Hell and the many who will die separated from God for eternity. Christians must remain vigilant and ready to share the reason for the hope that lies within them.

July 24, 2024 Daily Devotion: "What God Has Done Cannot Be Undone" 1 John 1:9 New International Version 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Acknowledgement of sin is necessary because if we do not believe we sin, then we will not desire a Savior to forgive us of our sin. God’s promise is that when we confess, He forgives us and cleanses us of all sin and unrighteousness. Not most sin, but all sin. Not some unrighteousness, but all unrighteousness. Past, present, and future sin has been forgiven and cleansed by our faithful and merciful Lord. What sin am I still clinging to? Just as belief in Jesus Christ is necessary to receive forgiveness, belief that Jesus completed the work of forgiveness on the cross is also necessary in order to walk in victory. Satan would have us doubt God’s promises, but we must cling to God’s truth regardless of our feelings. What God has done cannot be undone.

July 23,2024 Daily Devotion: "The Perfect Lamb" John 1:29 New International Version 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! In the Old Testament, God made provision for the Israelites by commanding them to sacrifice a perfect lamb on Passover to die in place of their firstborn children. Jesus Christ became the perfect Lamb by becoming the only worthy sacrifice for all of mankind. Through Him, all sin is defeated. In whom are you placing your trust, hope, and security? Jesus, the Lamb lived in sinless perfection. He willingly and selflessly sacrifice His divinity so that you and I would not have to endure the wrath because of sin. Jesus can be trusted with all that we are, all that we endure, and all that we hope to become.

July 22, 2024 Daily Devotion: "A Sense of Urgency" Luke 13:5 New International Version 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” Christians must not automatically equate tragedy with divine punishment. Tragedies strike both the saved and unsaved. Life is like a vapor and death comes suddenly. This should give all people a sense of urgency. Christians should be urgent about sharing God’s message, while unbelievers should be urgent about calling upon the name of the Lord for salvation. Do you have a sense of urgency when it comes to the things of God? Can you say with assurance that you are going to Heaven when you die? Life is precarious and fragile, but all of Scripture confirms the horrible reality of an eternal punishment in Hell.  

July 21, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Christ Works On the Cross" Romans 7:18 New International Version 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. The Christian life is a battle. Every Christian will have the desire, led by the Holy Spirit, to do what is right. While at the same time, She or He will have a continual struggle with sin that dwells within her. However, our continual struggle with sin is often the only evidence that the Holy Spirit is working fiercely on our behalf. What sin do you find yourself struggling with? When faced with struggles, we must draw closer to Jesus and depend solely on Him for every spiritual victory. We must trust that Christ’s work on the cross was final and complete. Sin has no power in the life of the believer.

July 19, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Sets You Free" John 8:34-36 New International Version 34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. It is easy to be seduced by all the world has to offer. The desire for wealth, promotion, acknowledgement, possessions, and power can be overwhelming. Sin is often introduced as freeing, exhilarating, and empowering. The truth is that sin is slavery. Sin seductively binds and chains you so that you are unable to refuse or escape later once the thrill is gone. A person can only serve one master – either God or sin. Every person will be held accountable for their choice. How does your lifestyle, attitude, and behavior reflect whom you are serving? Either we will serve sin, which is slavery and leads to death, or we will serve God, which is freedom and leads to righteousness and eternal life. There is no middle ground. Those who live for anything other than God will lose everything…except for His ultimate judgment.

July 18, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The God Who Provides Hope" Ephesians 2:12 New International Version 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. A person without God is a very scary creature. Without Christ, we are rebellious, disobedient, self-serving, self-seeking, dead and hopeless – drowning in our sins. Apart from God, we will worship anything and anyone. He is the one and only way. A heart that is hardened to the reality of sin will likely reject the divine and holy forgiveness freely available to cleanse it. But with Christ, all things are made new. Because of Him, we have new hope. In what areas of your life are you feeling hopeless and alone? Open your heart to the presence of God and seek Him fervently. We can’t experience true hope in this fallen world unless we know the God who provides hope.

July 17, 2024 Daily Devotion: "God’s Grace and Mercy" Isaiah 59:2 New International Version 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. Sin separates us from our Almighty God. His justice and holiness move Him to be actively righteous, always acting in a perfect, fair, and righteous way. Because of mankind’s inherited and innate sinfulness, we naturally oppose God. God’s justice shows us the seriousness of our sin which leads only to death. In what situation does it seem that sin and evil have the upper hand? Where in your life do you need God’s grace and mercy? Though sin abounds, sin is not infinite. God has made provision to deal with our sin through His perfect justice and His abounding grace. God’s justice makes no sin acceptable, but His grace makes no sin unforgivable. When faced with your own sin or the sin of others, seek God urgently for resolution.

July 16, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Fear of God" Proverbs 24:3-4 New International Version 3 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; 4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures. The fear of God is foundational to true wisdom. Wisdom is seeing life from God’s perspective and striving to live like Him. While there are many types of earthly knowledge, it is all worthless unless built upon the knowledge of the Lord Himself. Only God’s wisdom will stand throughout eternity. In what areas of your life are you prone to wander and stray from God’s wisdom? Does the wisdom that you share and live by reflect more of God or more of this world?

July 15, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Great Value" Proverbs 8:11 New International Version 11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. There is great value available through wisdom. Wisdom is better than all of the riches and all that one could possibly desire, because through the study of wisdom we are obtaining God’s perspective on life. Understanding, knowledge, God’s eternal riches, honor and favor are benefits of placing Him above all others. What value have you been placing on God’s wisdom? The true test of our opinion of God’s wisdom is our willingness to walk in obedience to follow it.

July 14, 2024 Daily Devotion: "In God’s Eyes" Proverbs 31:30 New International Version 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. The virtuous man or woman is successful in many areas. The root of her/his success in the home and with her/his family begins with her fear of the Lord. This is the characteristic that is most important and most praiseworthy. Fear of the Lord is more important than outer appearance or attitude, because that is where wisdom in life begins. From where have you been seeking your value? To whom have you been comparing yourself? Our culture is very focused on outer beauty. Our true value lies in what God has done for us – transforming us from the inside out. When we honor, obey, and reflect Jesus, we become like Him. In God’s eyes, that is worth praising.

July 13, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Walking in Wisdom" Proverbs 2:7 New International Version 7 He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, There are many benefits to walking in wisdom. Those who diligently seek wisdom are shielded with God’s protection, receive great discernment for living, and are able to avoid the consequences of evil. In what circumstances are you hesitant or resistant to follow the wisdom found in God’s Word? When we deliberately disregard the wisdom of God, we risk facing the same earthly consequences as the ungodly.  

July 12, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Obey and Follow" Proverbs 3:3-4 NIV Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. The rewards for obeying God’s wisdom and showing God’s love are peaceful living, favor, and good success. God’s desire is that He would lead His people into all truth as we obey and follow His Word. Believers can live in quiet confidence knowing that God’s favor and blessing are upon us as we follow the path He has set before us. Are you seeking God’s favor more than you are seeking the favor of anyone else? Whenever we strive to please God more than we desire to please others, we will find favor and good success with God and with His people.  

July 11, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "The Ultimate Investment" Proverbs 3:9-10 New International Version   9 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. We honor the Lord when we invest our wealth and the first of our income into eternal godly endeavors. Our giving is a reflection of what is important in our lives. When we support our churches, ministries, and community outreaches with our money, our time, and our talents, we demonstrate God’s priority in our lives. Where are you investing your wealth, your time, and your spiritual gifts? Believers should diligently pray about how much to give and pray for joy in giving. Although we have many expenses on earth, believers must not forget that we have a responsibility to invest in God’s priorities so that His Word and His mission spread globally.  

July 10, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Honest and Honorable" Proverbs 11:18 New International Version   18 A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. Believers should seek to be honest and honorable in business. Our priority should be seeking righteousness, not seeking riches. We should work in such a way that no shame will be brought on the name of Christ. When God is in the center of our lives, we will reflect Him well whether we are at work or at home. How do you reflect godly principles in your business dealings and while at work? Believers should seek to remain righteous and honorable, because all work is done for God’s pleasure and for His glory.  

July 09, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Be Diligent and Hardworking"   Proverbs 13:4 New International Version   4 A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.   God expects us to have good conduct in our work and business dealings. He calls His people to be diligent and hardworking. We are to represent God with our actions. Laziness opposes God’s purpose for us which is to remain diligent to serve Him and others with good works. In what circumstance are you tempted to procrastinate or remain idle and lazy? God empowers believers to overcome the flesh’s tendency to laziness by giving us a new nature on our day of salvation.

July 08, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "A Believer’s Love" Proverbs 25:21-22 New International Version   21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. 22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you. God has much to say about our relationship with our enemies. Believers are not simply called to forgive those who have hurt us, but also to bless them. God established a new standard for relationships which separates godly love from worldly love. A believer’s love must transcend the behavior of the recipient, just as God’s love for us transcended our behavior. Although blessing our enemies may feel impossible, God has empowered believers with the Holy Spirit. Though the flesh may be weak, God’s Spirit is strong and can do the impossible. In what circumstance are you struggling to bless your enemies? God’s standard for love for His people is much higher than the world expects. When He commands what feels impossible, He will surely empower us to carry it out through the work of the Holy Spirit within us  

May 23, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "God Will Bring You Out" Ruth 1:20-21 New International Version   20 “Don’t call me Naomi,[a]” she told them. “Call me Mara,[b] because the Almighty[c] has made my life very bitter. 21 I went away full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The Lord has afflicted[d] me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.” In what circumstance are you experiencing pain, bitterness, and anguish? God does not promise us pain-free lives, but He does promise that every hurt and every loss is for His purpose. We must be willing to surrender our plans, our desires, and our expectations to the will of God, even when we may not understand the reason why. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 22, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Keep Moving Forward" 2 Corinthians 4:15-18 New International Version   15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. There are many things in our lives that can cause us to feel shame. Shame can be a cruel and oppressive master. But our God is greater. We have been freed and are no longer slaves to sin and shame. Though we will still fail and fall, His righteousness covers us, continually working in us to make us more like Himself. We may feel weighed down and confused but, because the Lord holds us, we will never be crushed or destroyed. The same power that raised Jesus from the grave is the same power that lives in you. You can fight and win. You can run the race and not give up. You can get up, repent, and keep moving forward. The power that lives in you is infinitely stronger than any sin that comes against you or any shame that tries to overpower and control you. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 21, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "A New Heart"   2 Corinthians 5:17 New International Version   17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: [a] The old has gone, the new is here!   The old you, the one who loved sin and hated God is no longer there. You have been given a new heart: a heart that is frustrated with sin, a heart that loves God, and a heart that desires to be more like Christ. When we place our faith in Christ, God removes our old selves and replaces it with His righteousness. While we will continue to fall short of His holiness, He continues to redeem us and walk with us, continually making us into a new creation. Our salvation is beyond amazing. Jesus truly does it all! He forgives us, He gives us a new heart, He changes us, He loves us when we fail, He is patient with us, He protects us, and He comforts us. He is an amazing Savior. He is our Shame Breaker.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 20, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "The Lord is with You”   Judges 6:12 New International Version   12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”   God promised to be with Gideon, and He promises the same for us. He is with us to give us strength when we feel weary, to give us wisdom when we do not know what we should do. He is close so we can cry out to Him, praise Him, and express our confusion. He is always there, always ready to help and always ready to comfort.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 19, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Shame Breaker"   Ephesians 1:7-8 New International Version   7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, There is no one who is righteous. Some of our sins may be more hidden, like lust, covetousness, evil thoughts, or a discontented heart. Perhaps some of our sins are more noticeable like gossip, lying, or hateful speech. There are some sins that do not seem to affect anyone, and there are sins that devastate others. It does not matter what the sin is, all of them deserve death. God gave us grace instead. Because He is a generous God, He poured grace upon grace on us and forgives us of all our sins. The small and the large, the hidden and the ones that are visible. We are forgiven because of Jesus. We have full, complete redemption through Christ. He forgives all our offenses, covering us with His immeasurable grace. When shame seeks to destroy us, we can believe our Shame Breaker, who not only sets us free from sin, but from shame and guilt as well. We are freed from death and shame and suffering because of His sacrifice. Praise be to God. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 18, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "God Is Always at Work" Jeremiah 31:3-4 New International Version   3 The Lord appeared to us in the past,[a] saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. 4 I will build you up again, and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt. Again you will take up your timbrel and go out to dance with the joyful. Naomi had a past filled with loss. Her past was hard; her husband and her sons died at a young age and she was left alone. Her life, once full, was empty. She returned to her hometown with Ruth, her daughter-in-law and only companion. Jeremiah’s words remind us that even when we feel far from God, when it feels as if He has abandoned us or allowed harm to befall us, He is still working. He is always loving us, always seeking our hearts in an effort to bring us back to Himself. He is a God who restores, rebuilds, and redeems, no matter our circumstances. God is always at work, especially in the lives of believers, using events, people, losses, failures, and other hardships for their good. Even though it took her some time to see it, God showered Naomi with His goodness. His grace covered her shame, redeeming her life and giving her more than she could have imagined. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 17, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "In Jesus We Are More Than Enough"   Psalm 103:7-9 New International Version   7 He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: 8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;   Who knows our limitations? Who knows our strengths and our weaknesses? God knows all these things more deeply than we can ever comprehend. Not only is His knowledge of us deep, He has also promised He will never leave us, and He will give us the strength we need to do His will. We can rest assured He will be with us to help and guide us, to give us strength and wisdom, and to comfort us and to give us joy. We do not need to feel the shame of not being enough because in Jesus we are more than enough.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 16, 2024   Daily Devotion:   “Fear Not"   Isaiah 54:4 New Living Translation   Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. You will no longer remember the shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood.   It is okay to cry for that which you longed to have but have not yet received. For some it may be the life you planned, or maybe it is a longing for a home full of children or a friend to know the Lord. It is okay to cry for these things. But even in our longing, we can rejoice and praise the Lord for what He has given us. This life is hard. It is filled with disappointment, loss, hardship, and sadness. But our God is the God who redeems. He redeems our disappointments and our shame. There will come a day when all will be made right, when the faithful will be rewarded, when God’s children will be covered in a blanket of peace and rest. Our shame will not win in the end. We serve a God who redeems. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 15, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Trust His Character" Genesis 16:1-2 New International Version   16 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”   When we are overwhelmed by shame, it can cause us to lose faith in God’s promises. When we desire something from God (a spouse, a child, a job, a healthy body) and we don’t see Him answer, we can quickly grow discouraged and afraid He will never give us what we desperately want. Instead of letting shame or fear take control, let’s choose to believe God’s promises. He may not have promised to give us exactly what we’re asking for, but He has promised He will be with us, He will provide for us, and He will comfort us in all of our affliction. We can trust His character. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 14, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Our Debt was Paid" Psalm 103:12-13 New International Version   12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. Do you ever struggle with believing that God has truly forgiven you? Perhaps you struggle to believe that God does not hold past sins over your head. Thankfully, God addresses this in Psalm 103. When God forgives us, it is as if those sins are as far away from us as the east is from the west. It is not that God is suddenly forgetful, but He does not hold those sins against us. He died for us, His wrath was satisfied, and our debt was paid—permanently. God will not hold those sins out in front of us and demand payment. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 13, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Way Back Through Jesus" John 10:10 New International Version   10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.   With sin comes shame. Shame makes us feel bad about ourselves. It makes us want to cover our mistakes, which often leads to us engaging in more sin. The worst part is that the shame of sin often keeps us from God. We do not pray as much, we do not read His Word like we should, we do not repent, and maybe, we even ignore gathering with other believers. Shame is strong. There are days when it can feel as though we will never escape its clutches. When you feel the crushing weight of shame, remember: God is stronger. He has prepared a way back through Jesus and is ready to welcome you home. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 12, 2024   Daily Devotion:   “Praise His Holy Name Forever”    Psalm 145:2-3 New International Version   2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise his greatness no one can fathom.   What has God done for you? In what specific ways have you seen His faithfulness? Praise Him for these things. Believe He will continue to show His faithfulness to you in the future. As we conclude our study, remember that lament is a practice. It is something we will continue to develop and discover throughout our lives of faith. Pouring out our hearts to God is an act of faith. Trusting Him turns our eyes back to His power and loving character. And declaring His praise is how we set our hearts at rest, believing that no matter what we face on earth, nothing can compare to the glory that is to come when we are with Him in eternity. Let all who live praise His holy name forever! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 11, 2024 Daily Devotion:   "Nothing Can Separate Us" Romans 8:38-39 New International Version   38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Seasons of pain will come and go throughout our lives. When we arm ourselves with truth, we can proclaim our trust in God as we lament in these difficult seasons. Without trust, our lament is hopeless. Without believing that our God is for us, the pain can be debilitating. But when we are convinced that nothing can separate us from His love, our lament becomes praise. Our declarations of trust bring glory to God no matter how dark or desperate our circumstances are. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 10, 2024   Daily Devotion:   “More Than Conquerors”   Romans 8:31 New International Version   31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?   In seasons of darkness, pain, loss, grief, oppression, and sickness it can be easy to lose our hope. It can be easy to choose not to trust God but to trust instead in ourselves or in earthly comforts. But God is the only One who has given everything for us. If you are in Christ, He is never against you, even when it may feel that way. He is always present. His Holy Spirit is always praying for you. He is always working for your good. He is continually conforming you to the likeness of Christ. He has justified you, and nothing can change that. And Christ Himself continually interceding on your behalf. He is for you. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 09, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Spiritual Battle"   Lamentations 2:11 New International Version   11 My eyes fail from weeping I am in torment within; my heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city. We are in a spiritual battle every single day. By God’s grace, those who are in Jesus Christ get to fight on His victorious side for all things good, while the devil and his army attack and steal and destroy. We get to participate in this battle and stand firm in our faith by activating every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms available to us in Christ (Ephesians 1:3) Don’t forget or ignore this battle. It is the battle of life and death. We may not see the consequences right away, and hopefully, we will never see the horrendous scenes, but we need to stay alert, ready to fight the devil and the sin of the flesh, stand firm in our faith, and walk humbly with our God. You are not alone in this. Stay faithful, walk in obedience, and remember what you know to be true, no matter your circumstances. Repent daily, love God deeply, and stay rooted in His Word. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 08, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "The Beginning of Knowledge"   Proverbs 1:7 New International Version   7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools[a] despise wisdom and instruction.   Our God is just and holy. He cannot and will not tolerate sin. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,” says Proverbs 1:7. God “burns with anger”. But those who follow and trust in Him can live with confidence that He does see their suffering, He is near, and He will comfort them with His love. The passage we are studying today can teach us two main things. First, what happens to those who do not put their trust in the Lord Jesus but walk in their own path of darkness. Second, it should give us great confidence to stand up and tell others about His great love, so they, too, can experience the abundance, freedom, and life He offers through salvation! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 07, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "One Heart, One Mind" Acts 4:32 New International Version   32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.   Another reason the early Christians didn’t consider their possessions to be their own was that they realized that we use our possessions only for a short time. What we possess now must be viewed from the perspective of our eternal glory of heaven. Our lives here and now are only a short step in our unending journey. Everything comes from God, and he has even better things, even more valuable things, in store for us. Heaven awaits. This fact teaches us to place the right amount of value on what God has given us to use here on earth.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 06, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "God's Unfailing Love" Psalm 13:5 New International Version   5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. God character never changes and His love for you, His child, runs deep. If you are in Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation for you (Romans 8:1). When you experience a season of suffering, injustice, or pain, don’t avoid talking to God because you don’t know how to voice some of your questions. Pray to Him as you would talk to a loving Father, use His words if you need to, and believe He will remain faithful. Go to Him today in freedom, knowing you can tell the Lord of your unspeakable pain and trust Him for all He is and all He has done at the very same time. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 05, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "The Heart That Rejoices" Psalm 13:5 New International Version   5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.   What will our response be? What will your response be? And how will we respond in the face of inevitable suffering? Jesus says, “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you have trouble and suffering, but take courage—I have conquered the world” (John 16:33). His character never changes and His love for you, His child, runs deep. If you are in Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation for you (Romans 8:1). When you experience a season of suffering, injustice, or pain, don’t avoid talking to God because you don’t know how to voice some of your questions. Pray to Him as you would talk to a loving Father. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 04,2024   Daily Devotion:   "A Heart Seeking Truth" Psalm 51:17 New International Version   17 My sacrifice, O God, is[a] a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.   We can all feel like our heart is broken at times. These are the moments when the book of Psalms becomes a great comfort to us, offering us a language for our own pain and brokenness. Whether it’s a form of injustice we experienced personally, continuous suffering we see happening on the other side of the world, or lament over our own sin, we can feel broken and humbled to the point of hopelessness. But Psalm 51 reminds us of the hope we have in Jesus when we submit our requests and hearts to the Lord. Christ never promised an easy life but He does promise His presence and help as we walk through trials. God will never reject a heart seeking truth, a humble spirit looking for answers, and a repentant heart in need of forgiveness. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 03, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "God Is Our Strength"   Psalm 22:19 New International Version   19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me.   When the people around us watch us go through times of great pain and suffering and see we are not crushed (2 Corinthians 4:8-10), perhaps God will use our life and faith as an example to them, drawing them to Himself as they desire to know the source of our strength. May we remain faithful and hopeful even in the direst of circumstances. May we always remember our precious Savior on the cross who turned to the Psalms for comfort in the midst of the most excruciating pain and agony. And may we follow His example and turn to His Words in our own pain, suffering, and questioning. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 02, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Good and Compassionate God"   Psalm 10:1 New International Version   1 Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?   God is always moving, always working, and never far away. In Exodus 34:6 God describes Himself as, “The Lᴏʀᴅ, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abounding in loyal love and faithfulness.” We need to remember this. We need to remember His character, all the things we know to be true, and all the wonderful things He has done, not just in our own lives, but also in the lives of others throughout history and in the lives of those recorded in the Bible. Reading God’s Word and taking time each day to study it in depth is not just a lovely habit of a Christian. It is the powerful habit of a warrior, like you who live in a broken world but trust a good, loving, and sovereign God. Let’s learn to practice through all the times we feel as if the Lord is silent and far off, trusting all the while what we know to be true: He is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loyal love and faithfulness. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 01, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Take Steps of Faith" 1 Corinthians 12:12 (ESV)   12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.   God designed you to be a beautiful member of the body of Christ. Without you and your unique gifts, the body of Christ will not function to its fullest potential. Take time today to list the gifts God has given you and, in prayer, ask Him to reveal where and how He wants you to serve Him with those gifts. Then, be alert to the unique opportunities God provides as you take steps of faith to serve, lead, teach, encourage, and love His people in the way He uniquely designed for you to do. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 30, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "United in Christ"   Galatians 3:28 New International Version   28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.   Jesus loves you, not because of what you have or what you can offer, but because you are a daughter of God. You are chosen. You are known. You are not a mistake, a failure, or an inconvenience. When you have placed your faith in Christ, you are welcomed fully into the family of God. All believers are one in Christ, and no one is excluded from the opportunity to accept Him as their Savior. As you seek to encourage others in the body of Christ with your unique gifts, remember that in Christ, we are all welcomed and accepted. His sacrifice breaks down walls the world sets up. All are one in Christ Jesus. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 29, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "The Lord Will Fulfill His Promises"   Luke 1:45 New International Version   45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”   How firm is your faith when the desires of your heart are unmet? What about when your prayers seem to be unanswered for longer than you imagined? When we’re in the middle of barren places, it can feel impossible to imagine that one day our prayers may still be answered. We may never see all the places God is at work. We may never understand why we’ve had to wait for an answer. But we can choose to remain steadfast in our faith. We can look back at all God has done and praise Him for His faithfulness. When we remember God’s faithfulness and praise Him for His goodness, we set our hope on His ability and willingness to act on our behalf. In Him, nothing is impossible.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 28, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "God Hears Our Cries" Genesis 30:22-24 New International Version   22 Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and enabled her to conceive. 23 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace.” 24 She named him Joseph, [a] and said, “May the Lord add to me another son.”   God hears our cries, too. Even when we think our way or our timing is best. Even when we act out of fear instead of faith. God has a purpose for our lives, and our attempts at shortcuts and detours will not derail what He has planned. Let us humble ourselves under the hand of the One who hears our cries, handing all our worries over to Him, trusting in His timing and His answer. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 27, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "God Is Honored by Our Sacrifice"   Mark 12:43-44 New International Version   43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”   The widow gave God everything. When we love God greatly we can give Him everything, too. We can honor God by giving Him the best of our time, the best of our talents, and all of our worship and praise. Where we feel small and insignificant but still choose to serve God, He is glorified. While there are many ways to give and serve God, such as volunteering our time or talent, God does ask us to give financially. The widow’s offering shows us that no matter how much we’re able to give, God is honored by our sacrifice. When we give to His kingdom, no matter the amount, we glorify Him and the sacrifice He made for us on the cross. Jesus doesn’t care how much you have to give. He cares that you give all you have to Him, joyfully and generously with your whole heart. Like the widow, when we give what we are able to give to the Lord, we can be sure that He sees our gift and will use it for His glory. What you give to the Lord will never be wasted.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 26, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "He Is Worthy of Great Honor"   Exodus 15:20-21 New Century Version   20 Then Aaron’s sister Miriam, a prophetess, took a tambourine in her hand. All the women followed her, playing tambourines and dancing. 21 Miriam told them: “Sing to the Lord, because he is worthy of great honor; he has thrown the horse and its rid into the sea.” You have a front row seat to the great works God is doing in your life and the lives of your loved ones. When others testify about God’s character and His power, join in! When others lead well and honor God with their gifts, use the gifts God has given you to do the same. Be an example of a life of continual praise to our great God by praising Him not only for what He has done but also for what He will do and, ultimately, for who He is. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 23, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "The Deeds of the Lord" Psalms 77:10-11 New International Version Then I thought, “To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand. I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. The Psalmist in our reading today reminds us that even when we feel like all is lost—even when we feel beyond repair, heartbroken, and deeply wounded by the sin in and around us—we can still remember all the wonderful deeds of the Lord. Actually, we are encouraged to do so. It is important that we remember what God has done in the past because we know He is faithful; if He has done it before, He will do it again. We can remember only if we have stored this knowledge in our minds and hearts first. This is why daily reading God’s Word is such an important discipline in the life of a Christian. We can lament in faith, knowing that our God never leaves us nor forsakes us, confident that He remains faithful and sovereign over all. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 22, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Conflicts into Blessings"   Genesis 28:3-4 New International Version   3 May God Almighty[a] bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples. 4 May he give you and your descendants the blessing given to Abraham, so that you may take possession of the land where you now reside as a foreigner, the land God gave to Abraham.” Even though we sin, God can use us. He can turn our conflicts into blessings and bring peace to shattered relationships. He can redeem and work for good through any act of sin, no matter how grievous it is. He is in the business of restoration. He is in the business of using broken people. The Bible truthfully records even the failures of the “heroes of the faith” so that we can see the merciful character of God. He redeems, restores, and rebuilds even the most shattered of hearts, relationships, communities, and nations. We can trust Him.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 21, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "God's Discipline"   Galatians 6:7-9 New International Version 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. God’s blessing in our lives is two-fold: divine encounters and divine discipline. When God shows us our sin and allows us to repent, it is indeed a blessing. While it may not always feel pleasant or comfortable, God’s discipline is a gift. May we continue to sow in the Spirit, and accept the discipline of our loving heavenly Father as we reap a harvest for His kingdom. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 20, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Our Manumitter" Genesis 32:28 New International Version 28 Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,[a] because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome. It is incredibly gracious of God to rid us of our self-reliance. God will accomplish His purposes by His power alone. He does not need our help to fulfill His plans or keep His promises. No matter the plans we might create, God will make it clear that it is He alone who delivers us, He alone who saves. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 19, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Choosing to Be at Peace" 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 New International Version 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We need reconciliation. Because of sin, we need to be reconciled to God, yet there is nothing we can do to bring this about. It is God, by His incredible grace, who reconciles us to Himself. We are reconciled to God when we place our faith in Him. And because of His gift of reconciliation, we too can be reconciled to others. Choosing to be at peace with others is one of the ways we choose the things of God. For He has given us a great message to the world of forgiveness and reconciliation. It is not a normal, human response to conflict, yet, through the ministry of Christ, we can be reconciled to others, relying on God alone to do the work of redeeming even the most broken relationships. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 18, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Choose Life in Him" Deuteronomy 30:15-16 New International Version   15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. As we reflect on Jacob’s life, we find one central theme: choosing the things of God over the things of the world. God continually gave Jacob opportunities to choose the things of God and reject the desires of the flesh and the ways of the world. Sometimes, Jacob did choose the things of God. Other times, he turned to his own devices and worldly ways for his deliverance. But like Jacob, we are continually faced with these choices; it is a daily decision. Today, we can set aside idols, false gods, desires of the flesh, and self-reliance and instead choose to follow God, finding blessing, protection, and fulfilled promises in Him.   Every day we have the opportunity to choose the things of God over the things of the world. And no matter how many times we have chosen disobedience, we can still turn back to the God of promise and choose life in Him.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 17, 2024 Daily Devotion: "God Has in Store for You"   Luke 16:10-13 New Living Translation “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven? And if you are not faithful with other people’s things, why should you be trusted with things of your own? “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” We have no idea what God has planned for us. He may be preparing you now for great responsibilities in the future. He may be shaping your character to put you in a position of authority, whether in a career, in ministry, in your family, or in your church. May we choose to be faithful to Him no matter how small or insignificant our present task seems. We never know what He has in store! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 16, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Unseen Realm Is Eternal" 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 The Passion Translation We view our slight, short-lived troubles in the light of eternity. We see our difficulties as the substance that produces for us an eternal, weighty glory far beyond all comparison, because we don’t focus our attention on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but the unseen realm is eternal. When we are faithfully serving God, we will face persecution. Those in leadership or positions of authority can be certain that they will face opposition as God’s chosen leaders. Yet, even in the midst of suffering, nothing can nullify God’s purposes. No amount of opposition, persecution, hardship, or suffering can alter God’s plan. He protects His own, and His calling on your life cannot be altered.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 15, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Blessed Is the One Who Perseveres" James 1:12-13 New International Version 12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; When we are not experiencing a time of testing, we must recognize that God has placed a unique calling on our lives as believers in Christ. We can successfully resist temptation if we have spent time preparing, growing in our faith and relationship with God and developing the conviction that all good things come from Him and not our own efforts. God is faithful to use trials and temptations in our lives as He prepares us for what He has planned. All blessing is from Him, and He is faithful to reward the obedience of His people in His perfect timing. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 14, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Promise Keeper" Genesis 46:2-4 New International Version 2 And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!” “Here I am,” he replied. 3 “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.” God had previously appeared to Jacob in dreams at significant moments in his life: at Bethel, confirming His calling on Jacob’s life (Genesis 28:10–22), and in Paddan Aram, when God instructed him to return to the land of his fathers (Genesis 31:1–3). And, once again, God appeared to Jacob in a dream to give him instructions and confirm His promises as he was on his way to Egypt. In Egypt, God would continue to build Jacob’s family into a great nation. He also promised to bring Jacob’s family out of Egypt and back into the land He promised to give them. God may lead us to places we don’t expect or present us with circumstances we do not understand. In these moments, we can depend on the promise-keeping character of our God. He is the one who makes the promise, and He is the one who is faithful to keep it. May we cling to His promises and trust His timing and His character, no matter what.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 13, 2024 Daily Devotion: "A Gift Opens the Way - Wisdom"   Proverbs 18:15-17 New International Version 15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out. 16 A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great. 17 In a lawsuit the first to speak seems right, until someone comes forward and cross-examines. God ensured the survival of His chosen family through Joseph’s wisdom. Throughout his life, Joseph continually chose the things of God, acting in wisdom beyond his years. Even from the earliest recorded action regarding his father’s flocks, Joseph acted wisely. God used all of the circumstances in Joseph’s life to develop wisdom in him, His chosen leader. While tending his father’s flocks, managing Potiphar’s house, interpreting dreams, and saving a nation and his own family from extinction, Joseph displayed wisdom. Joseph spent his life seeking wisdom from God, and, when it mattered most, the wisdom he gained helped him save many lives. Joseph would be a model for kings and leaders to come. His leadership was an example to the nation of Israel of how to lead with God’s wisdom. If God’s chosen people were to survive, their leaders needed to serve and lead with great wisdom. Today, Joseph’s life still serves as an example for both those in positions of leadership and those submitting to their authority. Leaders must continually seek God’s wisdom and allow Him to direct their steps. Similarly, as God’s people, we must submit to the authorities God has appointed, whether national leaders like Pharaoh, or leaders in our local church. Those who lead with wisdom will indeed find blessing from God, and those who humble themselves before God’s chosen leaders will find life and peace. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 12, 2024 Daily Devotion: "He Has Specific Plans and Specific Future" Psalm 139:16 New International Version 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Joseph received a double portion of blessing, as Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons as his own. The faithfulness of Joseph allowed him to be blessed abundantly by God. In the same way that sinful actions can disqualify people from leadership, God entrusts these positions to those who are praiseworthy and responsible. Even though these words were directed specifically to the sons and descendants of Jacob, we can find much encouragement and instruction in them. We are reminded of the way God knows our past, present, and future and of His intimate involvement in each. God has specific plans and a specific future designed for each of us. Will we submit our lives, desires, and plans to God, trusting He has the perfect future prepared for us? As we seek to live lives that honor Him, may we begin each day by entrusting our future to the One who has known all our days before any of them came to be.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 11, 2024 Daily Devotion: "God Is Sovereign" Genesis 50:19-20 New Living Translation 19 But Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. In Joseph’s life, God used a great evil to bring about a great good. His brothers had thrown him into a well and sold him into slavery. He was persecuted and falsely accused, thrown into prison without a trial. Even in all this evil, God would bring about His good purpose. Joseph not only allowed God to direct his steps and use his life for His purposes, but He recognized the sovereignty of God in bringing about good from intended harm. God’s sovereignty remains unchanged. While it may often seem that evil is triumphant in the world, God is always bringing about His good purposes. Nothing is beyond His reach. Nothing goes unnoticed by Him. As we endure an evil world, we can be confident that no matter the circumstances, God is sovereign and is always working out His good purposes for His kingdom, for His people, and for the world. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 10, 2024 Daily Devotion: "His Goodness Never Fails" Habakkuk 1:2-4 New International Version 2 How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? 3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. 4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous so that justice is perverted. The beauty of our faith in Christ is that we can live simultaneously in both; we can accept our pain and the brokenness around us and yet be joyful because we know what is and who is to come. When we acknowledge and accept the brokenness of our world, we are more poised to recognize the gravity of what Christ has done for us. Habakkuk was a prophet in Israel. He presented his honest questions to God, wanting to know what God was doing and why. He was overwhelmed by the evil around him, and he wanted God to intervene. Habakkuk cried to God for help, asking God why so much injustice and destruction was taking place around him. He knew the only person he could go to for help was the Lord. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 09, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Trust The Timing" Psalm 94:14-15 New International Version 14 For the Lord will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance. 15 Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it. What we desire may be good, whether it be the demise of evil, peace in our nations, restoration of our relationships, or healing for our bodies, but it may not yet be His perfect timing. We may feel like God does not see the wickedness or pain around us; He does. He sees us today just like He saw the oppression the Jews faced in the first century. He is working. The Psalmist reminds us that God is the one who gives us the knowledge of what is just. We would not recognize injustice if not for the wisdom He gives us. If God reveals to us what injustice is, can we not be confident that He, being perfectly just, will also deal with it rightly? God does not forsake or abandon His people—He intervenes. He helps. He soothes our worry. He protects and shelters us. He destroys the wicked. Let’s trust the timing, the justice, and the power of our God and wait expectantly for Him. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 08, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Promises of God" Luke 1:76-79 The Passion Translation And to you I prophesy, my little son, you will be known as the prophet of the Most High. You will be a forerunner, going before the face of Lord YAHWEH, to prepare hearts to embrace his ways. You will preach to his people the revelation of salvation, the cancellation of all our sins, to bring us back to God. The splendor-light of heaven’s glorious sunrise is about to break upon us in holy visitation, all because the merciful heart of our God is so very tender. The word from heaven will come to us with dazzling light to shine upon those who live in darkness, near death’s dark shadow. And he will illuminate the path that leads to the way of peace.” What was promised will surely be fulfilled. Zechariah stopped and praised God when John was born. He saw God’s mighty hand, and He praised Him. When we see God moving in our lives, even if it is not the exact result or outcome we had hoped for, may we be people who will stop and praise Him for what He is doing and how He is working. For He is always with us, and He is always restoring.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 07, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The One Who Makes a Way" Isaiah 35:9-10 New International Version 9 No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there 10 and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Our God is all-powerful. He strengthens His people, and He avenges those who have been wronged. He makes the deaf hear, the blind see, and the lame leap. Our God brings water to a barren wasteland and creates a way for His people to return. He delivers from bondage, He ransoms His people. Our God crowns them with joy and overwhelms them with happiness. You may not be in a season marked by overwhelming joy. But no matter what, the character of God remains the same. He is still the God who restores, fulfills promises, and crowns you with joy and happiness. You can trust Him, no matter what, we do not need to fear, cower, or hide when we face suffering. By God’s grace, we can live joyfully even in the midst of pain. We can proclaim His goodness even when our world seems to fall apart. As you conclude your time in God’s Word today, ask Him to fill you with renewed joy. He is with you in whatever you are facing, and He knows exactly what comfort you need. Turn to Him. Seek Him. Ask Him. He is the One who makes a way, and He is making a way for you today. Let Him overwhelm you with joy in this season of waiting. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 06, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Praise Him Even More" Psalm 113 :1-2 New International Version 1 Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, you his servants; praise the name of the Lord. 2 Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore. This psalm was recited by generations of Israelites, reminding and exhorting them to praise the Lord in all circumstances. He is worthy of praise, He is exalted, and nothing can compare to Him. He sits on high, but He bends down to look at the earth, to care for His people. He lifts the poor from the dirt and puts them in places of honor. He turns barrenness to fruitfulness. God is worthy of praise. Whether or not we’ve seen God answer prayers in miraculous ways like Hannah did, or we’re still waiting for God to answer, He is worthy of praise. He pays attention to us, His people. The Redeemer we are waiting on. While we wait, we praise His character, faithfulness, and love. We praise Him for what He has already done in our lives and rejoice that one day, when all His promises are completely fulfilled, we will praise Him even more.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 05, 2024 Daily Devotion: "From Generation to Generation" Luke 1:46-50 New International Version 46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. Today, we are still waiting on the coming of the Lord. We still find ourselves in a world with arrogant, prideful people, a world of suffering, war, loss, death, and pain. But even in this, we have joy! We have joy because we know what is coming. We can rest and rejoice in all He has done and all He will do, and we can trust Him to provide what we need. He manifests in the flesh to die for us, and to rescue us from sin and death. And, when He returns, He will reign as King, establishing His justice and removing pain and brokenness from the world once and for all. May our souls exalt the Lord!   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 04, 2024 Daily Devotion: “He Will Fulfill His Purposes" Luke 1:25 New International Version 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” We will see over and over again the deity and humanity of Christ and the way He fulfilled His purposes to bring eternal redemption to His people. And as we do, we will also see how He never overlooks us, even in our darkest, most desperate moments. He goes out of His way to heal, redeem, and restore. As we get to know Jesus better through this study, let’s be expectant of the ways He will show His redeeming and restoring power, even in our own lives and circumstances. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 03, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Unwavering Faith" Luke 1:68-71 The Passion Translation “Praise be to the exalted Lord God of Israel, for he has seen us through eyes of grace, and he comes as our Hero-God to set us free! He appears to us as a mighty Savior, a trumpet of redemption from the house of David, his servant, just as he promised long ago by the words of his holy prophets. They prophesied he would come one day and save us from every one of our enemies and from the power of those who hate us. We will never be fully free from longings, mistakes, disgrace, or unbelief until we are in heaven But what we see beautifully displayed in Zechariah’s and Elizabeth’s lives is the way God not only redeems all these things but also uses them for His glory. Their community knew they had been unable to have a child, and they knew Zechariah had been disciplined for his unbelief. When they saw God’s mercy on this family, they all rejoiced. God undoubtedly saw Zechariah and Elizabeth in their years of pain and longing. He was merciful despite their mistakes and used both to encourage their community and make His name great. He is the same God today. What might He be working to restore in your life, even in your longing or momentary unbelief?   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 02, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Our Salvation" Luke 4:18-19 New International Version 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”[a] The salvation we are given in Christ is astounding. He offers us Good News. He will release us from all bondage, whether spiritual or physical, some of it now, but all of it in heaven. He gives sight to the blind, both the physically and spiritually blind. And He offers freedom to the oppressed—those under physical, systemic, or emotional oppression and those under spiritual oppression from sin. The time of God’s favor is upon us. Jesus has brought full and complete salvation to all those who believe in Him. We are not limited by our standing, as we proclaim Christ to the world, we must also remember that His salvation extends even to those we may call our enemies. May we proclaim Christ with the same love and generosity He offered us when we were still His enemy. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 01, 2024 Daily Devotion: "He sees; He knows; He cares" Luke 5:24 New International Version 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” We may often find ourselves asking God for something we deeply desire only to find Him giving us something we need. We may not even know we need it, but God graciously meets our needs. He may even do so in a way that allows many others to come to Him. When it feels like God is giving us only what we need and not what we want, or when we feel used by God but not fully seen by Him, may we remember this paralyzed man. God gave him what he desperately needed—forgiveness—and He used his life to bring many to Jesus, and then He did even more. Jesus also gave this man what he truly desired: the ability to walk. That is who Jesus is. He is all-powerful, fully able, and full of compassion. His love for you is the same. He sees; He knows; He cares.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 31, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Great Compassion" Luke 7:16 (ESV) 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” Jesus performed two miracles. These miracles were very different, involving almost opposite situations. But the circumstances did not matter. What mattered was who Jesus is and what He was willing and able to do. A centurion whose slave was very sick had heard of Jesus. He knew Jesus had healed many, and he believed Jesus would do the same for his slave. This man was a Gentile and a Roman military officer. He did not go to Jesus himself, but he sent Jewish elders to ask Jesus to heal his slave. He displayed great faith by insisting that Jesus didn’t even need to come to his house to perform the miracle. He knew all Jesus had to do was speak and his slave would be healed. Jesus healed the slave and commended the centurion for his faith. A widow had lost her only son. Unlike the wealthy centurion, this woman had no social standing and, in that time and culture, no means of providing for herself without a man in her family. She was without protection or provision. This woman did not ask Jesus to heal her son, but, when Jesus saw her, He had compassion for her. He healed her son because of His great compassion, not because of any great faith on her part. The people who witnessed this resurrection gave glory to God. They recognized that only God Himself has the authority and power to perform such a miracle. The people also recognized that He was more than a prophet, Jesus had great compassion for this woman, and He did a miracle for her. God truly had come to help His people. Whether we are broken by loss or grief, or whether we can display incredible faith, God has come to help us. Regardless of how we approach Him, how we present our needs, or what our future holds, He has compassion for us. He has come to help you, and He sees exactly where you are today. Let Him overwhelm and surprise you with His great compassion and care for you. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 30, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The New Covenants" Luke 10:27 The Passion Translation The religious scholar answered, “It states, ‘You must love the Lord God with all your heart, all your passion, all your energy, and your every thought. And you must love your neighbor as yourself.’ In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus described a man from Samaria who was willing to help a Jewish man who had been beaten by robbers. Both a priest and a Levite passed the man and refused to help him. Jesus explained how loving one’s neighbor meant showing mercy and compassion to those who need it most, regardless of their status, nationality, background, or ability to repay. The Samaritan man, the unlikely hero in the story, was the one who displayed love to his neighbor. His actions set the standard for how we are to love others. When Jesus entered Martha’s house, she welcomed Him as a guest. This meant she prepared a meal for Him and a place for Him to sleep. Martha displayed the same attitude of love toward her neighbor as the Samaritan had in Jesus’ parable. Jesus did not scold Martha for her service, for her service to Him was vitally important to the kingdom of God. Jesus corrected Martha for misordering her priorities and for wanting Mary to stop sitting with Jesus and help her with the preparations. Jesus blessed Mary for her desire to learn from her Lord. Mary displayed a heart, soul, strength, and mind that were fully in love with her God. She understood that even though there was much to be done, her priority was to spend time listening to Jesus. Mary is the example of how we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind. She went to Jesus first and was not distracted by other tasks. The Samaritan shows us how we are to love our neighbors as ourselves, taking care of a man who could give him nothing back. When our hearts are aligned with God, our service to others will overflow out of our love for Him.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 29, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Arise and Go" Luke 17:17-19 The Passion Translation “So where are the other nine?” Jesus asked. “Weren’t there ten who were healed? They all refused to return to give thanks and give glory to God except you, a foreigner from Samaria?” Then Jesus said to the healed man lying at his feet, “Arise and go. It was your faith that brought you salvation and made you whole.” Jesus made three statements about following Him concerning others: He warned His disciples against putting a stumbling block before anyone else, He instructed the disciples to rebuke one another if they sinned, and He commanded them to forgive without limit. Jesus also gave two instructions about what it means to have a relationship with God: to have true faith and to have the humility of a servant. On their way to Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples passed a group of ten men suffering from leprosy. Like many people Jesus healed in Luke’s Gospel, these men were outcasts of society, banished from normal life because of their disease. Jesus told the men to show themselves to the priests, and, while they were on their way, they were healed. Luke includes these events directly after Jesus’ instructions about living as a true disciple to show Theophilus and his later readers how they could practically live out Jesus’ instructions. Only one of the ten lepers returned to thank Jesus for what He had done. Only one man displayed true faith, and that faith healed him spiritually as well. This “faith the size of a mustard seed” didn’t have to do with the quantity of faith, but rather the quality. This man may not have had a lot of faith, but what he did have was genuine and pure. He believed Jesus could heal him, and afterward he understood that it was Jesus alone who had done it. Throughout His ministry, Jesus performed miracles for many people who were sick. However, only those who had genuine faith in who He is would believe and find eternal life in Him. Being a true follower of Jesus means we follow His commands. But, without faith, it is impossible to follow those commands and walk with Him. True faith recognizes Jesus for who He is: the Messiah.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 28, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Seek and Save the Lost" Luke 19:10 New International Version 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Jesus came to seek and save the lost. His purpose was not to gain power or fame but to find those who were lost and needed a Savior. The religious leaders rejected Him, but those who seemed less likely to be considered righteous, like beggars and tax collectors, were the ones to display true faith and receive salvation. No matter what you face today, no matter your losses, pains, heartbreaks, struggles, sins, or flaws, Jesus sees you. He sees you even when you can’t see Him. Whether you are blinded by your pain, or whether the world is blocking your view, Jesus still sees you. He has come to save you, and nothing will stop Him. He is the Messiah, and He has already given everything to save you.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 27, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Your Faith Has Healed You" Luke 18:38-42 New International Version 38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. 42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you. What a privilege for us to have access to Luke’s Gospel account so we can see the humanity of Jesus. From His temptation in the desert to His sorrow and anguish in the garden, we can know that our Savior truly knows and understands our pain. It is made clear that He sees our pain and cares for us by the way He continually went out of His way to heal the sick, especially those on the fringes of society. He performed miracles for His people even though they had nothing to give Him in return. Our King cares for us. He has the power, authority, wisdom, and compassion to meet our needs. He truly knows our pain, and He heals us. Jesus wept over the lost in Jerusalem. He came to save the lost, but many still rejected Him. What about you? Jesus will not stop seeking you until you place your faith in Him. What is holding you back from trusting Him with your salvation today? And, if you have already trusted Him to forgive your sins and give you eternal life with Him, what is holding you back from fully trusting Him with whatever you are facing today?   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 26, 2024 Daily Devotion: "We Are Witnesses" Luke 24:42-45 The Passion Translation They handed him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb. And they watched him eat. Then he said to them, “Don’t you remember the words that I spoke to you when I was still with you? I told you that I would fulfill everything written about me, including all the prophecies from the law of Moses through the Psalms and the writings of the prophets.” He supernaturally unlocked their understanding to receive the revelation of the Scriptures. Jesus is who He says He is. He is reliable and trustworthy, and so is His Word. We have the privilege of being able to read the accounts of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, as well as being witnesses ourselves of what He has done in our own lives. Like Luke shared with Theophilus, we can—and must—tell others who Jesus is and what He has done. We are witnesses of these things. Let’s proclaim the gospel to all the nations.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 25, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Love and Saved by Grace" Luke 7:47–50 NRSV 47 Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” 48 Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” An unnamed, uninvited woman approached Jesus. She poured expensive perfume on His feet and wiped the dirt and dust off His feet with her hair. All of this was an outpouring of love to her Lord, the One who forgave all her sins. What her sins were or what her past looked like no longer mattered when she met Jesus. He had forgiven her, and she loved Him. Jesus is powerful. He has the power to forgive sins and turn hardened hearts to Him. He is also full of love, care, and compassion, and He fully and completely welcomes us when we turn from our sin and follow Him. The Pharisees did not love Jesus because they did not believe they needed forgiveness. But the woman knew she needed to be forgiven, and it drove her to love and worship Jesus with abandon. We must continually ask ourselves how we respond to Jesus and the forgiveness He offers. Do we see our need for forgiveness and therefore come to Him in love and worship, or do we deny that we are sinners and then criticize His grace and mercy for others? May we be like this woman, acknowledging that we are loved and saved by grace, enabling us to extend love and grace to those around us.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 24, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Miracles After Miracles" Luke 8:25 The Passion Translation Then Jesus said to them, “Why are you fearful? Have you lost your faith in me?” Shocked, they said with amazement to one another, “Who is this man who has authority over winds and waves that they obey him?” Today’s bible verse includes four incredible miracles of Jesus, miracles that displayed His power and authority over nature, demons, sickness, and death. These miracles showed not only Jesus’ power but also His care and concern for individuals. First, Jesus calmed a storm on the Sea of Galilee. The boat was filling up with water and the disciples were in danger. Jesus rebuked the wind and waves, and immediately it was calm. The disciples had been with Jesus for some time, and they had witnessed Him perform many miracles. Still, Jesus had to question them, saying, “Where is your faith?” Even after spending so much time with Jesus, the disciples had weak faith. Soon after, Jesus healed a man who was possessed by many demons. He wanted to follow Jesus, but instead, Jesus instructed him to remain in his city and declare what God had done for him. This man displayed faith in who Jesus is, recognizing both His power and care for Him. Jesus then encountered a man whose daughter was sick. Jairus displayed faith by seeking out Jesus, knowing only He could heal his daughter. On His way, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years reached out and touched Him. Her faith was so great that she knew all she needed to do to be healed was touch the edge of His robe. Jesus healed the woman and restored her by allowing all those who were with Him to see what He had done. Continuing, Jesus came to Jairus’s house where many were mourning his daughter. But Jesus went in and restored the girl to life. He displayed His power over death, proving that no matter what, He has the final word. The disciples witnessed all of these miracles. They not only saw Jesus display His power, but also His incredible care and compassion for those in need. His power is not limited by a circumstance, a situation, or even our faith. His power is greater than our needs. How does Jesus’ power relate to your circumstances? In what areas of your life may He be asking you to trust Him? Ask Him today to strengthen and increase your faith. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 23, 2024 Daily Devotion: "No Big Deal with Him" Luke 9:15-17 The Passion Translation After everyone was seated, Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, and gazing into the heavenly realm he gave thanks for the food. Then, in the presence of his disciples, he broke off pieces of bread and fish, and kept giving more to each disciple to give to the crowd. It was multiplying before their eyes! 17 So everyone ate until they were filled, and afterward the disciples gathered up the leftovers—it came to exactly twelve baskets full! God can provide food for two people on a journey through ordinary means, or He can choose to feed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. Every answer to prayer, no matter how insignificant we feel it is, is still the God of heaven bending down to care for His people. We do not need to worry about whether it might be hard or easy for God to answer our prayers. What is extraordinary for us is no big deal for Him, the Almighty One. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 22, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Endless Love of God" Romans 5:3-5 The Passion Translation But that’s not all! Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us! The hope we have in Christ did not come for free. Christ suffered and died so that we could have this hope. As we follow Him, we too will experience suffering, but this suffering is cause for rejoicing! Suffering causes, us to gain endurance, learn what it means to keep going, trusting God when our circumstances tell us to give up. That endurance builds character in us, reminding us of God’s faithfulness as we endure suffering again and again. And finally, this character becomes hope, a joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation. God gives us hope because of His great love for us. He didn’t have to tell us His plan for Christ to return and for us to be with Him forever. But He told us so that we could live in hope, in the expectation of good that is to come, even while we experience suffering. We may grow weary, but our hope doesn’t change because our God doesn’t change. Whether in joy or sadness, we always have a hope that will never disappoint. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 20, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Walking with Him" Psalms 119:49-50 The Passion Translation Lord, never forget the promises you’ve made to me, for they are my hope and confidence. In all of my affliction I find great comfort in your promises, for they have kept me alive! Hope in God’s holiness drives us to obey His commands and walk in His ways. The more we follow His commands, the more we come to know Him. The more we know Him and His promises, the more we trust Him. We know His promises are true because if He is holy, He cannot lie. His holiness comforts us, revives us, and gives us the confidence to wait on Him when we don’t know the future. Our hope is based on who God is. Every aspect of God’s character—His love, faithfulness, truth, goodness, power, and holiness—give us hope for the future. Hope in Him leads us to obedience and increases our faith. When our hope is in the character of God, we will want to follow His commands because we are convinced that there is nothing better than walking with Him. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 19, 2024  Daily Devotion: “Resurrection Hope” 1 Corinthians 15:16-19 The Passion Translation If the dead aren’t raised up, that would mean that Christ has not been raised up either. And if Christ is not alive, you are still lost in your sins and your faith is a fantasy. It would also mean that those believers in Christ who have passed away have simply perished. If the only benefit of our hope in Christ is limited to this life on earth, we deserve to be pitied more than all others! This resurrection is the foundation of our Christian faith. Without the resurrection of Christ, we have nothing to hope for. Paul explained that if Christ has not been raised from the dead, then there is no resurrection for us after we die. Paul even went so far as to say that if we have hope in Christ only in this life and not in eternity, then we are to be pitied more than those who have no hope at all. The basis of our hope in Christ is what He has done on the cross and what He promised to do in eternity. If our hope doesn’t reach beyond death, then we have no hope. Our hope is unfailing because it is eternally secure: Christ has promised to raise our bodies to never-ending life. If there is no resurrection, we have nothing to hope for. If there is no eternity with Christ, then there is no purpose or meaning to our lives. We put our hope in what is real and lasting because anything else is worthless. Our hope is our Lord Jesus Christ today and also in the fact that we will one day be with Christ in eternity. This is what is real and lasting and this is the hope that gives us joy and life. Our hope is grounded in God’s promise. We can live in confident expectation of eternity with Christ because He is the one who holds the future. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March18, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Hold On, Pain Ends”  (HOPE) 1 Peter 1:8-9 The Passion Translation You love him passionately although you have not seen him, but through believing in him you are saturated with an ecstatic joy, indescribably sublime and immersed in glory. For you are reaping the harvest of your faith—the full salvation promised you—your souls’ victory! Our hope is not based on our circumstances. It is based on the work of Christ. It is based on the truth that He was raised from the dead. And it is based on His promise to return and restore all things. Even though we cannot see the object of our faith today, we can still have joy. Faith and hope bring us unfading joy, reminding us that our God always keeps His promises. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 17, 2024 Daily Devotion: "His Purpose and Promises Are Always for Eternity" Hebrews 11:16 New International Version Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. Hebrews chapter 11 describes the faith of many of God’s people. God gave them incredible promises and told them how He planned to bless them and their families in the future. God did incredible things for and through His people, and He kept all of His promises to them. God’s people walked and lived in faith because they believed God’s promise was greater than their circumstances. Though God’s people lived in faith, many of them died without receiving what was promised. God’s purposes and promises are always for eternity, and we cannot see the fullness of these promises on this earth. But we should ask God for the same faith of these saints, being sure of what they could not see but confident that God was always working to keep His promises. God’s people knew their hope would not be fully realized in this world, but that it would be in the one to come. God loves our faith. When our hearts are fixed on Him and His promises, we show Him our faith. He knows what we are facing and He wants us to trust Him and keep our hearts fixed on His promises, no matter what. We have the ultimate promise to look forward to—Christ’s return and eternity with Him. We can put all our hope in this promise. Yet, as we wait, are we also willing to believe His other promises? Like those of His provision, care, presence, protection, power, and willingness to give us the desires of our hearts? If He is willing to give us the greatest good, won’t He also give us these things? Hope in His return is the starting point for all our hopes. For though we may not see all His promises fully fulfilled in this lifetime, we can join with generations of God’s people who look forward to their heavenly home and the fulfillment of all His promises. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 16, 2024 Daily Devotion: "With God Nothing is Impossible" 1 Samuel 1:15-16 New International Version 15 “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. 16 Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” What seemed impossible for Hannah was possible for God. Hannah prayed so desperately that the priest thought she was drunk. Her faith was not overshadowed by her grief; in faith, Hannah asked God for the greatest desire of her heart. After Hannah cried out to the Lord, she no longer looked sad. She found peace in pouring her heart out to God, to the only One who could change her situation and give her what she hoped for. Hannah’s hope in God’s power, character, and kindness led her to pour out her heart to Him. Her desire was for a child, and her hope was rooted in the One who could meet her desire. If our hope is in our desire being fulfilled, we will often be disappointed. But if our hope is in the One who meets our desires, we can continue to have hope no matter the outcome of our situation. A faith that believes God will merely meet our needs is one thing, but a faith that believes God also desires to give us good gifts is another. Hannah did not have a faith that expected God to give her only the bare minimum needed for survival. She trusted in God’s ability and willingness to give her abundantly good gifts out of His generous grace. Let’s put our hope in Him and His gracious answer, no matter what it might be.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 15, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Run with Endurance" Hebrews 12:1-3 New International Version Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. As we continue in our race of faith, we too must endure. But we will not be asked to endure anything that our Savior has not already endured. He endured suffering, rejection, and shame so that we could be reconciled to God. Because of His endurance, we now have an advocate seated at the right hand of God. When we remember what He has done for us, it gives us endurance and strength to continue in hope. To live in hope and continue in our faith, we need to rid ourselves of what hinders us, run with endurance, and keep our eyes on Jesus. We leave sin behind, evaluate our choices based on Scripture, and get rid of anything that pulls us away from God. Whatever is hindering your faith, throw it off. We run with endurance by not giving up. No matter what we’re facing, we cling to God’s promises as we suffer so that we build endurance in our faith. And we keep our eyes on Jesus. By focusing our lives on Him we remember all He has done for us. Keeping our eyes on Jesus helps us when we grow weary and want to give up. We do this by reading Scripture, remaining constant in prayer, and living in community. Jesus endured suffering for our sake. We are only able to endure suffering because of what He has done for us. Without His sacrifice, we would have no reason to hope. As we endure, we display our hope in God’s character and His promises. We are witnesses to the world of faith and hope. May we faithfully endure and show the world the reason for the hope that we have. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 14, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Total Reformation" Romans 12:2 The Passion Translation Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes. As believers in Christ, we are not our own. We belong to God and our lives are to be a continual sacrifice to Him. We do this by not allowing ourselves to be influenced by the world. Instead, we are to continually renew our minds so they are focused on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). When we keep our minds focused on the things of God, we are better able to discern and understand His will. This does not mean God will tell us the future, but He will give us wisdom and discernment as we go about our days. He will help us make choices that honor Him and others. When our minds are renewed by the Spirit, when we pray for spiritual wisdom and understanding, God will lead us in the right course of action. Even though God does not give us specific commands in Scripture concerning every decision we face in life, He promises to guide us as we walk in obedience to His revealed will in the Bible. Sometimes, we hope for one thing and God brings about something else. We may be hopeful that a relationship will lead to marriage, but even if it doesn’t, God will use the experience to grow us through it and to strengthen our faith. Perhaps we are hoping for a new job, but instead, God works through us to change a co-worker’s heart. We could be hoping for a clean bill of health, but as we endure physical suffering and rely on God, a relative comes to know Christ. Hope is being confident that we will see God’s goodness in our lives whether through the outcome we desire or some other good gift. No matter the outcome, true hope will always lead to rejoicing. It will always give us the strength to endure suffering. It will always drive us to persist in prayer. Hope will always lead us to rejoice in the goodness of God. As we renew our minds, becoming obedient to His revealed will in Scripture, He will enable us to know what He wants us to do in specific situations. As we do, we keep our hope anchored in His promises and not in the outcome of our situation.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 13, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Steadfast Hope" Hebrews 6:19-20 The Passion Translation We have this certain hope like a strong, unbreakable anchor holding our souls to God himself. Our anchor of hope is fastened to the mercy seat in the heavenly realm beyond the sacred threshold, and where Jesus, our forerunner, has gone in before us. He is now and forever our royal Priest like Melchizedek. What a joy it has been to grow in our understanding of hope over these past few weeks. We have seen how hope is the confidence to wait on God for good when we cannot see the future. We’ve discovered that endurance is continuing to place our hope in the goodness of God when our circumstances tell us to give up. And, we’ve learned that when our hope endures and remains steadfast, our faith in God’s promises is strengthened. God is asking us to remain steadfast in hope until the end. That is both the end of our season of waiting and the end of our lives as we continue to walk with Him and trust Him with our salvation. Through endurance, we will see the fulfillment of all of God’s promises. God has graciously given us examples to follow of those who remained steadfast in hope, enduring through suffering and doubt, to encourage us to do the same. What a blessing that our God does not leave us guessing about what He has planned for us. Like He told Abraham what He would do, He has given us unchanging promises so we can find encouragement as we endure. What a joy to rest in the truth that our God never changes and that He always keeps His promises. This hope is our anchor. Like an anchor keeps a boat from drifting out to sea, from being tossed about by the current or the winds, hope is the anchor that keeps us tethered to Christ. He keeps us from drifting, from being tossed about by fear, doubt, or lies. We are anchored in Him by our hope. When our anchor is Christ, it will not fail. He cannot fail because He is the One who has given us these promises. In Him, we have salvation, freedom from sin and death, a relationship with God, abundant life, and good gifts. May we endure no matter what the world or our fears tell us. May we remain steadfast in hope, anchored in Him no matter what comes. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 12, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Keep Trusting in the Lord"   Psalms 37:3-7 The Passion Translation Keep trusting in the Lord and do what is right in his eyes. Fix your heart on the promises of God, and you will dwell in the land, feasting on his faithfulness. Find your delight and true pleasure in YAHWEH, and he will give you what you desire the most. Give God the right to direct your life, and as you trust him along the way, you’ll find he pulled it off perfectly! He will appear as your righteousness, as sure as the dawning of a new day. He will manifest as your justice, as sure and strong as the noonday sun. Quiet your heart in his presence and wait patiently for YAHWEH. And don’t think for a moment that the wicked, in their prosperity, are better off than you. Have you ever sensed that God was about to do something big? Maybe you’ve seen Him move in ways you never thought possible, and you are expectant for Him to reveal Himself to you in new ways. Perhaps you’ve seen Him begin to answer a prayer that you’ve prayed for years. Or maybe, you sense Him stirring something in your heart, preparing you for a specific calling. We serve a God who will always act on behalf of His own. And, sometimes, in His grace, He may let us know when He is about to do something big in our lives. Let’s remain alert to what God is stirring in and around us. For He is a God who is always working, who will always work for good in the lives of His children. May we trust Him and expect Him to act.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 11, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Do it for the Lord” Colossians 3:23-24 The Passion Translation Put your heart and soul into every activity you do, as though you are doing it for the Lord himself and not merely for others. For we know that we will receive a reward, an inheritance from the Lord, as we serve the Lord YAHWEH, the Anointed One! What has God put on your heart in this season? God is always working, always preparing us for what He is doing in our lives. How can you be faithful to what He has given you to do right now? What is your responsibility as you wait? What do you need to let go of and let God do as you prepare in other ways? God is always faithful to us, and He asks for our obedience and faithfulness. He has set work for each of us to do.   May we be faithful to work with enthusiasm, remembering that we are working for the Lord and that there is a rich blessing in doing that which He has given us to do.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 10, 2024 Daily Devotion: "God is my Helper" Psalm 54:3-5 New International Reader's Version 3 Enemies who are proud are attacking me. Mean people are trying to kill me. They don’t care about God. 4 But I know that God helps me. The Lord is the one who keeps me going. 5 My enemies tell lies about me. Do to them the evil things they planned against me. God, be faithful and destroy them. When we face opposition, we need to remember God’s faithfulness. He will help us accomplish the work He has given us, and He will guard and defend His people until His will is done. It doesn’t matter who opposes us. God may not immediately remove the opposition we face, but He is always faithful to give us endurance as we continue in His good work.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 09, 2024 Daily Devotion: "A Small Act of Faithfulness" Luke 16:10 New International Version 10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. God may not make us governors, but He has assigned to each of us places of service. May we be faithful with what He has given us, even if it seems small. It can be hard sometimes, especially when our ambitious nature craves the more important roles of position, honor, and influence. May we remember the words of our gracious Lord Jesus who says that God sees and is pleased even with the small acts of faithfulness that no one else might notice. May we serve exactly where God has placed us, with the people He has put around us. Whether He plans to keep us here or to use us in ways beyond what we can currently imagine, let’s stay faithful no matter what. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 08, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Words and Our Heart" Psalms 119:10-11 The Passion Translation I have longed for you with the passion of my heart; don’t let me stray from your directions! I consider your Word to be my greatest treasure, and I treasure it in my heart to keep me from committing sin’s treason against you. If we ever receive counsel that contradicts God’s commands we should not follow that instruction, no matter how sound it may seem. God will never give us instructions that violate His Word. But for us to know if the counsel we receive is from God or not, we need to know His Word. We must store up God’s Word in our hearts, committing it to memory so that when the test comes, we will be ready. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 07, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Growing as One Body" Acts 2:46-47 The Passion Translation Daily they met together in the temple courts and in one another’s homes to celebrate communion. They shared meals together with joyful hearts and tender humility. They were continually filled with praises to God, enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were coming to life. Today, we have a different reason for preserving and protecting God’s people. We do not need to preserve a specific race or nationality, but as believers in Christ, we guard the church because it is the body of Christ. The early church is an example to us of how we can preserve and protect God’s people. These believers cared for one another by sharing their possessions. They worked hard for unity and community, focusing more on one another than on status or possessions. They gathered together and praised God, growing as one body and increasing in number. When we guard and protect the people of God today, we do so not to keep unbelievers out but to show the world what it means to believe in Jesus. When the body of Christ lives in the way God designed—in unity and community, encouraging, exhorting, and uplifting one another—many more people will be drawn into this loving fellowship.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 06, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Sword of the Spirit" Romans 8:1-2 The Passion Translation   So now the case is closed. There remains no accusing voice of condemnation against those who are joined in life-union with Jesus, the Anointed One. For the “law” of the Spirit of life flowing through the anointing of Jesus has liberated us from the “law” of sin and death. The Word of God is powerful and effective, and it changed the hearts of the people. They repented, but they did not need to remain in their guilt and neither do we. God has given us the gift of salvation. God’s just law gives us awareness of our sins. This is necessary to drive us to Christ, our Savior. Once we have honestly confessed our sins to Him, He will forgive us completely, and we should not continue to feel condemnation and guilt. How do you respond when you read the Word of God? Do you feel guilt and shame, or are you able to accept His grace and receive His forgiveness with joy? God’s Word shows us His incredible, unending love for us. It is not enough to just look into ourselves and grieve over our sins. God wants us to receive His grace daily. Today, look away from your sins and failures to Jesus, your gracious Redeemer. Rejoice in the freedom and grace through Him. When we accept His gift of salvation by placing our faith in Jesus, we will know what it means to have the joy of the Lord as our strength. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 05, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Redeem and Restore"   1 John 1:9 New International Version 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. As believers in Christ, we have the privilege of having the Holy Spirit living inside of us. When He alerts us to our sins and we are convicted, we need to stop and repent, cry out to God, and worship Him. Like the people of Jerusalem, we must be humble enough to confess our sins to God. Making excuses won’t do it—He knows our selfish thoughts, hurtful words, and unloving actions. He is a faithful God who always promises to redeem and restore when we return to Him. We should be eager to keep short accounts with our heavenly Father, not letting any sin darken our relationship with Him, but confessing it as soon as we become aware of it. And may He help us confess our sins as readily to other people when we have sinned against them.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 04, 2024 Daily Devotion:   "A Blood of a New Covenant"   Luke 22:19-20 The Passion Translation Then he lifted up a loaf, and after praying a prayer of thanksgiving to God, he gave each of his apostles a piece of bread, saying, “This loaf is my body, which is now being offered to you. Always eat it to remember me.” After supper was over, he lifted the cup again and said, “This cup is my blood of the new covenant I make with you, and it will be poured out soon for all of you. God’s people recognized their sins, repented, and turned back to Him. Part of their commitment to Him was signing a binding covenant together as a people, initiated by the leaders. They signed their names, committing to walk with God and obey His laws once again. A covenant was a significant commitment. God used covenants throughout the history of His people to make promises to them, promises He kept regardless of their faithfulness. When the people of Israel and Judah violated their covenant with God and were sent to exile, God promised to make a new covenant with them when they returned to the land. Here, the people committed to this covenant once again by signing their names. Establishing a covenant was referred to as “cutting” a covenant. When a covenant was “cut,” animals would be slaughtered symbolically, showing that a covenant was costly and that both parties must keep their promises. When the people of Jerusalem cut this new covenant, they signed the document showing they had counted the cost and were willing to set aside their idolatry and walk with God once again. Though the Jews entered into this covenant with God, there was still the ultimate New Covenant to come. God sent Jesus as the minister of the new, everlasting covenant. Jesus established this new covenant, and He was slaughtered in the keeping of the promise. This covenant cost Jesus everything; He offered Himself so we could have freedom from sin and death.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 03, 2024 Daily Devotion:   "Have Faith" Nehemiah 11:1-2 Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns. 2 The people commended all who volunteered to live in Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem signed their names on a document to remember the covenant they made with God. They were renewing their hearts by remembering what God had done for them as a nation and then they committed to following Him. Today, we remember the covenant God has given us by participating in the Lord’s Supper. When we take the elements, the bread and wine, we remember the covenant Jesus made with those who believe in Him. We remember that He has done all that is necessary to uphold this covenant and that all we need to do is place our faith in Him.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 02, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Greatest Treasure" Matthew 6:21 The Passion Translation For your heart will always pursue what you esteem as your treasure. We are often pulled away from our loving God by things that appear to be more attractive than Him. We can keep Him as our ultimate treasure by looking away from the world and back to Him, getting to know Him better, reading and thinking about the things He said and did, and asking Him to open our eyes afresh to His beauty and worth. He truly is the greatest treasure we could ever seek, nothing in this world compares to Him. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 01, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Delight Yourself in the Lord"  Psalms 37:3-4 The Passion Translation   Keep trusting in the Lord and do what is right in his eyes. Fix your heart on the promises of God, and you will dwell in the land, feasting on his faithfulness. Find your delight and true pleasure in YAHWEH, and he will give you what you desire the most. How often do we stop to celebrate when we see evidence of God working in our lives? When a prayer is answered or when God performs a miracle in our lives, we often continue without celebrating. It can be easy to forget the wonders God has done for us when we don’t take the time to stop, thank Him, and rejoice in His goodness. This is not an unimportant matter, for we are commanded to “rejoice in the Lord” (Philippians 3:1) and to “delight yourself in the Lord” (Psalm 37:4). God wants us to find our highest joy in Him. How can we learn to rejoice more in God? It is hard to do when we fill our minds with other things, especially worldly entertainment—things we watch on TV or scroll through on our phones. We must fight against everything that diminishes our joy in God. We cannot delight ourselves in God when our minds are not engaged with Him. Neither can we rejoice in Him when we can’t see how glorious and wonderful He is. But we can—and should—ask Him to reveal more of Himself to us when we read the Bible and meditate on His Words and promises. For “in [His] presence, there is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11).       --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 29, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Breath of God" 2 Timothy 3:16-17 The Passion Translation   God has transmitted his very substance into every Scripture, for it is God-breathed. It will empower you by its instruction and correction, giving you the strength to take the right direction and lead you deeper into the path of godliness. Then you will be God’s servant, fully mature and perfectly prepared to fulfill any assignment God gives you. Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work. God had chosen Israel as His people. He led them out of slavery, through the wilderness, and into the Promised Land. The people were to remain His, and they were not to intermarry with anyone from the nations surrounding them, especially the Ammonites and Moabites. Both of these nations opposed Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness, and the Moabites even hired Balaam to curse Israel. The purpose for keeping God’s people separate from the surrounding nations was because God knew that His people could easily be led astray and fall into idolatry. However, if a Moabite or Ammonite turned from their pagan ways and followed God wholeheartedly, they were welcomed into the people of God. Ruth is a prime example of this, turning from the ways of her people and choosing to follow Naomi’s God. Ruth became the ancestor of the greatest king of Israel and was held in great honor among God’s people because of her faithfulness. This was not the first time the exiles had to repent of this particular sin. They had intermarried and been led astray by the idols of other nations before. Nehemiah 9:2 and 10:28 show previous instances where the people repented and turned from this sin. The events in chapter 13 took place about thirty years later, showing that even though they had repented, the next generation had disobeyed again. Yet, God was faithful, and His Word did not return void. When the people read it, they responded, repenting and turning from their sins. Even though they had fallen back into a pattern of sin, God had compassion for His people. His Word was effective and led His people to repentance. The same is true for us. Even when we fall into sinful patterns, God is faithful and patient with us. He will use His Word to call us to repentance. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 28, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The One Who Keeps His Covenant of Love" Nehemiah 1:11 New International Version Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king. When Nehemiah heard of the plight of God’s people and the state of Jerusalem’s walls, he was distraught. He would not let God’s name be dishonored because of the way His people and His city had been treated. Nehemiah faithfully prayed and asked God for wisdom and help. Nehemiah asked God for only a few specific things. He asked God to recall His promise, a promise to both punish His people if they were unfaithful and to gather His people back if they repented. He asked God to listen to his prayer and grant him success as he went before the king. God, of course, answered all of Nehemiah’s requests. He gave him great success with the king, granting him the freedom to go to Jerusalem to complete the work God listened to Nehemiah’s prayer, hearing his pleas for His people and the city of God. And God gathered His people and re-established His covenant with them. But God did so much more. He allowed Nehemiah to witness the true restoration of His people. God granted Nehemiah the great blessing of seeing both the wall of Jerusalem rebuilt and the hearts of the people restored to God. When Nehemiah wept and pleaded with God over His people, he had no idea about all God had in store. No matter what you’re facing, you, too, can present your requests to God. He is loving, gracious, and compassionate, and He hears all our prayers. He does not always answer in the way we hope He will, but He does always answer. We can remember His faithfulness in the past to Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem as a model and a promise of His faithfulness to us today. May we boldly come to God in prayer and reflect on His goodness and faithfulness after He has completed His incredible work. For He alone is the great and awesome God who keeps His loving covenant with those who love Him and obey His commands. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 27, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Make Your Life a Prayer" 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 The Passion Translation Let joy be your continual feast. Make your life a prayer. And in the midst of everything be always giving thanks, for this is God’s perfect plan for you in Christ Jesus. When God told Abraham He intended to determine if Sodom was deserving of destruction, Abraham then interceded, praying on behalf of however many righteous people might be there. He asked God if He would destroy Sodom if fifty righteous people were found there, and the Lord said He would not. Abraham then asked if He would destroy the city if forty-five righteous people were found there, then forty people, then thirty, then twenty. Each time Abraham asked, God said He would not destroy it for that many people. Finally Abraham said, “Suppose ten should be found there?" And God said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten" (Genesis 18:32). As it turned out, only four righteous people were there, so God destroyed it. But Abraham had stopped asking at ten. We need the kind of persistence in prayer that causes us to continue asking as Abraham did. Too often we stop short. Perhaps Abraham stopped asking because he couldn't imagine that there wouldn't be at least ten righteous people in Sodom. Or perhaps by then God had proved His point and revealed His intentions. God knew the city was wicked enough to destroy, but He saved the four righteous people-which were Lot, his wife, and their two daughters (Genesis 19:29). Your prayers are powerful to save too. So keep asking and continue seeking, and don't ask for crumbs when God wants to give you the banquet. When it comes to praying for you ask God to help you persist in prayer for even what may seem impossible. Ask for your marriage to not only be saved, but to be good. Ask for it to not only be good, but to be great. God doesn't say “No” to what is His will. If your husband has a strong will that refuses to submit to God's will, persist in praying that God's will wins out. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 26, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Free from Bondage" Mark 5:34 The Passion Translation Then Jesus said to her, “Daughter, because you dared to believe, your faith has healed you. Go with peace in your heart, and be free from your suffering!”   When Jesus walked the earth, He healed many people. He even raised some from the dead. With each miracle, He demonstrated His deity and His power. But He also showed His love for the hurting and lost. But Jesus’ healing went far beyond the physical.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 25, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Just Ask"   Matthew 7:7-11 The Passion Translation   “Ask, and the gift is yours. Seek, and you’ll discover. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. For every persistent one will get what he asks for. Every persistent seeker will discover what he longs for. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door. “Do you know of any parent who would give his hungry child, who asked for food, a plate of rocks instead? Or when asked for a piece of fish, what parent would offer his child a snake instead? If you, imperfect as you are, know how to lovingly take care of your children and give them what’s best, how much more ready is your heavenly Father to give wonderful gifts to those who ask him?” Jesus tells us, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened unto you." So that we don't miss His point, our Lord uses the word “ask” five times in this passage. “Ask,” says the Lord. He doesn't say beg. He merely says, ask. This can only mean that God is not waiting for us to bang down His heavenly door and implore Him, though there is the issue of persistence in prayer. The real issue is this: We have not because we ask not. Asking God is a good place to start! Why would anyone come to David Jeremiah before they would approach the Creator of the universe? God has whole worlds in His back pocket. The Bible says we don't have because we don't ask. So if we don't have it, and we need it, maybe we ought to try asking for it. Jesus didn't tell us five times to “ask" in this passage because He had nothing better to say. He wants us to ask. The question is, will we? Notice what happens if you ask, seek, and knock-and put them underneath each other: Ask, Seek, Knock Even the three words themselves cry out to us to ask. Ask! Seek! Knock! What does Jesus want us to do when it comes time to pray? Just ask. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 24, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Act of Service" Matthew 25:40 The Passion Translation   “And the King will answer them, ‘Don’t you know? When you cared for one of the least of these, my little ones, my true brothers and sisters, you demonstrated love for me.’ Spiritual gifts assessments are popular for good reason—learning about ourselves is interesting, especially when it comes to our role in the church. In today’s passage, however, Paul says we shouldn’t just know our gifts; we must “use them properly. What does this mean for us? We’re to help willingly and in faith, knowing the Holy Spirit empowers us. He will tell us what must be done and how. All we need to do is follow His lead and pitch in whenever and wherever we’re called.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 23, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Pray without Ceasing" Ephesians 6:18 New International Version 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Our Father wants us to use our spiritual gifts to bless others. So let’s keep in mind that acts of service can speak clearly of His love and compassion. As we become salt and light, God will expand our sphere of influence beyond what we could imagine. Pray, “Lord, I give You control over my life so You can affect others through my words and actions. Make my days count for eternity however You choose—do not let me waste them. Live Your life through me in such a way that many recognize their need for You. In Jesus’ name, amen.”       --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 22, 2024 Daily Devotion: "God Knows Best" Proverbs 19:20-21 TPT Listen well to wise counsel and be willing to learn from correction so that by the end of your life you’ll be known for your wisdom. A person may have many ideas concerning God’s plan for his life, but only the designs of God’s purpose will succeed in the end. We never know what a day will bring, whether good or ill. Our heavenly Father's plan unfolds apart from our awareness. Ours is a walk of faith, not sight. Trust, not touch. Leaning long and hard, not running away. No one knows ahead of time what the Father's plan includes. It's best that way. It may be a treasured blessing; it could be a test that drops us to our knees. He knows ahead of time, but He is not obligated to warn us about it or to remind us it's on the horizon. We can be certain of this: our God knows what is best.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 21, 2024 Daily Devotion: "We Have a Big God" Psalm 95:3-9 New International Version 3 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice, 8 “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,[a] as you did that day at Massah[b] in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did. When your God is too small, your problems are too big and you retreat in fear and insecurity. But when your God is great, your problems pale into insignificance and you stand in awe as you worship the King. How big is your God? Big enough to intervene? Big enough to be trusted? Big enough to be held in awe and ultimate respect? Big enough to erase your worries and replace them with peace? Remember: the more you know God, the bigger He becomes.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 20, 2024 Daily Devotion: "He Is the Most Exalted One" Colossians 1:18 TPT   He is the Head of his body, which is the church. And since he is the beginning and the firstborn heir in resurrection, he is the most exalted One, holding first place in everything. God is prominent and preeminent. He is majestic in His power, magnificent in His person, and marvelous in His purposes. How refreshing to step back into the shadows of our own insignificance and give full attention to the greatness of our God! It's all about Him! We take a major step toward maturity when we finally realize it's not about us and our significance. It is all about God's magnificence. His holiness. His greatness. His glory. God is transcendent. He is magnificent. He is mighty. He alone is awesome! He is all around us, above us, and within us. Without Him there is no righteousness. Without Him there is no holiness. Without Him there is no promise of forgiveness, no source of absolute truth, no reason to endure, no hope beyond the grave.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 19, 2024 Daily Devotion: "God's World" Psalms 19:1-6 TPT God’s splendor is a tale that is told, written in the stars. Space itself speaks his story through the marvels of the heavens. His truth is on tour in the starry vault of the sky, showing his skill in creation’s craftsmanship. Each day gushes out its message to the next, night by night whispering its knowledge to all— without a sound, without a word, without a voice being heard, yet all the world can hear its echo. Everywhere its message goes out. What a heavenly home God has set for the sun, shining in the superdome of the sky! See how he leaves his celestial chamber each morning, radiant as a bridegroom ready for his wedding, like a day-breaking champion eager to run his course. He rises on one horizon, completing his circuit on the other, warming lives and lands with his heat. This day, we need to stop for a moment to open new eyes to the wonder of God's world. If we will only try to see it through His eyes rather than our own, we will find new beauty that we never noticed before. His is a world of wonder and miracle. See it.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 18, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Fear of the Lord" Proverbs 9:10 The starting point for acquiring wisdom is to be consumed with awe as you worship YAHWEH. To receive the revelation of the Holy One, you must come to the one who has living-understanding. How terribly important it is that we stand firm in wisdom, responding in understanding. Neither can be found by our own effort or as a result of our searching. You can earn degrees and never gain wisdom or understanding. You'll certainly not get a grasp of the fear of the Lord from higher learning. Even in the finest of universities, there's no course offered on the fear of the Lord. The source? God and God alone. By "fear of the Lord" I'm referring to an awesome respect for God accompanied by a personal hatred for sin. Now we can see why Solomon wrote, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" (Proverbs 9:10).   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 17, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Seventy Times Seven Times" Matthew 18:21-22 The Passion Translation   Later Peter approached Jesus and said, “How many times do I have to forgive my fellow believer who keeps offending me? Seven times?” Jesus answered, “Not seven times, Peter, but seventy times seven times!   Jesus then shared the parable of a slave who owed the king a great debt. The king felt compassion, released him, and forgave the debt. But later, the man found someone who owed him a smaller amount. Rather than extend a portion of the grace he’d received, the slave demanded payment and punished the other man until he could pay it all. Hearing of this wickedness, the king called back the slave who had shown no mercy to a fellow worker. Then the king withdrew his generous offer and handed the slave over to jailors to work off every single denarius he owed. May an unmerciful mindset never be true of us. When we truly grasp the depth of what Jesus did on the cross (Colossians 2:14), we should be eager to grant and freely share that gift with others. Forgiveness becomes a natural outpouring of the indwelling power of God within us, allowing us to forgive to the extreme—just as we are forgiven.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 16, 2024 Daily Devotion: "The Glory of the Lord Will Be Revealed" Isaiah 40:1-5 New International Version   40 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” What glory would be revealed for all to see? Those words told of Jesus—God’s Word made flesh (John 1:14), who paid the ultimate price to fully restore us, the One the angels announced as they filled the sky in worship, declaring, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased” (Luke 2:14 NLT).     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 15, 2024 Daily Devotion: "God's Handiwork" Psalm 139:14 New International Version   14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. We believers are each a unique blend of personality, gifts, and experiences that God has mixed together and continually applies so we simultaneously enhance and are enhanced by those around us. What an honor it is to be God’s handiwork! While every Christian is a small piece of the whole of creation, we never lose our distinctiveness or get lost in the grandeur of the big picture. Quite the contrary—God knows exactly where we are and keeps us in mind as He adds others to His magnum opus. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 14, 2024 Daily Devotion: "My Champion Defender" Psalms 62:1-2 TPT I stand silently to listen for the one I love, waiting as long as it takes for the Lord to rescue me. For God alone has become my Savior. He alone is my safe place; his wrap around presence always protects me. For he is my champion defender; there’s no risk of failure with God. So why would I let worry paralyze me, even when troubles multiply around me? Remembering that God is faithful will bring release from the weight of our worries. So let’s hold to the perspective that God is at work and keep our eyes fixed on the solution rather than the problems. Then, like David, we will be able to say, “I will not be greatly shaken”. While you are learning to release your burdens, be sure to talk to God in prayer and wait in hope for Him. And never forget that He is your rock and salvation. That is true relief.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 13, 2024 Daily Devotion: "God is Alive, Just and Good"   Proverbs 3:5-6 English Standard Version   5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.   There is nothing like hope in the truth to clarify perspective and keep you going. Enduring a painful journey can be done a lot more easily if you embrace truth as your traveling companion. Not only will it give you hope, it will clarify your perspective. Truth reminds us that God is alive and just and good. I say again, wrong will ultimately be judged. Today may seem dark and terribly long, but there will be a bright tomorrow. There is nothing like a lack of assurance to haunt your steps and make you afraid. Let me put it to you straight: If you are without the Lord Jesus Christ in your life, your steps are marked by uncertainty. And deep into the night when the lights are out and your head is sunk into the pillow, thoughts of your ultimate future will haunt you. Few thoughts are more frightening than not knowing where you will be when you die. If you die without Christ, you're facing a fearful judgment. "It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). To have inner peace you need to know without a doubt where you're going. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 12, 2024 Daily Devotion: "He Came So We Can Have Life" John 10:10 New International Version   10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. There’s a reason why life feels empty: God created us with a yearning—one that He alone can satisfy. We can’t be fulfilled until we experience the Lord’s transforming and unconditional love. Jesus said, “I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). In other words, God wants us to feel complete, but that can happen only through a relationship with Him. We can know joy and contentment when we seek God above all else. Pray for His guidance, and ask Him to fill your life as only He can.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 11, 2024 Daily Devotion: "In His Perfect Time" John 13:7 New International Version   7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Refuse to believe that life is based on blind fate or random chance. Everything that happens, including the things you cannot explain or justify, is being woven together like an enormous, beautiful piece of tapestry. From this earthly side it seems blurred and knotted, strange and twisted. But from heaven's perspective it forms an incredible picture. Best of all, it is for His greater glory. Right now, it seems so confusing, but someday the details will come together and make good sense. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 10, 2024 Daily Devotion:   "Work Everything for Good"   Acts 16:5-10 New International Version   5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. 6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. If you’re in a period of waiting, try doing what Paul did. Look at your situation as a chance to seek God’s purpose and guidance. Ask the Lord why He has barred the way forward—perhaps the timing is wrong or there’s some unconfessed sin to deal with. Whatever the reason, it’s important to be sensitive to the Spirit’s leading—and to be ready for the door that will open. When an opportunity is blocked, God has a reason. He is providing love and protection, even when we don’t see it. And He’s keeping His promise to work everything for our good.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 09, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Seek The Path of Jesus" Matthew 7:7-8 New International Version   7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.   Jesus is the door through which we find abundant, eternal life. When we knock, we trust that there is always more goodness in store for those who are in Christ. And when we walk through this open door, it is through faith in Christ on the path of salvation that He alone provides. When you ask, ask for more of Jesus. When you seek, seek the path of Jesus. And when you knock, knock boldly in the certainty that Jesus will open Himself to you and welcome you home. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 08, 2024 Daily Devotion:   "Ask Seek Knock"   Matthew 7:7-11 New International Version   7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!   Asking God for anything requires faith—not only in His capacity to meet our needs but also in His desire to do so. That’s why Jesus reassured His listeners with visible, tangible examples of a fish, snake, loaf, and stone (vv. 9-10). If we want nothing more than to give good things to our loved ones, He says, we can trust that God in His perfect love desires to give us even greater Blessings. When Jesus tells us to ask, He affirms our identity as beloved children. He’s more than able and willing to meet our needs; our part is believing we are loved enough to make a request. Whatever you need today, ask with confidence and thanksgiving, knowing that your prayer will be answered in whatever way He deems best.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 07, 2024 Daily Devotion:   "Warmth of His Compassion"   Psalm 34:1-7 New Life Version   I will honor the Lord at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth. 2 My soul will be proud to tell about the Lord. Let those who suffer hear it and be filled with joy. 3 Give great honor to the Lord with me. Let us praise His name together. 4 I looked for the Lord, and He answered me. And He took away all my fears. 5 They looked to Him and their faces shined with joy. Their faces will never be ashamed. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him. And He saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord stays close around those who fear Him, and He takes them out of trouble. God’s presence offers reassurance in our life. When we earnestly seek Him, pouring out our fears and worries, He answers with a love that transcends our understanding. In the warmth of His compassion, we find strength to face our fears head-on, knowing we are not alone on a dark sea. God’s deliverance doesn’t mean our circumstances will change. Instead, it offers a transformative inner peace that steadies our mind and heart. It empowers us to walk through life’s challenges with the realization that our faith in Him is stronger than the grip of fear. Let us take solace in knowing that even when we feel afraid, God is ever-present, guiding us with His divine light. In the darkest moments, His love shines through, illuminating the path ahead. As we seek Him, He becomes our rock, our refuge, and our source of courage. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 05, 2024 Daily Devotion:   "Liberating Power of Love"   Ephesians 4:25-32 New International Version   25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. 29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.   God’s instruction is clear: Be kind. Compassion must be the foundation of our actions. It helps us to be tenderhearted and empathetic. Understanding the joys and sorrows of others enables us to create spaces where love thrives and wounds are healed. Christ also taught us to be forgiving—holding a grudge only weighs us down and blocks the freedom that comes with extending forgiveness. But by following God’s example, we break the chains of bitterness and embrace the liberating power of love.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 04, 2024 Daily Devotion:   "Immeasurable Love" Romans 5:6-8 New International Version   6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.   When we face trials, we can find comfort in knowing that God stands by us as a victorious warrior. He fights on our behalf, triumphing over adversity and defeating the forces that seek to harm us. In His strength, we discover resilience, courage, and hope. At the same time, God reveals His gentler side. He exults over us with joy, taking delight in our growth and successes. Even in our imperfections, we are tenderly embraced by His unconditional acceptance and reminded that we’re cherished with immeasurable love. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 03, 2024 Daily Devotion:   "The Path of Christ" Matthew 18:15-20 New International Version   15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”   Jesus’ words offer a compassionate guide to handling conflict within relationships. He calls us to approach our brothers and sisters in Christ with grace and humility. Through private, loving conversations, we can restore relationships and, in doing so, foster an atmosphere of love and unity within the body of Christ. In the midst of broken relationships, Jesus extends His hand of grace and invites us to be agents of reconciliation. When tensions arise, it’s natural to have hurt or angry feelings—or a desire to prove ourselves right. However, the path Christ sets before us involves a humble journey of communication, grace, and understanding. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 02, 2024 Daily Devotion:   "Greater Love" John 15:13 New International Version   13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.   When we encounter someone who stands by us through thick and thin, who lends a listening ear without judgment, who offers support and encouragement, we glimpse the reflection of Christ’s love. Just as Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). True friendship echoes this sacrificial love. In a world that often seems too busy for genuine connections, let us cherish and cultivate the friendships that draw us closer to God’s heart. May we be the kind of friend who sticks closer than a brother, reflecting the love of our Savior in every word, action, and embrace we offer to others. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 01, 2024   Daily Devotion: "Victorious Over the Grave" Deuteronomy 18:18 New International Version   18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.   It was the humility of another like Moses that got Moses into heaven. Jesus is the prophet God chose to lead his people out of spiritual slavery. As God, Jesus has absolute authority over everyone and everything. Yet Jesus did not use that authority to his own advantage. He put our needs ahead of his own and gave his life on the cross. He used his humble authority to pay our sin debt with his blood. Victorious over the grave, Jesus is the way through the wilderness. All who believe in him have eternal life in the land that He has promised.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 31, 2024 Daily Devotion: "Be Grateful"   Psalm 23:4-6 New International Version   4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. What keeps us from sitting at God’s table and rejoicing in the story of God’s faithfulness in our own life? Three obstacles come to mind: striving, discontentment, and deception. Striving is the internalized sense that we must always keep moving forward in pursuit of success, money, and acclaim. We think, more is always better, and rest is for the weak. This inability to slow down and appreciate God’s gifts breeds a profound sense of unfulfillment, making joy and peace elusive. The world’s competitive striving and restless dissatisfaction are fueled by the enemy’s most ancient and insidious deception: My way is better than God’s way. But when we are grateful we declare that God’s way of rest, and simplicity is better than the world’s deceived way of striving and discontentment. Being grateful is to challenge the enemy’s lies. In this way, Gratitude —slowing down to savor God’s gifts and remember His faithfulness—is an act of spiritual warfare. To be Thankful ......is to trust in the Lord. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 30, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Stand Firm" 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 New International Version   13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.   God’s love is so great he even promises that we will share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven. No photo can capture the splendor and joy that await us in our eternal home at our Savior’s side. Since God embraces us with endless love. We are moved to give him endless thanks with our lips and our lives. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 29, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "We Are God's People" Isaiah 64:8-9 English Standard Version   8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. 9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord, and remember not iniquity forever. Behold, please look, we are all your people.   While the Lord is sovereign, He is also loving, gracious, and thorough—and that influences how He shapes us. Just as a potter works the clay with patience, God forms our Christlike character slowly—one experience at a time. He knows that spiritual maturity can’t be rushed. And just as clay can slip from the middle of the wheel, we too might find ourselves off-center from time to time—whether due to an old wound, a new hardship, a recurring habit, or something else. However, we don’t have to worry. In His grace, God always maneuvers the drifting believer back into position and begins remolding. He never discards His vessels but patiently works to mold them. Our Father is a personal Potter. His creations reflect Him, and His Spirit is poured into each believing vessel so He can be an intimate part of our life. The result is a work of true beauty—a saint dearly loved by the Lord. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 28, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Vessels Designed and Moulded by God"   Jeremiah 18:1-6 New International Version   1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4 But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me. 6 He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.   If you have ever watched a potter work, as Jeremiah did in today’s passage, you know the wonder of seeing a vessel take shape from a lump of clay. It was an object lesson for the prophet—God was teaching that the nation of Israel needed to be shaped by His hand. In fact, we are all vessels designed and molded by the master Potter. Too often we look around at the talents and abilities of others and wish to be more like someone else. But we have been perfectly designed for God’s purposes, and He makes no mistakes. Know this: The Master is pleased with who you are, for you are “awesomely and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). Take a moment and ask God to let this truth sink into your heart and mind today. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 27, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "An Essential Concept" Ephesians 2:8-10 New International Version   8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.   God’s grace is an essential concept for believers to understand. He freely offers His favor to mankind because Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross granted forgiveness and salvation to anyone who believes. However, many people think they are enjoying God’s kindness when what they are really trying to do is earn it. And the Lord is very clear that works cannot save us.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 26, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Perfect Peace" (Isaiah 26:3, ESV)   You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you”   For many of us, these last few years have felt a bit unstable. We have all experienced some form of worry, stress, and anxiety from the unknown future. From viruses, suddenly losing loved ones, empty store shelves, job losses, rising home prices, and hefty grocery bills week after week - we have all needed to find perfect peace. Our answer is found in fixing our gaze upon the Lord and anchoring our minds to His unwavering truth. No matter what is going on around us, we can find unshakable confidence in the Lord because He is ever-faithful to us. This is why staying in the Word consistently is so important when experiencing stressful or unstable times. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17) and the more we are studying the Scriptures, the stronger our trust in God becomes. The Word of God is so powerful, and the more we study and meditate upon it, the stronger our foundation will be in Christ, and we will continually know how to look to Him any time stress and anxiety try to overtake us. Let us always be quick to ask the Lord for His sustaining grace and help in our time of need, looking to Him always because He cares for us. No matter what is going on around us, even if it seems like everything is falling apart, we must remember that God holds the entire universe in His hands. He is completely sovereign. Nothing passes through His hands by accident. He is in total control and has a great plan regarding all of it; We can trust in Him and rest in His great, perfect peace. Let us set our mind upon Him.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 25, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Lost and is Found" Luke 15:31-32 New International Version   31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”   Jesus’ parable about the prodigal son never mentions the word love directly, but it’s there in every one of the father’s actions. Putting yourself in the father’s place and then the younger son’s, re-read today’s passage with an eye toward expressions of love. What examples can you find? Notice that godly love enables us to respond graciously in trying circumstances. Sacrifice without complaining. Wait patiently for others instead of pushing them to change. Encourage others. Forgive those who have wronged us. Give generously and serve joyfully at all times. Assist people who are struggling. Show kindness to those who misjudge or misunderstand us. Keeping this parable in mind, how can you begin to love others more fully, as the Lord does? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 24, 2024 Daily Devotion:   "Our Comfort Abounds Through Christ"   2 Corinthians 1:5 New International Version   5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.   When life gets difficult, how do you respond? Do you begin to doubt God, wondering why He’d let adversity happen? Or do you turn to Him, seeking to better understand His ways and grow stronger in faith? Paul writes, “For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ” (v. 5). The apostle explained to the Corinthian believers that the trials he and Timothy endured taught them to rely on God’s strength, not their own. Bolstered by God’s faithfulness in the past and the prayers of other believers, they held on to hope. We will all face difficulty at one point or another. And when that happens, we should try to respond like Paul and Timothy—trusting in the Lord, even though our pain may seem unbearable. Ask the Lord to comfort you. His power is unparalleled and available to every believer. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 23, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "The Lord Is Our Helper"  Hebrews 13:5-8 New International Version   5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”[a] 6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”[b]7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.   Spending time alone can leave you feeling recharged and rested. But loneliness is different. So, what should you do if you feel lonely? First, ask yourself if you’ve accepted Jesus’ invitation to have a personal relationship with Him. He is the nearest, dearest friend you can ever have. Second, remember that God  repeatedly promises that He will never leave or abandon you. Ask the Lord to help you have a right understanding of who you are as His child. Scripture tells us that God loves us with an everlasting love and that He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Ask Him to help you to feel His love and friendship.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 22, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Divine and Perfect Love"  1 John 4:18 New International Version   18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.   Divine love compels us. God—who created this world, who took on flesh to walk among us and redeem us, who died to save us—has given us perfect love. And we demonstrate this love from God by loving each other. Even when we are afraid. What a mission God has given us—to both receive His perfect love and demonstrate it to each other. In the process of carrying out that mission, we will find that where love abounds, there’s no room left for our fears. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 21, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Sympathy and Comfort" Job 2:12-13 New International Version   12 When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. 13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him because they saw how great his suffering was.   Friends respond with sympathy and comfort. Sympathy includes identifying with the sufferer. Friends do that. They enter into his or her crucible for the purpose of feeling the anguish and being personally touched by the pain. Comfort is attempting to ease the pain by helping to make the sorrow lighter. You assist wherever you can assist because you want to comfort them. Friends openly express the depth of their feelings. They have ways of doing that, don't they? It's not uncommon to see a friend standing nearby in the hospital room fighting back the tears. It's not unusual for the friend to express deep feelings. Casual acquaintances don't usually do that; genuine friends make their feelings known. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 20, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Seventy-Seven Times" Matthew 18:15-22 New International Version   15 “If your brother or sister[a] sins,[b] go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[c] 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[e] loosed in heaven.19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[f] Confrontation often goes sideways. As Jesus unpacks this possibility, Peter asks how many times he must forgive his brother—even seven times? That small number represents a large amount of pain to the disciple. But Jesus doesn’t hesitate: Yes, and even seventy times seven times. In Jesus’ culture, the symbolic “seventy times seven” didn’t equal 490; it equaled infinity. In other words, forgiveness is something Christ followers should always practice. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 19, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Gain Through Loss" Matthew 18:10-14 New International Version   10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. [11] 12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. God’s spreadsheet doesn’t look like ours. In His budget, there are no calculations for loss with regard to His “little ones.” No one is considered collateral damage. That’s good news, because the One who watches over lost lambs and tiny sparrows is watching out for us as well. But these are also challenging words, for God asks us to live with compassion, too. Thankfully, His grace is sufficient to equip us for this good work. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 18, 2023   Daily Devotion:   "God We Serve Has a Game Plan"   Jeremiah 29:11 New International Version   11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.   We serve a God who has the right to do whatever He does and is never obligated to explain it or ask permission. Stop and consider—should we think that good things are all we receive? Is that the kind of God we serve? He's no heavenly servant of ours who waits for the snap of our fingers, is He? He is our Lord and our Master! We need to remember that the God we serve has a game plan that is beyond our comprehension, including hard times like this." --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 17, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Keep Waiting"   Philippians 3:13-14 New Living Translation   No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.   Waiting involves a lot of stress—especially when we don’t know how long it will be until the holding pattern ends. During the wait, we sometimes turn away from God and yearn for a time when things felt easier. By turning our eyes forward towards that certain-yet-far-off day, we too may find the strength to keep waiting. Because God promises a glorious future, Christians can find the strength to wait—even when it’s difficult. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 16, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Trust in The Lord with All Your Heart"   Proverbs 3:5-12 New International Version   5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;.6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. [a] 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. 11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, 12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.   Dependence on God is central to an abundant life. Trusting Him with all our heart means giving Him control over everything—our family, finances, emotions, and thoughts. Today’s passage emphasizes how essential trust is to a fruitful life: It cautions against being wise in our own eyes and warns not to lean on our own understanding (vv. 5, 7). When faced with decisions, it’s tempting to choose the answer we think is right. But we can’t know all the facts or predict with certainty how others will respond. The Lord, however, does know. He reads our heart and perceives every thought (1 Chronicles 28:9). No aspect of our situation escapes His notice (Psalm 11:4), and He cares about everyone. That’s why He alone is certain which decision will be best.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 15, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Love and Faithfulness" Proverbs 3:1-4 New International Version   Wisdom Bestows Well-Being My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they will prolong your life many year and bring you peace and prosperity. 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.   When we value something, we think about it, study it, and learn all we can about it. By studying the Bible, we learn about God’s character, plans, and promises. Scripture meditation develops our ability to think biblically and deepens our relationship with the Lord. One of the indications that we treasure His Word is a change in behavior—decisions will increasingly be guided by His principles, and actions will reflect the fruit of the Spirit God’s truth has the power to expose ungodly attitudes and behaviors, not only in us but also in others. When this happens, kindness helps to protect relationships from damage. What’s more, it can prevent discord and division in churches. God wants us to speak the truth to one another—but to make sure we do it with loving compassion.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 14, 2024   Daily Devotion:   " A Testimony of Faithfulness"  Genesis 21:6-7 New International Version   6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” 7 And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”   Isaac’s name means “one who laughs.” Sarah’s earlier disbelief at the possibility of being a first-time mother at age 90 now became a remarkable part of her testimony. She said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me … Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age” Instead of feeling embarrassed about her earlier struggle to believe the Lord, she now—with every mention of Isaac’s name—had the opportunity to remember God’s miracle: In one year, the Lord transformed the very nature of her incredulous laughter into a joyful testimony of His faithfulness. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 13, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "I Can Do Everything Through Christ"   Philippians 4:13 New Living Translation   13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.   There IS greatness in you. God designed you to reach your full potential, to be powerful beyond measure, to have success and joy and abundance in your life. Don’t let fear make you quit. Don’t let the terror of what “could” happen affect how you take the next step forward. As Children of God you’ve been given the incredible gift of God’s peace. This means you don’t have to let the fear trouble your heart. You don’t have to let the unknown shake your fight. You can leave it in God’s hands because He knows exactly what He’s doing. You can do everything God designed you to do. He knows exactly what He’s doing. So stop quitting. Stop giving up. Fight your way through the fear. Fight your way through the hardship. Fight yourself through the struggle. Trust in God’s peace, trust in God’s strength, trust that you are BIGGER than any fear trying to get in your way. You are BIGGER than any fear standing in your way. You CAN do this. It’s your season to rise. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 12, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Full Obedience"   Genesis 12:1-4 New International Version   12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people, and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” 4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. The Lord was calling Abraham to leave everything he knew—his land, his family, and his home—to head into the unknown without a map. God had a destination in mind for him and his future descendants. He promised to show the way and let Abram know when he arrived. Are there things God has commanded us to do that we treat as mere suggestions, statements, or requests? We sometimes look for loopholes or choose a semi-committed “maybe” in response to something God has instructed us to do. Abram understood there was only one righteous response to God. That was a “Yes, Lord”—which he promptly demonstrated with his full obedience. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 11, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "God Works for the Good"  Romans 8:28 New International Version   28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.   There is a plan that we explore, which we will not understand, but it is best. Though each segment of it may not seem fair or pleasant, it works together for good. The disease Job endured wasn't good in and of itself. Hardly! But it worked together for good. Our perspective is dreadfully limited. We see only a pinpoint of time, but God's view is panoramic. God's big picture is at work now, and He doesn't feel the need (nor is He obligated) to explain it to us. You wouldn't get it. Just remember, the Father knows what is best for His children. Rest in that realization. There are consequences we experience that we could not anticipate, but they are necessary. Chances are good that you simply don't deserve what's happening. The consequences may have started to get to you. You didn't anticipate any of this. You didn't think it would come to this, but it has. What has happened is a necessary part of your spiritual growth. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 10, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "God's Knows Best"   2 Corinthians 5:7 New King James Version   7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.   We never know what a day will bring, whether good or ill. Our heavenly Father's plan unfolds apart from our awareness. Ours is a walk of faith, not sight. Trust, not touch. Leaning long and hard, not running away. No one knows ahead of time what the Father's plan includes. It's best that way. It may be a treasured blessing; it could be a test that drops us to our knees. He knows ahead of time, but He is not obligated to warn us about it or to remind us it's on the horizon. We can be certain of this: our God knows what is best. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 09, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Unchanging Faith"   Job 23:13-14 New International Version   13 “But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? He does whatever he pleases. 14 He carries out his decree against me, and many such plans he still has in store. At times when we’re experiencing hardship, we too may find ourselves on the receiving end of judgmental “consolation.” Early in the discussion with his misguided comforters, faithful Job responded in a way that put their counsel in the proper perspective. Despite having no idea why he’d lost so much, Job declared, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (13:15 NIV). Job’s bold pronouncement is both a realistic take on his current circumstances and an expression of confidence in God’s character. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 08, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Yes and Amen"   Deuteronomy 10:12 New International Version   12 And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul When you encounter opportunities to serve the Lord, how do you respond? God wants us to be servants willing to seek His specific plan for our life and to do whatever He calls us to do. He uniquely gifts His followers to serve according to His will. But if we’ve already decided what we can’t, won’t, or are ill-equipped to do, then we’re acting by our own will. We don’t want to miss the blessings that come with trusting God. Laying down our excuses is the wisest thing we can do to serve the Lord. Trust that He will empower you to accomplish whatever He calls you to do—and will see to it that you are properly equipped and trained. All He asks of you is that you say yes. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 07, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "The Fullness of God" Ephesians 3:19-21 New International Version   19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.   Consider this example. We love our kids and often tell them so. But if we ask our kids to define love, then they (like most of us) would be at a loss for words. Love surpasses our ability to define it. Yet our kids believe us when we say, “I love you.” Why? Because they know the truth in a place deeper than words; they feel it. Their knowledge about our love has been deepened and enriched by how they experience it in and through us. And so we must pray that a knowledge of divine love would fill others with “all the fullness of God”. Imagine His good news pressed into all corners of life, bringing transformation in every dimension. That would go far beyond any New Year’s resolution we could design for ourselves.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 05, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Speaking The Truth in Love"   Ephesians 4:15 New International Version   15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.   Paul is saying that the more the Spirit empowers people’s lives, the more they will “grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Christ”. Jesus’ lordship will be established more and more in their lives. And with Christ enthroned as King in their hearts, God’s kingdom grows, too. The Lord’s loving, righteous rule can extend through their lives to their families and communities. Our prayers for others, then, are not just for personal transformation, although that’s crucial. As we become like Jesus, we increasingly act as He would, transforming our relationships and communities. That very thing happened as the early Christians amazed their neighbors by showing love not only for their own, but for all. And that’s where Paul’s prayer goes next, which we’ll explore over the next two days. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 04, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Our God Can Change the Heart"   Esther 8:1-2 New International Version   8 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. 2 The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and presented it to Mordecai. Esther appointed him over Haman’s estate.   The king's heart becomes soft in the hands of the Lord. Just for a moment, imagine another name in that proverb in place of "the king." Someone who is giving you grief, perhaps. It may be one of your own grown, wayward children. Maybe it's someone who represents a formidable presence. Someone who haunts you and maybe wishes to bring you down. Stubborn person, right? Strong-hearted individual, correct? Imagine that heart that is so hard, so granite like, changing into soft in the hands of the Lord. It's possible! There is no heart so stubborn that it cannot become breakable in the hands of the Lord. There is no wall so strong that Almighty God is not stronger still. There is no will so stubborn that He is not able to soften it. God can change the heart; He can change any heart—any heart! You who live your days intimidated and threatened, anxious over the falling of the next shoe, listen to this counsel! God is able to take the heart of anyone and change it, just as He did with the heart of this king.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 03, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "The Riches of His Glory Inheritance"   Ephesians 1:18-19 New International Version   18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength.   As God’s treasured people, they were no longer to rely on their own strength. With the King and kingdom resources at hand, believers had “boundless” divine power working for, in, and through them. It’s also a good reminder for us. Despite the world’s apparent darkness, we can live in the light, hope, and power of God’s good news. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 02, 2024   Daily Devotion:   "Pray Continually"   1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 New International Version   16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually,   The best way to do in starting the year is to pray! Make your life a life of prayer. Tell Him, in anguish if necessary, the pain of waiting. Express your panic. Tell God you're trapped. You don't know how you can stay afloat much longer. In those moments, ask God to help you see beyond the frustration and fear of the present. The surprises in store are not merely ironic or coincidental; they are sovereignly designed. While anticipating, trust Him for justice. You may not live to see that justice, but it will come. He is a just God; you know He is. So trust Him for it. When will we ever learn? At the precise moment when it will have its greatest impact, God ceases His silence and sovereignly makes His move. And when He does, life is full of surprises. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 28, 2023   Daily Devotion:   "The Grace and Goodness of God is New Every Morning"   Lamentations 3:21-23 New International Version   21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.   We face desolation, uncertainty, and brokenness. Life’s challenges can overwhelm us. Yet, in the midst of the mess, we are reminded that hope is not lost. It is firmly rooted in the character of our unchanging God. As we close out 2023, it’s natural to consider this period as an ending. But each ending is also a beginning; it’s a matter of perspective. And while it’s healthy to reflect on the year we’ve completed, it’s important to embrace each day God gives us and approach it with openness, gratitude, and hope. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 27, 2023   Daily Devotion:   "Diligent Hands Will Rule"   Proverbs 10:4 New International Version   4 Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.   Through prayer and obedience, we align ourselves with God’s plans instead of our own. This is how we cultivate habits grounded in His Word. This kind of diligence goes hand in hand with stewardship of our time, talents, relationships, and resources. Wisely using such things for God’s glory will bring a good return for His kingdom. As we approach 2024, let’s prayerfully evaluate our habits. Are we using our time purposefully? Are we nurturing relationships that honor God? Are we faithfully stewarding our resources? Seek God’s guidance and make intentional choices that align with His will.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 17, 2023   Daily Devotion:   "Respond with Faith" 1 Corinthians 10:13 New International Version   13 No temptation[a] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[b] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, [c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.   When you are going through a trial, what’s your first response? Do you want to run away as quickly as possible to escape it? Though that’s a normal feeling, God has a different way. It is not the trials in our life that develop or destroy us, but rather our response to those hardships. We will encounter difficulties—sometimes intense and painful trials that seem too much for us. Yet we can rely on our heavenly Father to deliver and guide us in ways we could never imagine. He doesn’t expect that we endure on our own, but He does want us to respond with faith. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 16, 2023 Daily Devotion:   "Just A Little While" 1 Peter 1:6-9 New International Version   6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Some people have the wrong idea about the Christian life. Once they become believers, they expect smooth sailing. However, Jesus made it clear that we’ll all face troubles. His own life was no exception—He endured false accusation, rejection and betrayal. Remember, God permits struggles for our benefit. Perhaps they are to purify and grow us for greater service. Maybe He’s testing our endurance and devotion, or He might be revealing His sustaining power. This side of heaven, we may never know the cause or purpose of each challenge. But we can trust God’s ability to deliver and mature us. What trials are you facing? Jesus understands your pain and longs to be the One you cling to through good times and bad. You can choose to look elsewhere for comfort, or you can use your hardship as an opportunity to connect with God. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 15, 2023 Daily Devotion:   "Don't Let Fear Make You Quit"   Isaiah 41:8-10 New International Version   8 “But you, Israel, my servant Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham, my friend, 9 I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners, I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.   God offers you the peace of His love, the steadiness of His protection, the rock solid foundation of His promise. His promise is that if you step into the legend He created you to be, you WILL succeed. It doesn’t matter what other people say. There IS greatness in you. God designed you to reach your full potential, to be powerful beyond measure, to have success and joy and abundance in your life. Don’t let fear make you quit. Don’t let the terror of what “could” happen affect how you take the next step forward.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 14, 2023 Daily Devotion: "When It Is Time"   2 Corinthians 5:8 New International Version   8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. It’s wise to be prepared. The first step is to make sure you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Next, live a surrendered life and strive to walk according to His will. Since it’s an inescapable fact that life on earth is temporary, ask, How can I best live in order to be ready when God decides it is time? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 13, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Obedience Is Our Protection"   John 14:15 New International Version   15 “If you love me, keep my commands.   If you are a child of God, He will not cast you out of His family. But if you are stubbornly refusing to obey Him, continuing to walk your own way, He will bring severe discipline upon you. He loves you too much to ignore your actions. God is good and just. And when His justice finally kicks in, there's no escaping it. If you think otherwise, you've bought into "a deadly opiate." Obedience to God’s commands is the true sign of your love for God, and the only way you can know if you are obeying God is by knowing his Word. We should obey the commandments of Christ not as fearful slaves, but as loving children of God, trusting in Him who created us to be in communion with Himself! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 12, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Watch Your Tongue" Proverbs 21:23-31 New Living Translation Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble. Mockers are proud and haughty; they act with boundless arrogance. Despite their desires, the lazy will come to ruin, for their hands refuse to work. We live in a day of hearsay when few people pass along information that is precise and reliable. Do you? Are you careful about what you say? Do you have the facts? Do you offer proof that the information you are conveying is correct? While there are occasions when it's appropriate to pass along needed and serious information to the right sources, there's a growing preoccupation with rumor and slander. Half truths and innuendos become juicy morsels in the mouths of unreliable gossips. There is no way to measure the number of people who have been hurt by rumor, exaggeration, and hearsay. Perhaps you have suffered this yourself. Be careful what you say. Be careful how you say it. Be careful that you send the right message, that you send it to the right person, and that you do so with the right motive.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 11, 2023 Daily Devotion: "We Are God Special Person" Esther 2:17-18 New International Version 17 Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 And the king gave a great banquet, Esther’s banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality. God does not mock us with the things He includes in His Word. He isn't in the business of making His people squirm under some unrealistic expectation that they can never attain—something that is totally unique to one person but remains for everyone else a frustrating and unreachable challenge. But I must quickly add, you cannot become these things by taking your cues from the world. That only brings defeat and frustration. You, as an individual, have your own pressures, your own difficulties, your own unique circumstances, but God offers ways to handle them and become His special person. We are completely dependent on Him for eternal life, for forgiveness, for character, for security. His light in our lives gives us a growing disgust for things that merely satisfy the flesh. It shows us the importance of character, the incredible change that can come by standing alone on the things of God. He alone can give us grace and winsomeness and keep us from becoming Christians. It is His working in our lives that uses us even in the harems of life to make a difference and to model a charm and a beauty, a dignity and an elegance that cannot help but cause people's attention to be drawn to Him and His power.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 10, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Lord Has Full of Compassion and Mercy" James 5:7-11 New International Version 7 Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. 8 You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9 Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! 10 Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. Urging that we stay strong, James reminds us about the prophets and Job—they all endured hardships and experienced God’s deliverance in the end. Their example is worth following because, as Scripture promises, “In due time we will reap, if we do not become weary” (Galatians 6:9). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 09, 2023 Daily Devotion: "His Omnipotent Hands" Ephesians 1:19 New International Version 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength. This is the wonder of God's sovereignty. Working behind the scenes, He is moving and pushing and rearranging events and changing minds until He brings out of even the most carnal and secular of settings a decision that will set His perfect plan in place. God is always at work. But His ways are so different from ours, we quickly jump to fallacious conclusions and either react rashly or get paralyzed in panic. God holds the future in His omnipotent hands. So you can rest assured.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 08, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Forever Be with Him" Revelation 17:14 New International Version   14 They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” Jesus will be with us to the end of time (Matthew 28:20). And Revelation reminds us that He will not only be near but will overcome His foes (and ours) because He is Ruler of all. He will have the final word. Our Savior wants us to know who He says we are: the called, chosen, and faithful. And since He is “Immanuel,” we can forever be with Him.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 07, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Remain Teachable" Esther 2:20 New International Version 20 But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up. Education is going from an unconscious to conscious awareness of one's ignorance." I agree. No one has a corner on wisdom. All the name-dropping in the world doesn't heighten the significance of your character. If anything, it reduces it. Our acute need is to cultivate a willingness to learn and to remain teachable. Learning from your children. Learning from your friends. Learning even from our enemies. How beautiful it is to find a servant-hearted, teachable spirit among those who occupy high-profile positions of authority. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 06, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Perfect Assurance and Trust" 1 John 3:21 (TLB) We can come to the Lord with perfect assurance and trust . . . The Bible teaches that faith will manifest itself in three ways. It will manifest itself in doctrine—in what you believe. It will manifest itself in worship—your communion with God and the fellowship of the church. It will manifest itself in morality—in the way you live and behave. . .. The Bible also teaches that faith does not end with trust in Christ for your salvation. Faith continues. Faith grows. It may be weak at first, but it will become stronger as you begin to read the Bible, pray, go to church, and experience God’s faithfulness in your Christian life. You will learn more and more how to rely on Christ for every need, in meeting every circumstance, and every trial.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 05, 2023 Daily Devotion: "From Ordinary to Extraordinary" Esther 2:1-7 New International Version 2 Later when King Xerxes’ fury had subsided, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what he had decreed about her. 2 Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. 3 Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. 4 Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it. 5 Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, 6 who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin[a] king of Judah. 7 Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died. God's hand is not so short that it cannot save, nor is His ear so heavy that He cannot hear. Whether you see Him or not, He is at work in your life this very moment. God specializes in turning the unusual into the meaningful. God not only moves in unusual ways, He also moves on uneventful days. He is just as involved in the temporal as He is in the miraculous. He is a sovereign God at work amid the vast scenes of state and empires in our world. And we, even in the midst of our usual days, must remain pure and committed to the things of God and His work in our lives, even as we remain sensitive to His hand moving in carnal, secular, even drunken places. Only then can we bring to our broken world the hope it so desperately needs.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 04, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Wise in Heart" Proverbs 16:21-24 New International Version 21 The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction.22 Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent, but folly brings punishment to fools. 23 The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction.24 Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Our voices also have the power to do great harm. When a problem like this occurs, it’s often been triggered by something small—perhaps a critique made in anger or a jab caused by envy. Harsh words may feel good, even justified at times. But they never bring about what God desires because, in the end, they aren’t life-giving. They’re not what we, as Christ-followers, are meant to offer. Jesus teaches us that “the good person out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good … for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart” (Luke 6:45). So, while negative feelings and speech may arise in us from time to time, it is important to pause and take note of them. Let’s analyze what’s really causing those harsh words and pray that the Lord will continue to soften our heart and increase our capacity for kindness. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 03, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Follow Him Everywhere" Acts 9:1-4 New International Version 9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Jesus called him by name, saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (v. 4). But the persecutor couldn’t respond by addressing the Lord, because he didn’t yet know Christ. He didn’t have to wait long, however. “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,” the Lord told the soon-to-be apostle (v. 5). And it was then that the great work began. Paul began “proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues” and “proving that this Jesus is the Christ” (vv. 20, 22). In John 10:27, Jesus said, “My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” The knowing between the Savior and His servant became so deep that Paul, the “chosen instrument,” bore Christ’s name “before the Gentiles” and “suffered in behalf” of it (Acts 9:15-16). Paul listened. He knew the voice of his Savior, and he followed. May we do the same. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 02, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Places in Our Lives" 2 Kings 2:11–14 New Living Translation 11 As they were walking along and talking, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared, drawn by horses of fire. It drove between the two men, separating them, and Elijah was carried by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” And as they disappeared from sight, Elisha tore his clothes in distress. 13 Elisha picked up Elijah’s cloak, which had fallen when he was taken up. Then Elisha returned to the bank of the Jordan River. 14 He struck the water with Elijah’s cloak and cried out, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” Then the river divided, and Elisha went across. The place of beginning, the place of the prayer, the place of battle, the place of death. We, too, have such places in our lives. There's a place of beginning. That's home base—the very beginning of our Christian experience when we are born anew. God did a real work in your life as He carried you from that place of communion to the next stage He planned for you. And because you'd learned the value of prayer, you built your altar, and you learned even more at His feet. Search back in time. Remember? Self-denial is hard to learn, but it's worth the effort. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 01, 2023 Daily Devotion: "A House of Prayer" Acts 1:11-14 New International Version 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk[a] from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. Our church gatherings and small groups were to offer heavenly-minded petitions on a consistent basis, what would our prayer meetings be like? There would be greater focus on God and His kingdom. More of us would praise Him for who He is, express godly sorrow for our sinful ways (2 Corinthians 7:10), and speak of our gratitude for all He has done. Our voices would be lifted in praise as we witnessed people coming to the Lord, pride giving way to humility, and insensitivity being replaced by love. We’d rejoice in our glimpses of God’s work in and through our local churches. And we’d be beseeching our Father for others’ salvation and for believers’ spiritual growth. How excited we would be to see God answer our prayers. Some of us would find it easier to testify about our Savior, others would be filled with His peace when facing trials, and still others would have the strength to stand firm. Imagine our church, filled to overflowing and becoming the “house of prayer”. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 30, 2023 Daily Devotion: "We Belong to Jesus" Colossians 1:9-14 New International Version 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[a] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Let’s look at Paul’s prayers. They were Christ-centered and kingdom-related—that people know Jesus, pattern their life after Him, and carry out God’s will. The apostle yearned for believers to be filled with spiritual wisdom and understanding and to walk in a worthy manner. He prayed that they would please the Lord, be fruitful, and increase in their knowledge of God. Finally, he asked that they be strengthened with the Spirit’s power and exhibit steadfastness and patience. Our God delights to answer such of what He desires for us. We belong to Jesus, and our home is not of this world. Do our prayers reflect that? The Lord wants us to talk to Him about our day and bring our personal requests, but He desires that we pray for kingdom concerns, too—prayers for others’ salvation and for the spiritual growth of His children.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 29, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Sweet Fellowship" Psalms 55:14 New International Version   14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshipers. God has not designed us to live like hermits in a cave. He has designed us to live in friendship, fellowship, and community with others. That's why the church, the body of Christ, is so very important, for it is there that we are drawn together in love and mutual encouragement. We're meant to be a part of one another's lives. Otherwise, we pull back, focusing on ourselves—thinking how hard we have it or how unfair others are.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 28, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Lord Your God Will Be With You"  Joshua 1:7-9 New International Version   7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Whatever challenge you’re up against, God says the same words to you that He lovingly spoke over His servant in today’s passage: “Be strong and very courageous. Joshua’s bravery was based upon years of seeing God’s faithfulness. The Lord is sufficient to meet your needs. He is your “refuge and strength, a very ready help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Rely upon Him in all things, and like David, you can boldly say, “You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head … The Lord sustains me. I will not be afraid” (Psalm 3:3; Psalm 3:5-6). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 27, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Serenity" Psalm 131:1-2 New International Version 1 My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. 2 But I have calmed and quieted myself I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. To enjoy this continuous inner peace, we must periodically pause everything and let our soul become aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence. In today’s reading, David described it as being like a “weaned child” at perfect rest in his mother’s arms. Intentionally slowing down can be difficult to do, but experiencing the serenity and rest God provides is a gift well worth seeking.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 26, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Inheritance" 2 Timothy 1:5 New International Version 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. Like Timothy, those of us with godly parents enjoy the fruit of their faithfulness. But if you’re the first believer in your family, then you’re creating the legacy of faithfulness for future generations. That’s what Paul charges Timothy to protect and “entrust … to faithful people” (2 Timothy 2:2). And it’s our charge, too. If we guard and pass down this treasure, our loved ones will, by God’s grace, continue the tradition of faith. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 25, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Too Powerful to be Defeated" 1 Kings 18:40 New International Version 40 Then Elijah commanded them, “Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!” They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there. Nothing makes us more uncertain and insecure than not being sure we are in the will of God. And nothing is more encouraging than knowing for sure that we are. Then, no matter what the circumstances, no matter what happens, we can stand fast. We can be out of a job but know that we are in the will of God. We can face a threatening situation but know that we are in the will of God. We can have the odds stacked against us but know that we are in the will of God. Nothing intimidates those who know that what they believe is based on what God has said. The equation is never eight hundred fifty against one. It is eight hundred fifty against one plus God. When we know we're in the will of God, we're too powerful to be defeated.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 24, 2023 Daily Devotion: "High Hopes" 1 Kings 18:44 New International Version 44 The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” Do you live expectantly? Do the little things excite you? Do you imagine the improbable and expect the impossible? Life is full and running over with opportunities to see God's hand in little things. Only the most sensitive of His servants see them, smile, and live on tiptoe. Children can teach us a lot about this kind of expectancy. Did you ever listen to a child pray? Their faith knows no bounds. And who are the least surprised people when God answers prayer? The children. As we get older we grow too sophisticated for that. We use phrases like, "Let's be realistic about this." We lose that expectancy, that urgency of hope, that delightful, childlike, wide-eyed joy of faith that keeps us full of anticipation and excitement. May God deliver us from a grim, stoic, stale shrug of the shoulders! "Look, I haven't changed," He says. "I still delight in doing impossible things. I love to surprise you!" Elijah's God was the God who kept His promises. He was the God of impossible things. So, in childlike faith, Elijah said to Ahab, "Get ready. The rain's coming. I know, because there's a tiny little cloud out there that's getting ready to unload God's abundance." --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 23, 2023 Daily Devotion: "New Life … New Hope ..." John 12:24 New International Version 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. We embrace the faith and hope Jesus provided. This happens in a powerful way every time we gather with other believers, confessing our sin and receiving God’s forgiveness and mercy. We worship together, in faith that our Savior has died and risen from the grave. And we worship also in hope that the new life we now enjoy partially will be enjoyed completely when Christ comes again. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 22, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Give and Receive Encouragement" Hebrews 10:23-25 New International Version 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. The call to encourage one another every day isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a vital practice for spiritual growth. We need the regular support of Christian brothers and sisters to help us successfully navigate each day’s challenges and opportunities. Encouraging each other can be a beacon of light and hope to those around us. That’s the author’s focus in Hebrews 3:13. If we want to guard against our hearts being “hardened by the deceitfulness of sin,” we should give and receive encouragement. It is good to speak words of affirmation, hope, and accountability regularly. But even when offered just once, they can have a long-lasting effect, far beyond the present moment. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 21, 2023 Daily Devotion: “The God of More Than Enough" Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. David understood that God was his provider. “I will not be in need,” he wrote in verse 1 of Psalm 23. In other words, because he belonged to the Lord, he was able to experience a life without lack. We can think about this in two ways. First, we can expect God to give us everything we think we need. And when we don’t get it, we look for someone—or Someone—to blame. Or, as Jesus and His followers laid out, there’s a second and better approach: Gratefully receive what God has provided and allow Him to change our heart. In that way, even our needs are governed by our submission to Him. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 20, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God Is Worthy of Our Adoration" Psalm 95:6 English Standard Version 6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! The desire to give praise is hardwired in the human spirit—it’s an impulse we can’t ignore. And as Christians, we’re called to direct that tendency to the One who made us. It’s a beautiful truth that we are God’s own people—created, chosen, and called by Him to live a life of praise, both on our own and with other believers. In Psalm 34, David says, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1). However, he’s not content to be a solo act. He exhorts other believers to join him: “Exalt the Lord with me, and let’s exalt His name together” (Psalm 34:3). When we start the workday and each evening as we lie down to rest. Also, let’s remember to praise Him not only for what He has done but also for the excellency of His character. God truly is worthy of our adoration!   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 19, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Put Your Hope in God” Psalm 42:5-11 New International Version 5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God. 6 My soul is downcast within me; therefore, I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me. 8 By day, the Lord directs his love. At night, his song is with me a prayer to the God of my life. 9 I say to God my Rock “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?” 10 My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long “Where is your God?” 11 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God. Before you can deal with despair, you need to know what is causing it. If you’re not sure, ask the Lord to help you figure out what’s going on. The next step is to lift your eyes to the Lord and place your hope in Him. Remember, discouragement comes to everybody at one time or another, but it should not be permanent. Knowing that the Lord’s plans are good, you can look forward to what He is going to do in the future. His loving kindness will support you by day and bring comfort by night. To overcome discouragement, fixing your focus on the Lord is key. His Word promises that He walks with you through the valley. Remember, even if you feel disheartened, you are never alone.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 18, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Prayer of Faith" 1 Kings 18:19–21 So Ahab summoned all the people of Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel. Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent. Perhaps you have known God for many years but have never truly been committed to Him. Now is the time to change that. Stop hiding your love for and commitment to Christ. Let the word out! Tactfully yet fearlessly speak devotedly of your faith. Start now. There are so many strategic ways God can use you in your business, your profession, your school, your neighborhood. You don't agree with the ungodly cultural drift that's happening around you? Say so! You sense an erosion of spirituality at your church, and you are in the service Address it! Neutrality in the hour of decision is a curse that invariably leads to tragic consequences. Our most effective tool is the prayer of faith. When it came down to the wire, when Baal had failed and God was about to do His work, the one instrument that Elijah employed was prayer. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 17, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Our Access to God's Wisdom" Hebrews 5:11-14 New International Version 11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. If you’re experiencing cloudy judgment right now, you can lean on two sources for guidance: God’s Word and God’s Spirit. When we listen for His Spirit and read Scripture over time, we will gradually be trained to sense the difference between what is righteous and what isn’t. Even if you face a situation that isn’t addressed in the Bible, you have a Helper whose job is to guide you into all the truth (John 14:26; 16:13). God has given all believers access to His wisdom. So if you need guidance today, don’t hesitate to ask Him. He wants to help you.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 16, 2023 Daily Devotion: "We Are Here by God's Appointment" 1 Kings 17:24 New International Version 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.” Remember, you are here by God's appointment, you are in His keeping, you are under His training, for His time. Give Him the corpse of your life, and ask Him to revive those lifeless areas that need to be revived. If the situation calls for it, trust Him for a miracle, in His time, if it be His will, for your life. On the bed of your life place the remains of your broken and scarred past; the emptiness of your poor character traits; the habits, even the addictions that have so long controlled you; the limited vision that continues to characterize you; the slight irritation that nags or the large one that looms; the anger or violence or lust or greed or discontentment or selfishness or the ugliness of pride. Lay all these before the Father, and stretch yourself out under His shadow as you ask Him to bring about remarkable, even miraculous changes in your life. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 15, 2023 Daily Devotion: "No Panic. No Fear. No Rush" 1 Kings 17:17-19 New International Version 17 Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing. 18 She said to Elijah, “What do you have against me, man of God? Did you come to remind me of my sin and kill my son?” 19 “Give me your son,” Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed. Do you have a room like that—a place where you meet with God? Do you have a quiet retreat where you and the Lord do regular business together? If you don't, I strongly urge you to provide yourself just such a place—your own prophet's chamber where you and God can meet together. It will be there that you will prepare yourself for life's contingencies. Without it, you'll lack the necessary steel in your foundation of faith. What do you do when tragedy strikes? What do you do when a test comes? What's your first response? Is it to complain? To be angry? To blame? To try to reason your way out of it? Or have you formed the habit of doing what Elijah did? Do you go to your special place and get alone with God? Elijah provides a wonderful example for us. No panic. No fear. No rush. No doubt. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 14, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Rested in The Lord's Hands" 1 Kings 17:21-22 New International Version 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, “Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!” 22 The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. That was some prayer. Elijah was not able to say, "Let this child's life return to him, as it happened to Enoch, as it happened to Isaac, as it happened to Moses," because there was no precedence for this particular miracle. So Elijah said, "Lord, I'm trusting You for a miracle. I'm asking You to perform the impossible." He then waited. Everything, at that epochal moment of faith, rested in the Lord's hands. You may be in the process of placing your own life before the Lord in this way. Things are critical, and only a miracle can breathe new life into your situation. Circumstances are totally out of your control. So you take it to your special place, and, standing in the shadow of your God, you lay it out before Him, prostrating yourself before Him, pleading for His intervention, trusting completely in His miraculous power, refusing to lean on your own understanding.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 13, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Rejoice and Continue to Rejoice" Philippians 12:18-20 New International Provision 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. If you could change your present circumstances, would you? Most of us would say yes. Even if we’re experiencing relatively peaceful and comfortable conditions, we can always imagine a better life. And those of us enduring difficult, painful, or trying situations long to see the burden lifted. But as everyone knows, there are some circumstances over which we have no control. We can’t maneuver our way out, so our only option is to go through them. As redeemed children of God, however, it’s important to remember this: We are exactly where God wants us because His sovereignty rules over all our situations at all times. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 12, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Perseverance Is a Virtue" James 1:2-4 New International Version 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Don’t be discouraged or feel guilty when you fall short. We all are human and will respond imperfectly at one point or another. What’s important is what we do next. Whenever you’re in a difficult moment, remember the wonderful words Paul wrote to the Galatians: “In due time we will reap, if we do not become weary” (Galatians 6:9). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 11, 2023 Daily Devotion: “Let Your Light Shine Before Others" Matthew 5:14-16 New International Version 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. In verse 16, Jesus says, “Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” So, what can we pass down to our loved ones? We can give them a day-by-day, year-by-year example of faith. We can teach them how to love Jesus and others well by imitating what they have seen in us. We can show them how to respond to a difficult situation in a Christlike way. And most importantly, we can come before our heavenly Father to intercede on their behalf.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 10, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Greatest Inheritance” Deuteronomy 6: 4-7 New International Version 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. What do you want to leave your loved ones? Money, properties, but if you’ve trusted Christ as Saviour, you have something far more valuable. Material things can be spent or lost, but your faith—what you believe about Jesus Christ—is precious and eternal. Choosing to follow Jesus is a personal decision, one you can’t make for anyone else. But through your words and actions, you can lovingly point others to the heavenly Father. What godly principles are you passing on to others? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 09, 2023 Daily Devotion: "His Glory Is for Our Good" 1 Peter 5:7 New International Version 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. When we face an urgent need, our prayers become fervent, and our desire for a quick answer intensifies. It seems that if the Lord doesn’t intervene soon, the very thing we dread could happen. And without a detectable response from God, we may feel as if He doesn’t care. We’ve all said or thought something similar when God didn’t answer our prayers as we hoped. But unlike Mary and Martha, we know from Scripture that God’s purpose in all His choices for us is His glory. His goal is not to inflict pain unnecessarily but to let Christ’s life shine through us in hardship, to stabilize our confidence in God’s goodness, and to strengthen our trust in His loving sovereignty His glory is for our good, and in this, we can rejoice. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 08, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Tested but Not Abandoned"  1 Kings 17:8-9 New International Version 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” No matter how many years we walk with the Lord, we must still, at times, pass through our own Gethsemane. It happens every time He sends us to the brook to live the hidden life. It happens every time He disorients us as He displaces us; every time He pulls out all the props; every time He takes away more of the comforts; every time He removes most of the "rights" we once enjoyed. And He does all this so that He can mold us into the person that we otherwise never would be. He knows what He's about. Elijah went to Cherith as an energetic spokesman for God—a prophet. He emerged from Cherith as a deeper man of God. All this happened because he was left beside a brook that dried up. Alone, but not forgotten. Tested, but not abandoned.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 07, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Grow in Faith Grow in Christ"  Romans 4:18-21 New International Version 18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. There are three basic stages of faith. First, there’s little faith, which says, “I know He can, but I’m not sure He will.” Next, as God proves Himself trustworthy, our faith grows, and we begin to focus more on Him than on our circumstances. Finally, we should graduate to perfect faith, which says, “I believe what God says, so I’m going to act!” Do you want to grow your faith? Spend time with God. Ask Him to help you trust more. When Peter became afraid of the waves, Jesus immediately reached out and caught him—and He’ll be there for you as well. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 06, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Firm Foundation" James 5:17-18 New International Version 17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again, he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. Our God is relentless. He never ceases His training regimens. He shaves off our hair, He takes away our comfortable and secure lifestyle, He moves us into cramped and unfamiliar quarters, and He changes our circle of friends. In the process, He strips us of all our pride! And then He begins to lay the foundation blocks of heroic courage and a new kind of confidence, if you will—the kind that no longer defends us but defends Him. What a magnificent change that is. And how essential in our journey toward maturity! Again, it's all part of being cut down to size. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 05, 2023 Daily Devotion: "On the Palms of His Hands"  Romans 8:18 New International Version 18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. In times of pain and adversity, we might feel as if God has abandoned us. If He were here, we think, He would have done something by now. Hardships aren’t an indication that God has forgotten about us; they’re simply part of our life on earth. Remember, your Father is with you even when it doesn’t feel like it. He has “inscribed you on the palms of [His] hands” (Isaiah 49:16). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 04, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Thanksgiving Offering" Psalm 69:30-31 New International Version 30 I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. 31 This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves. David was certain God saw and heard him, and he recognized that gratefulness for such things is of great worth to the Lord. In fact, verses 30-31 say that thanksgiving is even better than material sacrifice in the Lord’s sight. It can be hard to imagine that God could be more pleased with the offerings of our heart than with the gifts that flow from our finances. But David’s words remind us that God’s economy is not like ours. The true value of the tangible things we offer to Him—whether material goods, time, or talent—have value only as outward expressions of what’s in our heart. In fact, gratitude is the reason for the other gifts we present to our heavenly Father. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 03, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Gratitude Breaks the Chain of Bitterness" Ephesians 5:18-21 New International Version 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul tells believers to “always [give] thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our God and Father.” When we pray in the name of Jesus, we express our desire to reflect His character and seek His glory. Praying in this way is vital to understanding how to appreciate whatever the Lord allows in our life—including losses, diagnoses, and disappointments. So, how do we give thanks for all things? Consider everything Joseph experienced. Until he was a teenager, he’d known only love and security. But one day his troubles began, courtesy of jealous older brothers. Joseph found himself thrown down into a pit and later into prison, robbed of everything but his faith. For more than a decade, he waited. And though Scripture never tells us what Joseph was thinking, he must have endured some dark nights of the soul. Later, however, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers in Egypt and told them, “God sent me ahead of you to save lives” (Genesis 45:5). Those words reveal that when he looked back at every hardship, Joseph understood how the Lord had been at work. His response was not one of bitterness but of gratitude. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 02, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Ingratitude Is Always a Mortal Sin"  2 Timothy 3:1-5 New International Version 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. Paul lists a string of behaviors that mark the life of those who have disconnected from the Lord. In addition to things like selfishness, arrogance, and greed, that list also includes ungratefulness. Being grateful helps us learn to change the station away from that soundtrack of complaint and instead teaches us to focus on the many blessings God gives each day, both big and small. Gratitude doesn’t mean plastering a big smile on your face and pretending that an aggravating situation is no big deal. Instead, our thankfulness reconnects us with God in the midst of the everyday challenges of life and teaches us to sing a new song—one that will continue for all of eternity. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 01, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God's Plan is Always Full of Surprise and Mystery"  1 Kings 17:2-6 New International Version 2 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 3 “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” 5 So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. God's plan is always full of surprise and mystery. While we might have chosen to leave Elijah there, confronting Ahab, such was not the Father's plan. He had things He wished to accomplish deep within His servant's inner life, things that would prepare Elijah for encounters that might destroy a less-obedient, less-committed, and less-prepared servant. Hence, God immediately sent him away to a place of isolation, hidden from everyone, where he would not only be protected from physical danger but would also be better prepared for a greater mission. For the godly hero to be useful as an instrument of significance in the Lord's hand, he must be humbled and forced to trust. He must, in other words, be "cut down to size. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 31, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Choose Wisely" Genesis 25:29-34 New International Version 29 Once, when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 30 He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom. 31 Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” 32 “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to me?” 33 But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright. We all face critical choices. And though God forgives, the consequences remain. So we must learn how to choose wisely. We should take to heart two warnings from this story. First, to be able to determine our best options, we should wait until we’re physically, emotionally, and spiritually stable. It’s often important to delay gratification. Though our human desires feel overwhelming at times, we should prayerfully wait for God’s timing. Think about the longings that you have. Pray for wisdom and patience so that you can make godly decisions during critical moments. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 30, 2023 Daily Devotion: "True Confession" James 4:8 New International Version 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. True confession means agreeing with the Lord about sin, and it is inseparably linked with repentance; they’re two sides of the same coin. In the Greek, repent literally means “a change of mind,” so to repent is to turn our back upon wrong and change our actions. In practical terms, to confess and repent requires the intentional decision to say, “By the Holy Spirit’s power, I’m turning away.” Satan will still tempt you, and failure remains a possibility. But God can break the chains of your sin, and He wants to set you free—free to live the abundant life. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 29, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Through His Word" Matthew 13:10-13 New International Version 10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. Jesus still speaks to us today—in the words of Scripture and through the Holy Spirit and the body of Christ. And though the “secret” is out, we may feel that we lack understanding. In different seasons of life, we may experience clarity on spiritual questions we struggled with in the past. Or things that once appeared simple suddenly seem mysteriously complex. Part of our growth is in learning to accept God’s timing, even when it comes to understanding Scripture. Whatever season we find ourselves in—whether a time of clarity or confusion— humility in approaching the Lord is essential. We can trust that He will reveal all we need to know. No hand-wringing required. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 28, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Stand Firm in the Faith" 1 Corinthians 16:13 English Standard Version 13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. God looks for special people at difficult times. God needed a special man to shine the light in the blackness of those days. But God didn't find him in the palace or the court. He didn't find him walking around with his head down in the school of the prophets. He didn't even find him in the homes of the ordinary people. God found him in Tishbeh, of all places. A man who would stand in the gap couldn't be suave or slick; he had to be rugged—soft-hearted with a tough hide. God looked for somebody who had the backbone to stand alone. Someone who had the courage to say, "That's wrong!" Someone who could stand toe to toe with an idolatrous king and his wicked wife and proclaim, "God is God." --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 27, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Orison"  Hebrews 4:16 New International Version 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. As Christians, we know that we should pray, even if doing so seems daunting. But far more than any sense of obligation we may feel, it’s wise to recognize that God intended prayer as a blessing for His children. Communing with Him is a fundamental way of experiencing His fullness. We have much to gain by praying—including peace, comfort, wisdom, and God’s very presence. So it would be tragic to give up on trying. And remember, when we communicate with God, there’s no measuring stick or scorecard. A fumbling yet heartfelt attempt pleases Him far more than a well-worded litany that lacks sincerity. And keep in mind that formal prayers—such as the one Jesus taught His disciples (Matthew 6:9-13)—can help us find a path back into the practice when we’re lost. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 26, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Faith Empowers Us to Pay Attention" Matthew 8:13 New International Version 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment. In some situations, we must believe what He says despite evidence to the contrary; at other must trust while still waiting to know anything at all. Could we have this kind of faith—the kind that delighted and “amazed” Jesus (Matt. 8:10)? It’s what He wants for all His followers. And remember His encouraging reply to the centurion: “It shall be done for you as you have believed” We often want proof—some signs that the Lord will do as we ask. But the loving God we serve is true to His word. Faith empowers us to pay attention to Jesus and trust that He will make good on His promises, no matter what we see now. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 25, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Be Strong and Do the Work" 1 Chronicles 28:9-10 New International Version 9 “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 10 Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.” Do you have some cherished desire that you know you are going to have to relinquish? Usually it takes getting up in years to realize that's going to happen, because the younger we are, the greater our dreams, the broader our hopes, and the more determined we are to make them happen. But as we get older, many of us see that some of those great hopes and dreams are never going to be realized. Perhaps it is a dream of some great accomplishment through a unique kind of ministry. Maybe it is a desire for an unusual career or personal recognition. Maybe it is a desire for romance and marriage. Maybe it's a longing for relief from something in your life that you've had to live with for years. Whatever it is, you may now recognize that it is never going to happen, and that's a hard pill to swallow. But, like David, it's an opportunity to find satisfaction in what God has allowed you to do. As he reflects on his life and his own unfulfilled desire, he says, "I want to turn my attention away from what wasn't to be and focus on the things God has done." This is our challenge, isn't it? We can live the last years of our life swamped by guilt or overwhelmed by regrets from the past. We can either "eat our heart out," or we can say, "By the grace of God, I did the best I could with what I had. And I claim His promise that somehow He'll use what I did accomplish for His greater glory." What a wonderful attitude to have at the end of one's life! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 24, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The One Who Lights Up Our Darkness"  2 Samuel 22:26-30 New International Version  26 “To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, 27 to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd. 28 You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low. 29 You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light. 30 With your help, I can advance against a troop[a]; with my God, I can scale a wall. Are times hard? Are days of trouble upon you? When times are tough, the Lord is our only security. David assures us in his song that the Lord delights in us; He sees and cares about what is happening in our lives, this very moment. The Lord is our support. In tough times, He is our most reliable security. He rescues us because He delights in us. What encouragement that brings as the battle endures and exhausts us. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 23, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Lord Will Fulfill His Purpose" Psalm 138:7-8 New International Version 7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me. 8 The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands. David walked through trouble on a regular basis. His psalms express the struggles and disappointments he faced, yet in the end, he always turned his focus back to God. The key to his victorious attitude was strong faith in God that’s why he could say, “The Lord will accomplish what concerns me” (Ps. 138:8). By keeping our focus on the Lord and His purpose, we can stay strong when we walk through trouble. He relied on the Lord’s power. In times of difficulty, we can trust God to deliver us too—though the outcome may not be what we expect. Remember, our Father will sustain us through the trial, walking with us every step of the way. We also need some specific promises from Scripture that will anchor us in times of trouble. The truths of the Bible are our most valuable possession when the storms of life assail us. God assumes responsibility for accomplishing what concerns you in times of trouble. Your job is to believe that the Lord will fulfill His purpose, has power adequate to the task, and will keep every promise He has made. Keep walking with your eyes on Him.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 22, 2023 Daily Devotion: "I am a Blessed Person" 2 Samuel 7:18-20 New International Version 18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human! 20 “What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. It's important that every once in a while we sit down, take a long look at our short lives, and count our blessings. Who are we to have been protected from the rains that fell and the strong winds that destroyed regions, leaving hundreds homeless? Who are we that He has blessed our house and kept it safe? Warm in the winter . . . cool in the summer. Who am I, Lord, that You should give me health and strength to be able to hold a job or pursue this career or get this degree? Or to have parents who have encouraged me? Or to have these great kids and to see them grow? Who am I? "Dream or no dream, I'm a blessed person," says David. Here is more evidence that David was a man after God's own heart. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 21, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Angry Hearts Interfere with Such Blessings" Proverbs 19:19 New International Version 19 A hot-tempered person must pay the penalty; rescue them, and you will have to do it again. When’s the last time you were angry, and how did you respond? We all get agitated at one point or another—even God Himself feels anger. However, because we’re human, we don’t always respond in the best way. One way we often sin is by holding on to anger. When resentment takes up residence in our hearts, it twists our thinking and emotions and robs us of peace. Then, that bitterness can spill over into our relationships. We might speak hurtful words, even at those who aren’t the cause of the rage. Or we might pull away in self-protection to avoid future hurts. While clinging to anger can damage our personal well-being and connection with others, an even more serious outcome is hindered fellowship with the Lord. A negative attitude hardens our hearts and affects God’s work in and through us. It also grieves Him. God wants to shower us with joy and peace, but angry hearts interfere with such blessings. Are you harbouring anger? Unresolved bitterness could be buried so deep within your soul that you might not even realize it’s there. Feeling anger occasionally is normal, but clinging to negativity is destructive. Ask God to reveal any hidden resentment. Release it to Him and take hold of the riches of Christ. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 20, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Lord Will See You Through It" 2 Samuel 12:21-23 (New International Version) 21 His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!” 22 He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ 23 But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” Riding out the storm is a lonely experience. You will never be more alone emotionally than when you are in the whirlwind of consequences. You will wish others could help you, but they can't. They will want to be there, they will care, but for the most part, you have to ride out the storm alone. Thank God is also a temporary experience. It may be the most difficult time in your life. You will be enduring your own whirlwind. On the other hand, you may be the innocent bystander caught in the consequential backwash of another's sin. You'll feel desperately alone, and it may seem that it will never, ever end. But believe me, the whirlwind is a temporary experience. Your faithful, caring Lord will see you through it.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 19, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God's Answers Are Never Wrong" 1 Chronicles 22:5-6 New International Version 5 David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord should be of great magnificence and fame and splendour in the sight of all the nations. Therefore, I will make preparations for it.” So David made extensive preparations before his death.6 Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. Do you identify with David? Did you have your hands full of your dreams and your visions, ready to present them to God on the altar of sacrifice? Did you have your plans all prepared and thought through, only to see them crumble at your feet? And now you're standing there, empty-handed? Know this: God is ready to fill your empty hands like you would never believe, if you will only lift them up to Him in obedience and praise, as David did. God is still alive and well, and He knows what He's doing. To some, He says yes. To others, no. In either case, the answer is best. Why? Because God's answers, while surprising, are never wrong.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 18, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Seek and All These Things Will Be Added" Luke 12:19-31 (ESV) 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. We don’t have to do without when we choose to pursue the Lord. Far from it! Promises of abundance fill God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation. And Scripture teaches that if we give freely of our blessings instead of clinging to them, we’ll gain far more. Jesus assured us that this type of generosity would result in “a good measure” being poured into our lap, “pressed down, shaken together, and running over” (Luke 6:38). Spend some time in prayer today and ask the Lord to show you the better things He wants you to pursue. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 17, 2023 Daily Devotion:  "God is the Strength of Our Heart"  Psalm 73:25-28 New International Version 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds. The psalmist writes, “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart” (Psalm 37:4). There is nothing wrong with wanting certain things; our longings can motivate us to achieve goals. But rather than blindly asking only for what you wish, pray that God would help you align your needs to His will. Some Christians are afraid to ask God for what they want—even good things. Maybe they’re afraid He won’t listen. But the Lord tells us to approach His throne with boldness and confidence (Hebrews 4:16). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 16, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Joyful Expectancy" Acts 17:24-31 New International Version 24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man, he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past, God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” The demands of a busy schedule sometimes leave little room for quiet moments in God’s presence. Without periods of meditation and prayer, our spiritual senses become dull. But when we regularly communicate with our Father and spend time pondering His Word, we will see things more clearly. Then, we can better appreciate all that He is working to accomplish, through, and for us. The same is true in our prayer life. For instance, we readily acknowledge the Lord’s intervention and rejoice when it occurs on our behalf. But if our request isn’t granted or timing doesn’t match ours, we might incorrectly conclude He’s inactive. However, today’s reading demonstrates the magnitude of God’s power and care, and we can watch with joyful expectancy for whatever He chooses to bring about. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 15, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Dangerous Sin" Proverbs 16:17-19 New International Version 17 The highway of the upright avoids evil those who guard their ways preserve their lives. 18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud. Pride is dangerous because it hinders our communication with God. It is something that Scripture clearly says the Lord hates. So, if there is pride in your life, God will want to help remove it. And He might allow you to experience failure as a means to that end. And that is what happened to Israel. The new nation had won a mighty victory in Jericho and became rather prideful. Considering themselves invulnerable, they became disobedient to the One who had delivered them. If disappointment today leads to great success tomorrow, isn’t the setback worth it? The next time you experience failure, observe your response: Do you throw your hands up in frustration? Do you struggle with inadequacy? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 13, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Keep On Asking" John 16:23-24 New International Version 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. We can be confident in God’s responses to what we pray “in Jesus’ name” because they will always align with His plan. We know the Lord will never act in a manner inconsistent with His character. So by searching the Scriptures, we’ll discover whether our desires line up with God’s nature and promises. And in doing so, we might even find inspiration from someone with a dilemma similar to what we’re facing. For instance, Elijah was exhausted and in despair; Ruth and Naomi were poor widows in need of the Lord’s help; and David’s life was in danger. Seeing how others spoke to God about their difficulties can give us confidence to do the same—all while bolstering our faith. God knows the perfect action to take and the right time to do so. But He invites us to ask in faith—and to keep on asking. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 12, 2023 Daily Devotion: "After God's Heart" 2 Samuel 6:6-9 New International Version 6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore, God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God. 8 Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day, that place is called Perez Uzzah. 9 David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” The problem was that David had not done his homework. We often get into trouble when we don't do our homework—when we think we see pretty clearly what the Lord's will is, and so in expediency or in convenience (usually in a hurry) we dash off to do it our way. And the Lord says, "Look, I've written a lot of things in My Book about that decision you just made, and I want you to take counsel from Me. That's why it's not working. If you want to have a heart for me, then you check My Word, and you find either a precept or a principle then go according to that. When you do that, I'll give you joy like you can't believe. If you don't, I will make you miserable." In fact, in David's case, the Lord said, "I'll even take some lives." Centuries later, Ananias and Sapphira did very much the same thing. They presumed on the Lord and didn't take Him seriously. We see Uzzah the same way, taken from the earth because he touched an ultra-holy article of furniture that was not to be touched, especially by a non-Levite. Who cares about Levites? God does. Who cares about little ringlets and little golden poles that go through ringlets? God does. If He didn't care, He wouldn't have said anything about it. And because He cares, we must also care. That's the whole point here. When we begin to care about the things God cares about, we become people after His heart, and only then do we begin to have real freedom and real happiness. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 11, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Benefits of Waiting" 1 Samuel 25:32-34 New International Version 32 David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. 33 May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. 34 Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.” Whatever you do when conflicts arise, be wise. If you're not careful, you will handle conflicts in the energy of the flesh. And then . . . you'll be sorry. Fight against jumping to quick conclusions and seeing only your side. Look both ways. Weigh the differences. There are always two sides on the streets of conflict. Weigh the differences. The other part of being wise is to pray. Get God's perspective. He gives us the wisdom we need when we ask Him for it. Take each conflict as it comes . . . and handle it separately. You may have won a battle yesterday, but that doesn't count when today's battle comes. You may have a great measure of patience today, but it makes no difference tomorrow when the attack comes again. God doesn't give you patience on credit. Every day is a new day. Whenever you realize that there's nothing you can do, wait. Wait patiently. Impossible impasses call for a firm application of brakes. Don't keep going. Restrain yourself from anything hasty. Whenever possible, apply the brakes! Slow down. We seldom made wise decisions in a hurry. When you wait, your situation may not change, but you will. In fact, you may discover that the reason for waiting was all for your benefit, because you're the one who needed to change. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 10, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God Rules Overall" 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 English Standard Version 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 12 Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. It is quite possible the Lord is saying to some Sauls who are in the process of living out that kind of regrettable life, "Now is the time to stop." It is time to say, "Lord, don't change sides, just take over." We do, indeed, come before our Lord like sheep, not asking Him to take sides, but just to take control. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 09, 2023 Daily Devotion: "A Purpose for a Living” 1 Samuel 25:23–25 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed low before him. She fell at his feet and said, “I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say. I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don’t pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests. But I never even saw the young men you sent." Often, when we are faced with a crisis, the standard, garden-variety answer is to sort of tuck your tail between your legs, run into a corner, and let cobwebs form on you. But there is a better way. As long as you have breath in your lungs, you have a purpose for living. You have a reason to exist. No matter how bad that track record might have been, marked by disobedience and compromise through much of your life, you're alive, you're existing. And God says, "There's a reason. And I'm willing to do creative things through you to put you back on your feet. You can lick your wounds if that's your choice. But there's a better way." It will take creativity; it will take determination. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 08, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Blossom After Winter" James 1:2-8 New International Version 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, [a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. Have you ever felt your faith in God waver? Sometimes, a doubt passes through us like a ripple. But on other occasions, it hits us like a crashing wave. And when that happens, the experience of doubt can feel very isolating. But even in those lonely moments or seasons when we’re questioning what we believe, we’re never alone. For centuries, countless believers before us have struggled through the same thoughts and emotions. What’s more, our struggles don’t upset the Lord, who remains by our side, even when we can’t sense His presence. We may not always be able to see how seasons of doubt factor into our journey with God, but that doesn’t mean those ripples and waves are without divine purposes. Instead of worrying about your thoughts, try accepting that they’re a normal part of the process of growing in Christ. Be gentle with yourself and don’t force anything. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 07, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Reset"  Isaiah 43:19 God says, “Behold, I am going to do a new thing.” And, in this season of divine reset, God is doing something we have never seen. The pandemic has caused us to rethink structures, rethink systems, rethink our personal walk and holiness, and double down on what is essential to our faith. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then, I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Everyone experiences stress. Sometimes, the load we bear is one of constant struggle; other times it can be an excess of good things stretching us beyond our capacity. Frequently, though, life is a mix of things we’d rather not tackle and some that we desire. Through it all, how do we manage our stress in a fruitful way? Often, what we need to do is pause to rest in Christ’s loving presence. It’s tempting to think of pausing as something we can do only when the conditions are perfect—the right environment, amount of time, or part of the day. But remember that God is with us in every moment. So carving out even the briefest break in our busy schedule can make for a meaningful encounter with Him. The next time you feel stress building, give yourself a moment to reset. Say a prayer, breathe the air God has given you, and simply rest. The more often you do this, the more of Him you’ll experience—and the less of your worries. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 06, 2023 Daily Devotion: "A True Confidant" 1 Samuel 23:14-18 New International Version 14 David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day, Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands. 15 While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that[a] Saul had come out to take his life. 16 And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. 17 “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” 18 The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh. Friends give each other complete freedom to be themselves. When you've got a friend that is that knitted to your own soul, you don't have to explain why you do what you do. You just do it, and your friend understands. When your heart is broken, you can bleed all over a friend like this, and he won't be offended. He won't confront you in your misery or quote three Bible verses, then tell you to straighten up. When your good friend is hurting, let him hurt. If she feels like weeping, let her weep. If a good friend needs to complain, listen. An intimate friend doesn't bail; he's right there with you. You can be yourself, no matter what that self looks like. True friends are a constant source of encouragement. "Now David became aware that Saul had come out to seek his life while David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. And Jonathan, Saul's son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God" (1 Samuel 23:15–16).   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 5, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Power of Obeying God's Word" Genesis 12:1-8 New International Version 12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people, and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you, I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” When the Bible tells us about a great man or woman of faith, the Lord in His kindness also often shows us the person’s weakness and failings. Let’s look at Abraham. Like any one of us, he had faults. He sinned. He made mistakes. Still, God loved him and accomplished great things through his life. When the Lord spoke, Abraham listened. Just imagine what promises and blessings he would have missed if he’d failed to pay attention. (See Genesis 12:1-8; Genesis 15:1-5; Genesis 17:1-4.) Abraham’s conversations with God teach us what living by faith. When we recognize God’s voice, we’ll have assurance about what to do and where to go. It shows we really trust Him, and each time we obey Him, our faith grows stronger. Human nature wants to be self-sufficient, but we desperately need God’s wisdom, strength, and help. Our willingness to patiently let God move in His own way reaps great blessings—and prevents big messes. Acknowledging and learning from our failures. The Bible tells us that God exalts the humble. Which of these do you struggle with? Ask God to help you move forward, trusting Him and listening for His voice. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 04, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Blessed is the One Who Trusts in the Lord" Jeremiah 17:7-8 New International Version 7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. 8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” A lot of people consider trust an abstract concept. But in reality, it results in observable change in action or attitude. And that’s what we see in the Bible—references to trust, faith, or belief are usually associated with noticeable transformation. Similarly, when we wholeheartedly trust God, there’s often a noticeable change that occurs. It may be something that happens within us rather than to our circumstances. But when God’s love causes such a shift, our perspective is likely to change and impact our daily lives as well. For instance, it’s possible that people around us will feel encouraged by our presence, we’ll treat the environment with more care, and our reactions will open the door to peace instead of conflict. Trusting God frequently begins in commonplace moments. Sometimes, the greatest change is triggered by an action as simple as humbly asking the Lord for help. Take even one small step toward Him today. Let Him show you how trustworthy He is. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 03, 2023 Daily Devotion: "When You believe" John 1:12 New International Version 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. It’s easy to say that we believe in God, even at times, that our heart remains far from Him. That’s a factor of the human condition—not something to punish ourselves over. But it’s wise to be honest with ourselves and the Lord about where we are in Him. That’s the best way to move forward and fully experience His peace and joy. Toward that end, it’s helpful to remember that the simple, basic elements of our faith are more than just simple and basic. They’re profound, transformational realities—not just good or correct thoughts we “believe in.” The walk of faith needn’t be more complicated than that, whether you’ve known Christ for two months or 20 years. Find a healthy rhythm of doing things without worrying about how you’re performing. You’ll see how rich simple faith truly is. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

October 02, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Hope of the Glory of God" Romans 5:1-2 New International Version 5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. God did not leave His saving work unfinished, and He did not stop halfway. Jesus was not standing at some distant point, waiting for you to catch up to Him. Rather, He was at your side, moment by moment, patiently waiting for you to accept His gift of eternal life. Salvation is God’s work, God’s desire, and God’s initiative. He made eternal life available to every one of us and ensured nothing more was needed.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 30, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Trust Him for All Your Needs" Philippians 4:19-20 New International Version 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. God has promised to meet every need of His children—His riches are included in the price Christ paid for their salvation (Ephesians 1:18). Yet many of us are trying to live out of our own resources. We don’t know that the bounty of God’s love, power, and provision is on the menu. With Jesus is one of complete unity. He is our life, and His Spirit lives through us. Therefore, everything that is available to the Lord is also available to us—all power, strength, and endurance. Spend time in the Word to learn about all the riches you are given through faith. God offers believers everything required for living well and wisely. Trust Him for all your needs.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 29, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Do Not Be Double Minded" James 1:5-8 New International Version 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. James is actually continuing His thoughts from the previous three verses. We need wisdom to know how to respond to suffering. This means we should see trials from God’s viewpoint and understand His purposes in allowing them in our life. If you want to profit from struggles, be sustained in them, and come through with joy, you must believe that the Lord is in control. Your trial won’t go beyond the boundaries He has set. He has a specific purpose for your suffering. Hardships will prove to be profitable if you submit to God and trust Him through it. Trying situations are opportunities for faith to prove genuine and grow stronger. When you endure suffering with unexplainable peace and joy, God will demonstrate His sustaining power to others. He uses trials to produce a Christlike character. God will walk with you through all difficulties. If you believe, those will shape how you respond to painful challenges. This perspective eliminates the negative reactions normally elicited by trials and makes supernatural responses possible. Instead of feeling miserable and hopeless, you’ll experience amazing peace and joy. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 28, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Endurance" James 1:2-4 New International Version 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. It’s important to realize these verses are not telling us to be happy in our pain but rather to rejoice in the blessings that accompany suffering. The word consider means “to regard.” When we look at hardships from God’s perspective, we can rejoice in the beneficial outcome, even while experiencing pain. For many, understanding the purpose of trials makes rejoicing easier. The Lord wants adversity to test our faith and produce endurance and spiritual maturity. In every hardship, He has hidden a beautiful and precious reward, but whether we receive it depends upon our response. Those who really want to be transformed into the image of Christ can rejoice in the good that will result from hard circumstances. Does your hunger to know the Lord and be transformed by Him exceed your dread of distress? None of us want to experience pain, but since it’s an unavoidable reality in this fallen world, why not respond in a way that produces eternal benefit? Let’s not waste our suffering. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 27, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Unbridled Freedom" Hebrews 10:23-25 New International Version 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Honesty about your faults allows you the opportunity to hear right counsel and encouragement. This will help you do and become all that God has in mind for you. If you have to give an account to somebody, you’re more likely to be honest and transparent. Accounting for the way you use money, time, or talent makes you careful not to waste those resources. As children of God, we are free in Christ, but an accountability partner helps us stay balanced and guards us from taking liberties. Another person can often point out what we cannot see in ourselves. If you give an account of the places you go and the people you spend time with, you’ll be more likely to make wise choices. Unbridled freedom may seem like a great blessing, but it can be a recipe for disaster. Do you give an account to anybody for the way you handle money, time, and relationships? If not, consider inviting a trustworthy Christian to fill that role. Taking this step reveals a heart that longs to please God.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 26, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Liability" James 5:16 New International Version 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. The Bible, however, makes it clear that Christians are to support each other in this regard: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed” (James 5:16). Accountability in the body of Christ is a biblical principle. Church members take direction from their pastor (Hebrews 13:17). Paul tells us to be subject to one another (Ephesians 5:21). He reported to the church (Acts 14:27), and Timothy was subordinate to him (1 Timothy 4:13-16). The apostles were under the authority of Jesus (Luke 10:1-42), even as Jesus was subject to the Father (John 8:28-29). Of course, the Bible tells us that the whole church is obedient to the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:24). Regardless of one’s position, everybody is accountable to somebody. This holds true for the entire family of faith—from the congregation to the ministers to Jesus Himself. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 25, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Prayer of a Servant" Nehemiah 1:10 ( ESV) 10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. Talking to God doesn’t always come naturally, but we have examples in Scripture to help us. In today’s passage, Nehemiah strengthens His prayers by recalling God’s character. Bringing divine attributes to mind increases his faith and confidence in the Lord. Acknowledgement of God’s eternal being is a reminder that God is faithful. Nehemiah prays with confidence because he knows the Lord keeps His promises. We may not use these divine names very often, but we’d all benefit from following Nehemiah’s example of praising God’s character. What attribute of the Father do you need to be reminded of today? Take a moment to thank Him for this trait. Then approach God boldly and lay your request at His feet. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 24, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God's Delay" 2 Peter 3:8-9 New International Version 8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Certain spiritual benefits can be gained only through waiting. For example, some of the early Christians felt frustrated by God’s delay. They had believed Jesus would return very soon in their lifetimes. But time was moving on, and none of the promises they expected to see fulfilled were coming to pass. In fact, Peter warned believers that mockers would say “all things continue just as they were” (2 Peter 3:4). He reminded the people that our perception of time differs from God’s. For Him, decades and millennia pass like moments and days. Saying God is “slow” to keep His promise suggests a serious misunderstanding. Not only is God not slow, Peter says, but what seems like slowness is actually God’s patience. Like the sourdough baker, God unhurriedly waits for something better—to see more people accept His gracious gift. We can wait patiently, too, if we understand that God’s delays always lead to something better than we can imagine. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 23, 2023 Daily Devotion: "In Due Time" Galatians 6:9-10 New International Version 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. There are at least two kinds of waiting. We wait passively at times, but we also wait actively. We typically continue our work as we wait for these times of leisure and refreshment. At times, it may seem passive, like standing in line. But generally, our waiting for God is the kind of waiting a gardener does. He plants seeds and keeps working as he waits for the harvest. Paul encourages the Galatians to do this—to keep working as they wait. “The harvest is coming,” he says, “so don’t allow weariness to discourage you from what you do.” And the heart of this work, Paul says, is to live out the gospel’s promises where we are. “While we have opportunity,” Paul continues, “let’s do good to all people”. Doing good comes naturally when we believe the gospel’s promises about the future. As we wait for the Lord’s return, let’s look for opportunities to be a blessing to others. And we can trust God will be faithful to bring a harvest “in due time” --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

Daily Devotion September 22, 2023 "Patient & Trust" Luke 12:22 New International Version 22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. In Luke 12, Jesus’ assessment of His audience could have been written today. “Do not worry about your life,” He says. Specifically, He says not to be concerned about where food and clothing will come from. He urges us to consider the birds and the lilies—if God feeds them and clothes the grass of the field so gloriously, He will certainly provide for our needs! What Jesus says may at first sound naïve to our ears—we know that food and clothing don’t appear out of thin air. Unless we work hard, we won’t have what we need. But Jesus’ teaching isn’t a license for laziness. It’s an invitation to work as only God’s children can. Thinking that our work alone will provide for our needs is a wrong view of God and His kingdom. Jesus If we can see Him as a loving Father who is able and willing to provide all we need, we can trade fear and anxiety about our life for patience and trust. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 21, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God's Faithful Presence" Zephaniah 3:16-17 New International Version 16 On that day, they will say to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, Zion; do not let your hands hang limp. 17 The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love, he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” In verse 16 of chapter 3, however, Zephaniah uses the same phrase—“on that day”—to promise a time of renewal. God encourages them to rejoice, even while they wait and endure a time of suffering. As the other prophets do, Zephaniah connects the call to joy with God’s faithful presence among His people. Whatever they face, He will be with them. They have enemies and feel abandoned, but God is “a victorious warrior” who “will rejoice over [them] with shouts of joy” (v. 17). And what about us? We also wait for a world restored, where our fellowship with God will never end. The writer of Hebrews sees Jesus as our example for joyful work while we “run with endurance” toward that goal (Hebrews 12:1). Consider Jesus, he writes, who endured the cross “for the joy set before him”—that of sitting in fellowship with the Father (Hebrews 12:2). Because we look forward to that same blessing, we can set fear aside and rejoice! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 20, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God Redeem All Things" Haggai 2: 6-9 New International Version 6 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” “I am with you,” God said, giving them the hope of His presence and power. He “stirred up the spirit” of Israel’s leaders, Zerubbabel and Joshua, and also did the same for the people (Haggai 1:13-15). Then He gave a word about waiting—saying that things would change “in a little while.” For them to see the glory ahead, God told them to take courage and work. Then He promised, “The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former … in this place I will give peace” (2:4-9). When our own hopes for the future weaken, we can remember God’s plan to make the “latter glory” greater also applies to us. He redeems all things—even those that seem unredeemable. So we can take courage and work. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 19, 2023 Daily Devotion: "A Glimpse of Hope” Ruth 1:22 New International Version 22 So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning. God can redeem our emptiness just as he can accept our first steps toward him in faith. Though Naomi’s outlook is bleak at this point, God’s Word offers a glimpse of hope: the harvest is coming. God will make Bethlehem a place of blessing. And the wonders God works there will bless Naomi and Ruth—and eventually the whole world. Many years later, a descendant of their family would become the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ (see Matthew 1). God promises to bring blessing to all who find their home in Jesus. Shall we take that step toward him today? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 18, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Repentance - Open the block Line of Communication" 1 Timothy 1: 15-17 New International Version 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. God’s children also learn to walk in His ways. Because our Father takes pleasure in watching us do what is right, He allows us time and room for mistakes. Now, if we repeatedly reject the salvation God provides, then we’ll experience His judgment one day. That choice is real. But keep in mind that Jesus came into the world specifically to save sinners. He wants everyone to be saved—and with great patience, mercy, and grace, He generously gives everyone time to come to Him. God is always waiting and ready for us to return to His loving embrace, just like the father of the prodigal son. Is there anything you want to confess to the Lord today? Repentance will open a blocked line of communication. Remember, God is slow to anger, and He enjoys spending time with you.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 17, 2023 Daily Devotion: “God our Savior“ Psalms 27: 6-9 New International Version Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord.7 Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me.8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face“ Your face, Lord, I will seek. 9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, God my Savior. It is tough to remember everything we learn from the Bible, but the more we retain, the more wisdom we’ll be able to recall during tough times. And toward that end, writing can become a powerful tool in our spiritual walk. Putting words on paper etches wisdom deeper into the heart and mind, which helps build a solid biblical foundation. Consider King David, who wrote many of the psalms. He had a consistent habit of recording truths about God. As a result, he was equipped for hardship. In yesterday’s psalm, for example, David said that he did not fear evil (Psalm 23:4). What did he have to be scared of when the One who controls everything was on his side (Ps. 27:1)? How could he be stifled by anxiety while in the Spirit’s comforting presence (Psalm 34:4)? David held God to His promises, but he had to know those assurances in order to rely on them. Writing is not necessary for our walk with God, but when we’re struggling, it can help us remember valuable truths— such as the fact that God is upholding us and our hardship has purpose. As we recall these spiritual realities, our faith is strengthened. Then we can face subsequent challenges with a more solid foundation of trust.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 16, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Spiritual Mountaintops" Psalm 23:1-6 New International Version 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Where there are mountains, there must also be valleys—it’s a simple fact of the created world. The same is true in our spiritual life. To reach the place where God is leading us, we must sometimes traverse “the valley of the shadow of death” (Ps.23:4). Spiritual mountaintops are wonderful spots to rest, but it is in valleys that we often discover God’s character, the truth of His promises, and our own weakness. Valleys reveal that the habits and crutches we’ve been relying on are inadequate—and we must trust God instead. That’s when we come to find out that faith, courage, and wisdom are rooted in the Lord. While walking in valleys is an inevitable and difficult part of life, believers aren’t left comfortless. Verse 5 says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows.” These words are about having our needs met, including the desire to be soothed. In David’s image of a tender shepherd rubbing oil on an animal’s scraped skin, God promises us assurance, healing, and safety—even in hardship. Facing the shadows is difficult and frightening work. But when we surrender to the Lord, we can rest in His power and comfort.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 15, 2023 Daily Devotion: "After God's Own Heart" 1 Samuel 17:34-35 New International Version 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Goliath was no big deal. Why? Because David had been killing lions and bears while nobody was around. He'd been facing reality long before he squared off against Goliath. David may have lived many centuries ago, but the things we can learn from him are as current as this morning's sunrise. Two stand out in my mind. It's in the little things and in the lonely places that we prove ourselves capable of the big things. If you want to be a person with a large vision, you must cultivate the habit of doing the little things well. That's when God puts iron in your bones! When God develops our inner qualities, He's never in a hurry. When God develops character, He works on it throughout a lifetime. He's not in a rush. It is in the schoolroom of solitude and obscurity that we learn to become men and women of God. It is from the schoolmasters of monotony and reality that we learn to "king it." That's how we become—like David—men and women after God's own heart.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 14, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Perfect Conversation" Psalm 95:6-8 New International Version 6 Come, let us bow down in worship let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice, 8 “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,[a] as you did that day at Massah[b] in the wilderness. We speak and listen to God depends on ... Our understanding of who God is. The way we view the Lord changes the way we hear Him. For example, if you see God as a loving Father, you will hear His encouraging voice and accept His loving discipline. But if you see Him as a harsh, demanding Father, then you may feel as though you can never live up to His expectations. Our attitude toward God. If we come to the Lord with a proud or rebellious nature, we’re less likely to hear His voice or accept His authority. However, when we have an open or curious nature, we’re more prepared to hear—and joyfully receive—what He is communicating. Next time you pray, take a moment to ask yourself, How am I picturing God right now? Is my heart open to Him? If anything negative comes to mind, remember verse 7 of today’s psalm: “We are the people of [God’s] pasture and the sheep of His flock under His care.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 13, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Like David's Heart" 1 Samuel 16:10-11 New International Version 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” When you have a servant's heart, you're humble. You do as you're told. You don't rebel. You respect those in charge. You serve faithfully and quietly without concern over who gets the credit. That's David. God looked at David, out in the fields in the foothills surrounding Bethlehem, keeping his father's sheep, faithfully doing his father's bidding, and God passed His approval on him. A servant doesn't care who gets the glory. Remember that. A servant has one great goal, and that is to make the person he serves look better, to make that person even more successful. A servant does not want the person he serves to fail. A servant doesn't care who thinks what, just so the job gets done. So while David's brothers were off in the army making rank and fighting big, impressive battles, David was all alone keeping the sheep. God loved his servant's heart. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 12, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Total Surrender" Romans 12:1-2 New International Version 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then, you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will. Giving absolute power over our lives to another human being would be an intimidating proposition. But that’s not true when it comes to the Lord. Unconditional surrender to Him is joyous. Relinquishing control of our lives can feel scary, but when we put it fully in God’s hands, only good can result.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 11, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Enough" 1 Samuel 15:15-19 New International Version 15 Saul answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest.” 16 “Enough!” Samuel said to Saul. “Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” “Tell me,” Saul replied. 17 Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ 19 Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?” Samuel has reached the end of his rope. The people elected Saul king, but he's no longer qualified. What are they to do? Israel is surrounded by enemies, and they need someone to carry the sceptre. But who? Samuel didn't know and couldn't imagine. The people didn't know and had no suggestions. No one knew . . . except God. What Samuel didn't realize—what we often don't realize—is that behind the scenes, before He ever flung the stars into space, God had today in mind. He had this very week in mind. In fact, He had you in mind. And He knew exactly what He was going to do. God is never at a loss to know what He's going to do in our situations. He knows perfectly well what is best for us. Our problem is, we don't know. And we say to Him, "Lord, if You just tell me, then I'll be in great shape. Just reveal it to me. Explain your plan to me, and I'll count on you." But that's not faith. Faith is counting on Him when we do not know what tomorrow holds. When a man or a woman of God fails, nothing of God fails. When a man or woman of God changes, nothing of God changes. When someone dies, nothing of God dies. When our lives are altered by the unexpected, nothing of God is altered or unexpected. It was the prophet Isaiah who wrote: "Before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24)."Before you even utter a word," God promises, "I'm involved in answering. In fact, while you're speaking, I'm involved in bringing to pass the very thing I have planned from the get-go.".God knows exactly what He's going to do, and nothing can restrain His bringing it to pass. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 10, 2023 Daily Devotion  "A Heart of God" 1 Samuel 13:13–14 “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. Had you kept it, the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart. The LORD has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.” The first quality God saw in David was a heart for God. "The Lord has sought out . . . a man after His own heart." What does it mean to be a person after God's own heart? Seems to me, it means that you are a person whose life is in harmony with the Lord. What is important to Him is important to you. What burdens Him burdens you. When He says, "Go to the right," you go to the right. When He says, "Stop that in your life," you stop it. When He says, "This is something I want you to change," you come to terms with it because you have a heart for God. That's bottom-line biblical Christianity. When you are deeply spiritual, you have a heart that is sensitive to the things of God. A parallel verse in 2 Chronicles confirms this: "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His" (2 Chronicles 16:9, emphasis added). What is God looking for? He is looking for men and women whose hearts are completely His—completely. That means there are no locked closets. Nothing's been swept under the rugs. That means that when you do wrong, you admit it and immediately come to terms with it. You're grieved over wrong. You're concerned about those things that displease your heavenly Father. You long to please Him in your actions. You care about the motives behind your actions. That's having a heart for God, and that's the first quality David had. Do you have a heart for God? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 09, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God Will Never Fall Short" Psalm 63:8 New International Version 8 I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. Perhaps you struggle to feel near to the Lord. It could be pride that’s preventing you from admitting your need for Him. Maybe you feel life’s too hectic to sit in His presence. Or it’s possible you’re afraid to be transparent. That’s understandable, especially if you’ve been betrayed in the past. But remember, God will never fall short the way humans do. Whatever the case, simply start spending a few minutes with Him each day, and you’ll notice you have a bit more margin than you thought. Pray to discover any barriers standing in the way of a deeper connection. And ask God to reveal steps you can take to experience more oneness and closeness with Him. He will answer. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 08, 2023 Daily Devotion: "An Intrinsic Part of Life" Proverbs 3:3-4 New International Version 3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.4 Then you will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and man. Jesus taught the same principle. He said one man built his house on a rock while another was built on sand (Matthew 7:24-27). In rain and wind, the home on the solid foundation was protected. But Jesus was teaching about obedience, not construction. The point is that life must be built on the dependability of the gospel if we’re to withstand the storms that arise. Today’s proverb says, “Do not let kindness and truth leave you … Write them on the tablet of your heart” (v. 3). Truth should be an intrinsic part of life, as second nature as breathing. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 07, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God's Being Almost Sovereign" Numbers 27:21-23 New International Version 21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the Lord. At his command, he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command, they will come in.” 22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the Lord instructed through Moses. It may be that these words fall on a very hungry heart. Or perhaps you have been strengthened and encouraged with the thought that you're very special to God, that none of His children are insignificant. Or maybe you're engaged in the awesome task of finding a man or a woman for a position that carries a great weight of responsibility, and you've been reminded that you are dependent, more than ever, on God to locate His Joshua. Or perhaps you are that Joshua, and you've been asked to accept a responsibility broader than you ever dreamed. Whatever your circumstances, just be reminded you that our heavenly Father cares about areas of your life that would seem insignificant to a distant deity. He's never too busy to hear your hurts, to wipe away your tears, to whisper words of encouragement, and to put His big shoulder under your load. He's the God who cares about the details. Our sovereign God might be a very personal comfort to you this week. Pray that who is wrestling with loneliness and discouragement. Even though surrounded by people, deep within, there's an ache. God can meet your need as only He can, even as He did in the heart of Moses just a few hours before the great man's death. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 06, 2023 Daily Devotion: "We Cannot Turn Back Time" Numbers 20:11-12 New International Version 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. 12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.” Wouldn't you love the ability to go back in time and change something you did or said? We know there have been moments in our lives - lawful moments when we acted on the impulse of the flesh—that we would dearly love to call back. Don't you imagine, during those days prior to his home going, Moses would have cheerfully given his right arm to relive that incident at the rock? "Oh Lord, if I could only back up and do that all over! I would have cried out for Your help to control my anger. I would have been more concerned for Your glory. I would have done exactly as you instructed." But he couldn't go back. In a single moment of rage, he forfeited his right to lead Israel. He threw away his opportunity to enter the Promised Land. The sad fact is, we can not go back. None of us can. We can not undo sinful deeds or unsay sinful words. We can not reclaim those moments when we were possessed by rage, lust, cruelty, indifference, or hard-headed pride. Like Moses, we may be forgiven for those sins and have them blotted out of our record by the blood of Christ. Even so, we must live with the consequences of our words and our actions. What we sow, the Scriptures warn, we will also reap. No, we can't go back. Our gracious Lord has covered our past with His own blood, given on the cross for us. David reminds us that, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12). But we can learn to walk much closer with Him, day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment. We can keep short accounts with Him and lean on the Holy Spirit to guard our hearts and shield us from destructive, life-shattering sins. He will do it. He has promised to provide us with a way of escape so that we can bear up under any temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13)—any temptation at any moment. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 05, 2023 Daily Devotion: "His Word Is Truth" John 17:17 New International Version 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. In the Garden of Gethsemane, hours before His arrest, Jesus prayed for the disciples: “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” A little later, when questioned by Pilate, Jesus replied that He’d come into the world to testify to the truth. This prompted Pilate’s philosophical question that people today still ask: “What is truth?” The meaning of the word corresponds to what actually is, not what we feel or wish were true. We may avoid truth—or water it down or cover it up—because it can be uncomfortable to expose weakness or bring wrongdoing into the light. Truth is so important it’s mentioned almost 200 times in Scripture. In fact, in chapters 17 and 18, which describe Jesus’ last hours before the crucifixion, the word is mentioned six times. Here’s why it matters so much: When truth loses its supreme position in our life, everything begins to crumble. But truth is more than factual or accurate information. It’s a way of living that removes barriers and sets people free to enjoy the abundant life Christ wants for us. (See John 10:10.) He is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), and by following Him, we’ll discover the key to true peace and fulfillment.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 04, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Time of Waiting" Psalm 27:14 New International Version 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. What the world tells us is often in direct conflict with Scripture. Throughout the Bible, the concept of waiting is expressed in many different ways. We read about how long the Israelites had to wait to enter the Promised Land, but that was due to their disobedience. Scripture also tells us to wait for our own peace of mind. God tells us that “he has made everything beautiful in its time. We should know that we are not alone in this, but we have a really hard time waiting, especially for good things. Often, it feels like our choices are taken away from us in times of waiting, but when we remember who our Lord is — We realize how wrong we are. We do have a choice. We can either stress, spiral, or bemoan to anyone who will listen about our plight. Or we can be still. we can turn to the Lord and be with him. The more time we spend with him, the more we glean about his will for us. We will experience peace, and before we knew it, the time of waiting doesn’t feel so long. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 03, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Only God is Imperative" Numbers 11:26-29 New International Version 26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” 29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” You're not indispensable. I'm not indispensable. Nobody is indispensable, except the Lord Jesus Christ. He's the head. He's the Preeminent One. He's the founder. He's in first place. And when He moves one out and brings in another or demotes one and sets up another, He calls the shots. That is His sovereign, right? The problem arises when we get to thinking we're sovereign. My friend, He put you where He wanted you. He gave you that job. He can take it away just as fast as He gave it. Faithfully do your work, lie low, and exalt Christ. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 02, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Written Instructions" Exodus 20:20 New International Version 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning. Isn't it great that God gave His people written instructions to obey? This is the first time in all of history that God wrote down His Word. Until the time of Moses, the written Word of God did not exist. But now, here it was. And to think, you and I possess those written words! What an awesome and majestic thought. How we take that privilege for granted. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

September 01, 2023 Daily Devotion: "In Silence He Waits for Us" Isaiah 44:6 New International Version 6 “This is what the Lord says— Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first, and I am the last; apart from me, there is no God. God is holy. Exalted. He is the only wise God, the Creator, the Maker, the sovereign Lord. He is the Master. He tells me what to do, and I have no safe option but to do it. He offers no alternative, no multiple choice. We have but one directive, and that is to do His will. We reaffirm that truth in our times with Him. The Lord is our God. He does not bow to our hurried pace, but in silence, He waits for us to meet His demands. And once we slow down enough to meet Him, He is pleased to add incredible spiritual depth to our otherwise shallow lives.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 31, 2023 Daily Devotion: “The Provider and Deliverer" 1 Kings 17: 12-14 New International Version 12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.” 13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’ No one likes to be in need. But from the Lord’s perspective, that situation can be spiritually beneficial. When the bottom drops out of our imaginary security bubble, we discover the reality that all provision comes from Him. The Lord uses various instruments to meet needs, but He alone is the source of everything. Elijah had learned to live by faith in the unusual ways of the Lord: he’d been fed by ravens. Now God sent him to Zarephath, to a starving widow with no ability to feed him. Every financial need is an opportunity to learn to walk by faith in the Lord, trusting Him to be our source. Prosperity can lead to a sense of independence that blinds us to how inadequate we actually are to provide for ourselves. But in reality, we’re totally dependent upon the Father whether we know it or not. Believing that God would provide for him, Elijah was able to witness miraculous divine intervention. We may not see the Lord perform a supernatural work in our finances. However, His Word tells us, “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Are you focusing on the instrument or the source of your provision? The means God uses may change, but His faithfulness endures forever. The Lord is inviting you to trust Him and live in both the adventure and security of a life of faith. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 30, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God Uses Ordinary Means to Move Us in a New Direction" 1 Kings 17:2-7 New International Version 2 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: 3 “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. 4 You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.” 5 So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 Some time later, the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. In Isaiah 55, God declares, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways” (Isaiah 55:8). In fact, that’s one of the biggest frustrations of the Christian life—a lack of understanding about God’s ways. There are times when we could really use a miracle, and He doesn’t come through for us, which can lead to confusion, disappointment, and anger. Why did God let me down? Sometimes, God uses ordinary means to move us in a new direction. The curtailment of his water supply opened the door for Elijah’s next assignment. When the Lord withholds miraculous intervention and lets your brook dry up, then He has something else planned for you. The work of God in the common place aspects of life is just as miraculous as His supernatural intervention. Look for His “fingerprint” in the day’s mundane activities. He is there, opening and closing doors, drying up one opportunity but initiating another.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 29, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "The Learning from the Past"  Zechariah 1:4 “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Return now from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.”’ But they did not listen or give heed to Me,” declares the Lord. Each of us has his or her own wilderness cycle. Some struggle with a quiver full of small children at home. Others have no children. Your test may not be related to the home at all; it may be connected to your employment. Perhaps you're wrestling with relationships; you're abrasive and have difficulty with people. That's why God keeps you with people and grinds away so that your long-standing Egyptian habit might be altered. Learning from the past may be hard, but continuing in ignorance is expensive. Better to learn those priceless lessons today than to search for pennies in the scorching wilderness tomorrow.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 28, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Our Comforter" 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 “For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory Over the long haul, God is honing us through such tests. Stretching us. Breaking us. Crushing us. Reducing us to an absolute, open-armed trust, where we say, "Lord, I have come to the end of my own flesh. If You wish me to die in this wilderness, here is my life. Take it. I refuse to look back and complain about where I find myself at this moment." Moses had learned to wait. His congregation needed to learn as well. How about you? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 27, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Lamp to Our Feet" Psalm 119:105 New International Version  105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. God’s Word is a “lamp to our feet.” A lamp illuminates the area around it. Likewise, the Bible is essential for seeing and interpreting our emotions, relationships, and circumstances. Our own perceptions may be incomplete or unreliable, but the lamp of God’s Word reveals everything. We also, however, want to move forward. The Word shines a light on the path, showing us where we’re headed. With God’s help, we may move in discernment, using the “wisdom from above” (James 3:17). Whether you face difficult circumstances or have a decision to make, let the Word serve as a lamp and a light. You can trust God to help you see more clearly and move ahead without fear. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 26, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Perfect Law" James 1:23-25 New International Version 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. A perfect mirror allows us not only to look at our reflection but also to see accurately. To see ourselves as God does, James says we need the “perfect law,” which is another name for God’s Word. And the reflection of ourselves we see in the Bible is perfect in the sense that it is complete—the Word misses nothing. The insights we gain can prepare us to live in greater faithfulness. Because hearing or knowing what the Bible says is not our final goal, we need to go beyond simply looking at it. The mirror of the Word doesn’t just show us how we look. It reminds us how we ought to look by revealing gaps in our obedience. If we act on those gaps, letting Scripture disciple us to live in loving submission to Jesus, we can become what James calls a “doer.” And the result? We will be blessed as we do all God has asked of us. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 25, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Living and Enduring Word of God" 1 Peter 1:22-23 New International Version 22 Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. [a] 23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. As Peter says in today’s passage, fervent love for one another comes about when we are born again from the only “imperishable” seed—“the living and enduring word of God” (v. 23). It’s easy to read “word” here as “the Scriptures,” but as John’s gospel tells us, Jesus Himself is the Word (John 1:1-4). He is God’s Word of mercy and new creation, the source of our new birth. But God has also given us His written Word to remind us of His work in the world and in us. Remind yourself today and every day of God’s work in you, cultivating the fruit of love through a fresh meeting with Jesus and through reading the Bible. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 24, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Food for the Soul" Jeremiah describes as spiritual food. Just as we need physical food to stay alive, we need spiritual food to sustain us. And just as we need a variety of foods, we need to read and listen to the whole counsel of Scripture. Jeremiah prophesied to a rebellious Israel, and he found strength and sustenance in God’s words. But the fact that verse 16 says they “became” a joy suggests they might not have been sweet at first. The prophet may have needed to train his spiritual taste, and so do we. Some Bible verses, after all, sound sweet. Psalm 23 begins with “The Lord is my shepherd, I will not be in need” (Psalm 23:1). But others, like “Happy is the person whom God disciplines” (Job 5:17), might be a little less appealing. And what about “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 23, 2023 Daily Devotion: "GET UP and DON’T BE AFRAID" Matthew 17:5-7 New International Version 5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” As Jesus prepared to enter Jerusalem, He knew the days ahead would be challenging for the disciples. He had already told them He’d be arrested and killed and then would rise from the dead (Matthew 16:21). His followers would face costly sacrifices (Matthew 16:24), and the way ahead seemed bleak. Can we live in the same light? Jesus would later comfort His disciples with a further promise—that He would be with them always (Matthew 28:20). Remembering the promise of God’s presence helps us endure with hope. We may not face the same persecution the disciples did, but the cost of following Jesus remains high. Focusing on Him and the coming kingdom that was revealed in the Transfiguration helps us live without fear. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 22, 2023 Daily Devotion: “The Power of Obedience" Exodus 11:2-3 New International Version 2 Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” 3 (The Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.) The main point, the central ingredient of Exodus 11 and 12, is obedience. God spoke, some people heard and did what God said. As a result, God used them in His plan at that time in history. God knew in advance what use that silver and gold would be put to when the new nation arrived at Mount Sinai out in the desert. God already had something in mind that no one had ever dreamed of yet—the Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting where the Israelites would meet in close proximity with the awesome holy God who had delivered them. At this point, God didn't tell them why they would need those precious metals. He just said, "Ask for them," and they did. It's called obedience. Do you know why that was true? Because Moses stood all alone and trusted God (he obeyed), and the Lord gave him favor in their eyes. The Lord delights to do that. Remember Proverbs 16:7? "When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him." We see that borne out yet again in this amazing development. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 21, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Complete Dependence with God" Ezra 4:1-3 New International Version 4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here.” 3 But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.” The Israelites had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. But many opposed their efforts, and were, in fact, quite clever. First, they offered to help. What better way to cause things to go wrong than to get involved in the work? When their aid was rejected, the enemies set out to discourage and scare the Israelites. They were successful in stopping the work—temporarily. But “the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews,” and the work was finally able to proceed (Ezra 5:5). The Lord took care of the mountain of opposition before them. What that means is, sometimes He will remove the problem; at other times He’ll walk with us through it. But either way, He wants us to depend on Him. This means choosing Patiently, Wisely guide others toward godliness. Follow scriptural principles, Have divine contentment in our current circumstances. Do God’s work His way. Our work should be characterized by dependence on the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16). While that mindset is countercultural, it’s the only way to live as a child of God. Seek out others who regularly try to follow the Spirit’s leading, and spur each other on to live it out. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 20, 2023 Daily Devotion: “The Truth of the Gospel" 1 Thessalonians 2:2–4 NIV “We had … been treated outrageously … but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel … the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives … We are not trying to please people but God.” When Paul visited Thessalonica, he faced strong opposition. He was forced to leave the city in conditions that continued to trouble him. From his accounts, there were lingering questions about his witness and sincerity and even about the truth of the Gospel. In his letter to these Thessalonians, Paul stressed the purity of his motives, arguing that his heart was right. Some might be motivated by a desire to twist the truth or please the masses, but the only real motivation that mattered was pleasing God and having a heart that passed His tests. Paul knew it didn’t matter what other people concluded. God was the only witness that mattered, and Paul was convinced that God approved his actions and ministry. He also demonstrated that his words and actions were sincere. He “never used flattery” and did not say things just to win favor. He was not greedy for fame or recognition. He did not “put on a mask” but acted in ways consistent with the Gospel, demonstrating his sincerity. It was important to be genuine, not artificial or phony. Paul returned to these themes frequently. He knew they were important. In your interactions with others, remember that people are watching you. Seek to be a pure vessel and a strong witness for the Gospel. Ask God to purify your heart and mind to be sure He is pleased.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 18, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Stand Still" Exodus 6:2–6 “Therefore, say to the people of Israel: ‘I am the LORD. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment.'" So many times you and I miss the opportunity to watch the Lord work in mighty and miraculous ways. Why? Because instead of "standing still" and watching Him pull off our deliverance, we seek out the carnal alternative. We look for the back-door escape, a fleshly shortcut. Notice how God handled His man, Moses. Without rebuke, the Lord gave Moses two pieces of counsel. One related to His person; the other related to His work. He told Moses who He was, and then He told him what He was going to do. And the order in the Lord's response is as important as the facts themselves. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 17, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Lift Someone Up in Prayer" Colossians 1:9-10 New International Version 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, One of the greatest things we can do is lift a person up in prayer. And there is no more powerful way to do this than to speak Scripture on his or her behalf. The apostle Paul wrote today’s passage to the church at Colossae. From this, we know the specific requests he brought before God concerning his brothers and sisters in the faith. Paul asked for the believers to understand God’s plan for their lives. We must remember that the Lord often does not reveal everything at once, but He does give seeking hearts enough information to trust and follow His path. The apostle prayed that the believers in Colossae would conduct themselves in a manner worthy of Christ. Paul longed to see them remain consistent with their identity in the Lord and to produce spiritual fruit. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 16, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Being Misunderstood Hurts" 2 Corinthians 1:12-14 New International Version 12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity[a] and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace. 13 For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, 14 as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus. Being misunderstood hurts all the way to the bone. Maybe you've felt that sting recently. You did the right things in the right way but someone misjudged you, reading motives into your acts or words that you never intended. And now you live under that cloud, unable to change the minds of those who have turned against you. Moses came before the Lord asking those two questions most of us ask when we find ourselves under intolerable pressure: Why? and How? We begin by saying, "Why? Why me? Why now? Why this?" And then we ask, "How? How in the world am I going to get through this or out of that?" As one who has also spoken those words numerous times in my life's journey, I find myself very encouraged by how the Lord responded to Moses. He didn't say, "Back off, Moses. You should be ashamed of yourself." I love it that the Lord never slaps you or shames you when you come to Him. He never pushes you away when you bring an aching, honest question that cries out for an answer.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 15, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Wise of Heart Will Receive Commands" Proverbs 10:8 English Standard Version 8 The wise of heart will receive commandments, but a babbling fool will come to ruin. Nobody likes criticism, but we should remember that God can use it to tell us something important. We are wise to pay attention when people critique us. Their words—whether invited or not—should encourage us to examine ourselves and discover who we really are. If we fail to listen, we might miss out on something essential. That’s why it’s important to respond well and evaluate criticism correctly. Instead of immediately becoming defensive or assuming you’re without fault, ask yourself, Is the Lord trying to teach me something in this moment? It’s wise not to automatically reject the comment, blame the person who made it, or defend yourself. Instead, consider what was said and ask God to continue revealing His will for your life. Then thank the person and explain that you’ll reflect on his or her observation. Today’s passage reminds us: “The wise of heart will receive commands” and the “one who is on the path of life follows instruction” (vv. 8, 17). If we wish to continue growing in Christlikeness, we must leave ourselves open to receive the Lord’s teachings via whatever or whomever He chooses. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 14, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Sense of Inner Assurance" Exodus 4:22-23 New International Version 22 Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’” We could call any work done in the will of God "the work of righteousness." And in doing that work, you will be surrounded by peace. Deep within you, in the very outworking of that service and that obedient walk, you will enjoy quietness and confidence. The original Hebrew term rendered "confidence" here might be better termed "security." The King James Version translates it "assurance." In other words, there will be a quiet, secure confidence when you are walking in His will. There will be an invincible sense of inner assurance, gently and humbly accepted. Every believer in Jesus Christ longs to experience such assurance. It comes from being in the flowing current of His will. It envelops us when we do God's will, God's way. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 13, 2023 Daily Devotion: “Sow Goodness Reap Rewards" Galatians 6:7-10 New International Version   7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Satan wants us to believe the lie that our actions have no natural results or consequences. But the truth is that you can’t rebel against God without reaping the fruit of that choice later. You also can’t obey God without eventually receiving His blessing. The choices you make are the seeds you plant, and they determine the kind of crop you’re going to harvest in the future. The heart of this principle is that all our choices are important. How we think and act matters. At some point, we all have made choices we’ve regretted. Since consequences never simply evaporate, you may find yourself harassed or even governed by things you’ve seen, said, or participated in. Yet God will forgive everything you genuinely repent of, and He will work with you to redeem those past choices. The road to redemption often includes obstacles, but His Spirit can enable you to overcome. If consequences from your past are weighing on you, lay those burdens down before the Lord, and request that He cleanse and shape you into the person you were created to be. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 11, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Sword of Spirit" Hebrews 4:12 New International Version 12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. The word of God is living and active.” We can observe that the Bible is miraculously complex enough to satisfy both the intellectual and simple; to nourish adult and child alike. Scripture teaches, convicts, and encourages us through its varied literary styles: historical accounts, poems, prayers, laments, prophecies, and epistles. The Psalms not only remind us to give thanks and worship but also teach us how to repent of sin and share our pain with God. The epistles show us ways to hope in the midst of trials. The gospels introduce us to Jesus Christ and His love for us. Every book leaves its unique mark on us. When we take the time to engage with Scripture, it’s not merely our own soul we encounter but God Himself. Between the lines of chapter and verse, we meet with Him and are transformed by the experience of His presence. Take some extra time today to connect with Him.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 10, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Timeless, Infallible, Trustworthy - Word of God" 2 Timothy 3:16-17 New International Version 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. We often come up empty because those sources lack ultimate, eternal knowledge. And so, the guidance and peace we desperately seek remain elusive. We need something better—we need truth. The Bible meets this need because, from beginning to end, it reveals God to us, assures us of His love, leads us to salvation, and shows us how to live. The Bible is much more than a history text or story book. It’s more than a collection of poetry and wisdom. It is the inspired and living Word of God—timeless, infallible, trustworthy. The Lord can and does use people and resources to help us grapple with life’s complexities, yet the wisdom we receive from them should always line up with the Bible’s teachings.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

August 09, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "The Fruits of the Spirit" Galatians 5:22-25 New International Version  22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.   Fruit in our spiritual life indicates health and maturity in a believer. And today’s passage lists traits that show up in our life when God dwells in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But how should we watch for these? What are the signs we’re moving in the right direction? When we’re growing in Christlikeness, these qualities are evident as we Bear with the shortcomings of others. Use our words more carefully. Give and serve more cheerfully.; Resist temptation and, when we sin, repent quickly; Keep our promises to God and others. Respond to challenges with peace and patience. Most of the people we interact with on a daily basis won’t see our efforts, but they will notice the Lord’s character forming in us.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 26, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Same God" Colossians 1:25-27 New International Version 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Today, realize that He is the same God who from slavery to a ministry with worldwide influence. She learned that the key was depending on God. That same power is available to you. Through Christ, you can do all things. You have no reason to be afraid or worried. He can give you His peace and meet your needs. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 25, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Key to Success" Colossians 1:15-17 New International Version (The Supremacy of the Son of God) 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him, all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Jesus is the glue to all creation, holding everything together. He is also the head of the church. He is God’s instrument of reconciliation, unity, and peace, for “through Him” God reconciles all things to Himself, “having made peace through the blood of His cross.” In Jesus, there is healing of body, soul, spirit, and relationships. These truths may not make sense to the world. But for believers, following Jesus answers all questions. There are many options for how you live your life, on whom you rely, and what you believe. It can be easy to depend on yourself or other people, trusting in your resources or abilities. But the key to success is placing Jesus at the center of your life. Make sure He is the foundation of your life. Remember, He holds everything together.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 24, 2023 Daily Devotional: "Live in Freedom" Colossians 1:13-14 New International Version 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. The Colossians had heard the Gospel and the “hope reserved for [them] in heaven.” But Paul urged them to realize that a change already had taken place. The Gospel “is bearing fruit and increasing” in their lives Through the Gospel, they were “qualified…to share in the inheritance of the saints in light”. They once were residents of the “domain of darkness” but had been “transferred.” They were different and had moved into a new Kingdom. This was a Kingdom with different rules, different expectations, and different standards—a Kingdom where Jesus is Lord. They were able to enter this Kingdom because, in Jesus, they “[had] redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” They once were part of the kingdom of the flesh, the kingdom of this world. But Jesus paid a ransom for them—and for us—delivering them from sin. Thanks to Jesus, we, too, have been released. We are forgiven. This transfer is not theoretical but a complete change in our attitudes and standards, our words and thoughts, and our expectations and goals. Remember that you have a new home. You have been transferred; you are no longer in bondage to the flesh or bound by this world. You are no longer a prisoner of darkness. Live in this freedom! Live in this light!   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 23, 2023 Daily Devotion: "To Be Filled with The Knowledge of His Will" Colossians 1:9-10 (New American Standard Bible) “We also…have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will…so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects.” Paul began his letter to the Christians in Colossae with a reminder of his commitment to pray for them. He didn’t just pray occasionally but constantly. It was never-ceasing prayer—day and night. What did he pray about? He prayed that they “may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” This knowledge was a foundation for success in spiritual matters. It gave him perspective and insight and the ability to make wise decisions. But the impact was also practical. It changed lives and bore fruit in every good work. Paul went on to pray for the power, gifts, and resources needed to live the Christian life. There were many temptations and ways to be distracted. Believers needed to be steady and constant, loyal and faithful, persevering, and always giving joyful thanks to the Father. Paul wanted believers to realize that God has prepared gifts, talents, rewards, and blessings for each of us. We have an inheritance ready to equip us with the power we need. This knowledge also results in pleasing God “in all respects,” fulfilling our ultimate desire to please Him. Pray to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will. Pray that He would empower you to walk in ways that please Him and give you the strength you need. Be sure to give Him thanks. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 22, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Redeemer" John 12:46-48 New American Standard Bible 46 I have come as Light into the world, so that no one who believes in Me will remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears My teachings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects Me and does not accept My teachings has one who judges him: the word which I spoke. That will judge him on the last day. What a “joyful sound” it was to realize that “Jesus saves!” It was such a glorious experience that believers should feel delighted to “spread the tidings all around,” bearing “the news to every land. "” It was “our Lord’s command” that we tell “sinners far and wide” about salvation. We may face problems that can cause discouragement, but nothing must stop us from telling others about Jesus. We are to “shout it brightly through the gloom” and sing this message “in triumph.” Even the wind is to carry this message, telling everyone about a salvation that is “full and free,” about this “song of victory.” Jesus still saves today. Millions of people still need to hear this message. Dedicate your life to bringing the message of salvation to the nations. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 21, 2023 Daily Devotional: "Our Provisioner" Philippians 4:19 “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” God will supply all our needs. But to receive the fulfilment of this promise, we need to trust Him, look to Him, obey His Word, and live by faith. Call on God to meet your needs. He is faithful. Remember to invest in His Kingdom. Trust Him to multiply your seed and meet your needs.  When was the last time God tangibly provided something you needed?   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 20, 2023 Daily Devotion: “Deposits" Philippians 4:16-17 English Standard7 Version 16 Even in Thessalonica, you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. You may not realize it, but you have an account in Heaven. You are not saved by your financial gifts or the things you have done. There is nothing you can do to buy your way into Heaven. But the Bible also teaches that we will be rewarded in Heaven for the things we do on this earth. Paul told the Philippians that he was seeking so that they would experience increases in their accounts. We can make deposits into our heavenly accounts in many ways. Every time we share our testimony, help meet needs, or sow a seed into God’s Kingdom, He deposits into our accounts. Someday, we will reap the rewards of what we have done for Him in this life. Ask God to show you what seeds He has given you—what talents or abilities, what ways you can contribute to His Kingdom, and what resources you can share with others. It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor by the world’s standards. God has given you seeds to sow. Just think of all the ways you can sow! Seek to make investments into your heavenly account. Remember, it will pay dividends in this life and into eternity. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 19, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Serve Without Ceasing" Philippians 4:16 New International Version 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. Today, some Christians give grudgingly to support the work of God. Others feel content to give once or occasionally. But some realize that the work of ministry can never stop. These people find joy in giving and never stop seeking to serve God. Ask God to give you a generous heart and a desire to serve Him without ceasing. Give repeatedly to support His Kingdom.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 18, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Seek to Develop" Philippians 4:8 New International Version 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. All of us have choices. As Paul wrote, we can decide what to “dwell on” or “think about” (ESV). The Greek word here has its roots in the word logos; thu, it suggests our ability to reason, what we put together in our minds, and how we occupy ourselves. Seek to develop godly thought-life habits. You can make choices. You don’t have to be controlled by the media or worldly gossip. Reject whatever is corrupt and displeasing to God and anything that violates His Word. Fix your mind on things that are true, honourable, and just; whatever is pure, lovely and lovable, kind, and gracious; things with any virtue and excellence; anything worthy of praise Then practice thinking about these things! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 17, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Seek Him..." Philippians 4:6 New International Version 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. As the Bible promises, we can turn to Him, knowing He will supply every need and satisfy the longing of our souls. “Oh, the mercy He will show, Oh, the grace He will bestow.” We may go through storms, but we can “call upon Him day by day.” Knowing He is our friend, we can tell Him every detail and every concern. Trust in Him; He can send countless blessings and keep us to the end. Seek to follow. Spend time with Jesus. Read His Word. Seek Him in prayer. Talk with Him about the problems you face. Silently, wait on Him. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 15, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Rejoice" Philippians 4:4 (New American Standard Bible) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, rejoice! Don’t allow anything to keep you from experiencing the joy of the Lord. We can rejoice in Him in every situation! No matter what others say, Jesus is Lord. He rules over the nations. He will accomplish His purposes. He loved you so much that He died for you so that you might be forgiven and spend eternity with Him. Rejoice! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 14, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Joy from The Lord" Psalm 51:12-13, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You.” Joy is important in winning people to Jesus Christ. Did you know we have nothing more winsome and attractive in bringing people to Jesus Christ than the joy of the Lord? A cold, dry faith has no appeal. David, the man who wrote the Psalms, lost his joy when he got out of fellowship with God. When he lost his joy, he stopped being a soul winner. And he prayed in.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 13, 2023 Daily Devotion: “Seek to Live for Christ" Philippians 3:17 NASB Brothers and sisters, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in. Paul stressed that we need to be careful about how we live. We should follow the right patterns and always be aware that others are watching us and developing impressions from their observations. What are the impressions others notice when they look at you? What do they hear when they listen to your words? You have the opportunity to impact people every day. Seek to live for Christ and help shape their eternal destiny. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 12, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Full Growth Process" Philippians 4:13-15 New International Version 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. 14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; Many Christians do not realize the importance of maturity. They have not followed the Bible’s command to reach for “things which are ahead.” They don’t press toward the goal “of the upward call of God. No matter where you are on your journey, remember the importance of this maturing process. Don’t be content with the status quo or the shallow and superficial. Press onward toward God’s upward call for you. Go deeper. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 11, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Parameter" Galatians 5:16-18 New International Version 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever [a] you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law… The Holy Spirit is to be the parameter in which you walk. Are you willing to do that? Our flesh often says, “Don’t fence me in!” It tells us that outside of the Spirit, there are certain pleasures, ideas, and fulfillments you need to make you happy. A person with a Spirit-controlled life has come to this settled conclusion: there is nothing worth having outside of Jesus. If you don’t come to that conclusion, you will never live a victorious life. All the things you do are to be within the context of the Holy Spirit of God leading and directing your life. When I step out of bounds, the Holy Spirit says, “You are out of bounds.” And so, I repent, and I step back in. That is a Spirit-controlled life. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 10, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Team Spirit" Amos 2:4 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they have rejected the law of the Lord, and have not kept his statutes, but their lies have led them astray, those after which their fathers walked.” Team Spirit is the other term for loyalty, which means the quality of being loyal. Do you serve under someone else's authority? Obviously, most of us do. How's your spirit, your attitude, toward that person to whom you answer? Having the right attitude or spirit of cooperation can be especially tough if the person to whom you answer is a difficult individual or an incompetent leader, one whose weaknesses you know all too well. This is not only a test of your personal loyalty but a test of your emotional maturity. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 09, 2023 Daily Devotion: "In Awe of You" Isaiah 6:5 New International Version 5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” In a time when God's name is so readily taken in vain, this passage has a refreshing bite and warning: God is vastly superior and far more holy than we can ever be on our own merits. To come into his presence should shock us into the instant realization of how utterly sinful we have been and how unworthy we are to be in the presence of the King of Glory. To experience God, to stand before his incomparable presence, is to be aware of his holiness and humbled into an awe-filled reverence with deep thankfulness. God's name, holiness, and majesty confront us with our need for reverence in his presence and are suddenly no longer a theory. Once we glimpse it, the Lord's name, holiness, and majesty become the passions of our lives!     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 8, 2023 Daily Devotion: "In All Things God Works" Romans 8: 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.” If we are honest, some of us Christians are embarrassed about suffering and hardship because we feel we ought to be free from all that. There is, however, nothing in Scripture that indicates this. While it is true that God blesses us in all kinds of ways, and we avoid some of the turmoil and pain that sin brings into our lives, there are many times when circumstances and events that we would not have chosen come into our lives. We would have done anything to avoid it, but these circumstances and events become God’s tool and workshop for doing things that are ultimately good.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

July 07, 2023 Daily Devotion:   “The Process”  Ephesians 4:15-16, ESV Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. Like a child on the way to adulthood, we too begin our life with Christ as infants, learning through the joys and challenges of life what it means to be a mature disciple. And while we should continue to stretch ourselves and open our lives more and more to the transforming grace of the Spirit, do not set unrealistic expectations for yourself, or for others. Trust that God is working in this season and loves you where you are, even as he invites you.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 23, 2023 Daily Devotion:  "The True Victim"  Genesis 42:21-24 New International Version  21 They said to one another, “Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.” 22 Reuben replied, “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy? But you wouldn’t listen! Now we must give an accounting for his blood.” 23 They did not realize that Joseph could understand them, since he was using an interpreter. 24 He turned away from them and began to weep, but then came back and spoke to them again. He had Simeon taken from them and bound before their eyes. When you have done wrong to someone and haven't gone through the necessary process to make things right with them and with God—when you haven't fully dealt with your transgression—you become the victim of the very distress that you put that person through. "We feel the same distress that we caused him and saw in his face."     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 22, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "Step Up to The Plate"  Genesis 42:21  "Then they said to one another, 'Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore, this distress has come upon us'"   In the original language, the "we" in their conversation is emphatic! "We are guilty . . . we saw the distress of his soul . . . we would not listen." The first step toward softening a seared conscience is taking responsibility for one's own personal guilt. The brothers did not blame their father for being passive. They did not blame their brother Joseph for being proud or arrogant or favoured. They did not diminish the wrong by saying they were too young to know any better. They used the right pronoun when they agreed together, "We are responsible! There is no one else we can blame!"   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 21, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "Character Mixed with Wisdom"  Genesis 41:53-57 New International Version   53 The seven years of abundance in Egypt came to an end, 54 and the seven years of famine began, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in all the other lands, but in the whole land of Egypt, there was food. 55 When all Egypt began to feel the famine, the people cried to Pharaoh for food. Then Pharaoh told all the Egyptians, “Go to Joseph and do what he tells you.” 56 When the famine had spread over the whole country, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold grain to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe throughout Egypt. 57 And all the world came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, because the famine was severe everywhere. God can use our authority and our abundance and our promotion as He did with Joseph. But before He can, we need to humble ourselves before God's mighty hand and say, "Jesus Christ, I need You. I have all of this to account for, and I can't take any of it with me. Please use me as you see fit." With authority comes the need for accountability. With popularity comes the need for humility. With prosperity comes the need for integrity. Joseph passed all three tests with flying colors. Those who model the same depth of character mixed with wisdom deserve our respect and affirmation.       --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 20, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "God Has Made Me Fruitful..." Genesis 41:47–52 As predicted, for seven years, the land produced bumper crops. During those years, Joseph gathered all the crops grown in Egypt and stored the grain from the surrounding fields in the cities. He piled up huge amounts of grain like sand on the seashore. Finally, he stopped keeping records because there was too much to measure. During this time, before the first of the famine years, two sons were born to Joseph and his wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, “God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my father’s family.” Joseph named his second son Ephraim, for he said, “God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief.” Joseph proclaimed openly that God had made him forget all his troubles, even those in his father's household. Above and beyond that, God had made him fruitful in a land and in circumstances that had brought him nothing but trouble. How humble of Joseph to acknowledge that! The memories were still there, lodged deep in the creases beneath his cranium, but when relief finally came, God made him forget the pain, the anguish of what had happened. It is very tempting to try to get revenge on the Reubens and the Judahs and the Dans and the Mrs. Potiphars from our past. To get back at those who have stung us and stripped us and hurt us with evil deeds and ugly words. Instead, we must give birth to a Manasseh. Could it be that it's time to ask the Lord God to erase the stings in your memory? Only He can do that. Then, it will be time to go on to give birth to an Ephraim. To remember how God has abundantly blessed us. Talk about a positive, affirming name: "God has made me fruitful." But it doesn't stop there. With the plural ending, this word conveys the idea of double benefit—multiple blessings. It's what we would call "superabundance." And it was God who did it all.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 19, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "The Waiting Period" Genesis 41:41-46 New International Version 41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, [a] and people shouted before him, “Make way[b]!” Thus, he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. 44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word, no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.” 45 Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, [c] to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt. 46 Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and travelled throughout Egypt. Joseph has been appointed, chosen, selected, prepared, and refined into gold by Almighty God. That's how he has come to wear the ring. That's how he has come to get the robe, the necklace, and the chariot. That's why others are saying, "Bow the knee." Joseph himself isn't saying that; others are. During the waiting period, trust God without panic. Count on Him to handle the cupbearers of your life, the people who forget you, the people who break their promises. It's God's job to deal with the cupbearers of your past. It's your job to be the kind of servant He has designed you to be. Be faithful during the waiting periods of life. God will not forget you or forsake you.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 18, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "The Promise of Morning Light"  Genesis 41:41–42 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the entire land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh removed his signet ring from his hand and placed it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in fine linen clothing and hung a gold chain around his neck.     When the reward comes, thank God without pride. Only God can bring you through and out of the dungeon. Only God can reward you for your faithfulness. If He has, be grateful, not proud. Remember, with humility, that it is God who has put you there. Some of you are on the verge of promotion, and you don't even know is because God doesn't announce His appointments in advance. What you have to do while you wait is to believe His promises. While in the darkness of your dungeon, by faith, trust him to bring the light of a new dawn. In the winter of your discontent, believe there'll be a spring. The God of Joseph will stay beside us during the dungeon days; He will not forsake or forget us. He will be there during the blast of the winter storm, holding out the promise of springtime. He will be there through the darkest night, quietly reminding us of the promise of morning light.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 17, 2023 Daily Devotion: "If God Was In It, God Would Do It” Genesis 41:37–40 Joseph’s suggestions were well received by Pharaoh and his officials. So Pharaoh asked his officials, “Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has revealed the meaning of the dreams to you, clearly no one else is as intelligent or wise as you are. You will be in charge of my court, and all my people will take orders from you. Only I, sitting on my throne, will have a rank higher than yours.” There stood Joseph right before him, meeting all the requirements. But even then, when it seemed appropriate for Joseph to volunteer, he restrained. The king, however, knew Joseph was the man for the job. How many of us have maneuvered or plotted to get our own way, only to live to regret it? One of the most embarrassing memories many people have is the day they got what they schemed and manipulated to acquire—only to see it dissolve right in their hands. That was not the kind of promotion Joseph wanted. If God was in it, God would do it. That's precisely what happened here. God was in it, and God did it. Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God told you all this, there is obviously no one as discerning or as wise as you. Therefore, I'm putting you in command of everything. The only person you answer to—the only person with more authority—is me. You're second in command. You're now my prime minister." Do you know what Pharaoh saw in Joseph? Gold. The word discernment suggests the ability to have shrewd insight into a situation and act constructively in times of need. Joseph was a man who could do this and much, much more. He understood how to assess a situation and make the right decisions, even under pressure. He understood this because it was through pressure that he had been refined into gold.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 16, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Benefits of Enduring Affliction"  Genesis 41:15–16 "Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'I have had a dream, but no one can interpret it; and I have heard it said about you, that when you hear a dream, you can interpret it.' Joseph then answered Pharaoh, saying, 'It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favourable answer'" Talk about humility. Talk about absolute integrity This was Joseph's moment in court, his golden opportunity to say, "Do you realize that I could have been out of that place two years ago if that dummy standing right over there hadn't forgotten me?" But there was none of that. Do you know why Joseph could be so humble and speak so openly? Because his heart had been broken. Because he had been tried by the fire of affliction. While his external circumstances seemed almost unbearable during those years, his internal condition had been turned into pure gold. We are now witnessing the benefits of enduring affliction with one's eyes on God.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 15, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Shaped for a Significant Future"   Genesis 37:18-20 New International Version 18 But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. 19 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to each other. 20 “Come now, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. Then we’ll see what comes of his dreams.”   The process of discovering, processing, purifying, and shaping gold is a lengthy, painstaking process. Affliction is gold in the making for the child of God, and God is the one who determines how long the process takes. He alone is the Refiner. This is where Joseph was when we left him. He is still in process. His gold is still being refined. His heart is still being broken by affliction and abandonment. On the other hand, it only seems like nothing is happening. In reality, a whole lot is happening. Events are occurring apart from our involvement. Furthermore, we are being strengthened. We are being established. We are being perfected. We are being refined into pure gold. Joseph is being shaped for greatness. All whom God uses greatly are first hidden in the secret of His presence, away from the pride of man. It is there our vision clears. It is there the silt drops from the current of our life and our faith begins to grasp His arm. Abraham waited for the birth of Isaac. Moses didn't lead the Exodus until he was eighty. Elijah waited beside the brook. Noah waited 120 years for rain. Paul was hidden away for three years in Arabia. The list doesn't end. God is working while His people are waiting, waiting, waiting. Joseph is being shaped for a significant future.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 14, 2023 Daily Devotion:  "God May Be silent, But He Has Not Forgotten You" Genesis 40:23–41:1 Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer, however, forgot all about Joseph, never giving him another thought. Two full years later, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing on the bank of the Nile River. When Joseph saw the cupbearer taken from the prison, he must have thought, Now's my chance! This guy has Pharaoh's ear. He'll get me out of here. We don't know whether Joseph knew what happened to these men, but when their release came within the predicted time, he must have figured that, with God's help, he had given the correct interpretation of the dreams. So he waited hopefully for his opportunity to be released and set free. God has not abandoned you. He may be silent, but He has not forgotten you. He never left. He understands the heartache brought on by the evil, which He mysteriously permits so that He might bring you to a tender, sensitive walk with Him. God is good, Jesus Christ is real—your present circumstances.       --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 13, 2023 Daily Devotion: "From Goodness to Greatness" Genesis 40:20-23 New International Version 20 Now the third day was Pharaoh’s birthday, and he gave a feast for all his officials. He lifted up the heads of the chief cupbearer and the chief baker in the presence of his officials: 21 He restored the chief cupbearer to his position, so that he once again put the cup into Pharaoh’s hand— 22 but he impaled the chief baker, just as Joseph had said to them in his interpretation. 23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him. Pain, when properly handled, can shape a life for greatness. History is replete with stories of those whose struggles and scars formed the foundation for remarkable achievements. In fact, it was because of their hardship that they gained what they needed to achieve greatness. For the most part, Joseph's experiences thus far have been sombre. He may have been born a favoured son, but his life was filled with disappointment, mistreatment, and rejection, with fear and false accusations, with slavery and abandonment. We left Joseph alone in prison as we ended the previous chapter. Now, after a gap of two full years, we pick up his story again. Remember, when we left him, he had told the cupbearer two years earlier, "Now that I've told you the meaning of your dream, don't forget me. Keep me in mind when things go well with you and when you get promoted. Please do me the kindness of mentioning me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this place. Remember me." But the cupbearer failed to remember or mention Joseph. Only three days after Joseph said this, the man was released and restored to his former position as chief cupbearer to Pharaoh. He promptly forgot all about his days in the dungeon, as well as his cell mate, Joseph.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 12, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Sunshine Days" Genesis 40:6-8 When Joseph saw them the next morning, he noticed that they both looked upset. “Why do you look so worried today?” he asked them. And they replied, “We both had dreams last night, but no one can tell us what they mean.” “Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied. “Go ahead and tell me" When your heart is right, even though the bottom may have dropped out of your life, it is remarkable how sensitive you can be to somebody else in need. They don't even have to spell it out. Rather than saying, "You think you've got a lot to complain about, listen to my tale of woe!" Joseph said, "How come you're so sad today, guys? What's wrong?" I admit it may be stating the obvious to ask this in a dungeon, but it shows Joseph's ability to think beyond his own immediate care and needs in order to minister mercy to others. One of the beautiful things about the right attitude is that, with it, every day has sunshine. You don't have to have cloudless days for there to be sunshine days. Actually, it's rather amazing that Joseph would want to have anything to do with dreams. The last time he did that, remember what happened? He told his brothers about his dream, and it was? He wound up in an Egyptian slave market. That's what a positive attitude will do. It gets you beyond common hurdles. It will clear the deck. It will free you from hang-ups. It will show you an opportunity for ministry you never would have touched with a ten-foot pole. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 11, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Cupbearer" Genesis 40:1–3 Some time later, Pharaoh’s chief cup-bearer and chief baker offended their royal master. Pharaoh became angry with these two officials, and he put them in the prison where Joseph was, in the palace of the captain of the guard. Isn't it remarkable how often God brings alongside us people who are going through like Joseph or have gone through, similar experiences? Isn't it amazing, when we are hurting, God brings alongside us others who understand our pain? That is certainly true here. Joseph and these two men may have ended up in prison for different reasons, but they found themselves in the same place, sharing similar miseries. And out of his own painful experience, Joseph was able to minister to them.       --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 10, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "Stand Firm"  Genesis 39:21–23 But the LORD was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love. And the LORD made Joseph a favorite with the prison warden. Before long, the warden put Joseph in charge of all the other prisoners and over everything that happened in the prison. The warden had no more worries, because Joseph took care of everything. The LORD was with him and caused everything he did to succeed.   False accusations put Joseph in prison, but it was the Lord who stayed near him and nurtured his soul while he was there. As a result, Joseph found favor even in the eyes of the chief jailer—what we might call the prison warden—to the point where the man trusted Joseph to supervise all the other prisoners. The warden trusted and respected Joseph so much that he "did not supervise anything under Joseph's charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper." You see, the Lord God remained first in Joseph's life; He was the focus of his life. The lens of God's will stood between Joseph and his circumstances, enabling Joseph to see God in them, to read God in them—and enabling God to use him in them. When a dungeon experience comes, the quickest and easiest response is to feel that you've been forgotten by God. I don't know if you read the cartoon "Ziggy," but I enjoy him—maybe because he often says the very things I've been thinking! One of my favorites shows Ziggy, with his big nose and bald head, standing on a mountain and staring far above him. The sky is dark, and there is one lonely cloud up there. Ziggy yells, "Have I been put on hold for the rest of my life?" You've felt like that, haven't you? "Lord, will You ever answer?" How often the heavens seem more like cold brass than God's loving abode. We cry out, but nothing comes in return. Make no mistake about it, Joseph didn't deserve jail, but he responded to it beautifully. That's the marvel of the story. First and foremost in his life was his vital and consistent relationship with his Lord. And because of that, God used him in strategic and significant ways.       --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 09, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "Fullness of God's Promises"  “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7 Living by faith is the key that unlocks the door to the fullness of God’s promises. There is no doubt that God will always be faithful to his promises. Scripture is clear in 2 Timothy 2:13 that “if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.” Faithfulness is within God’s nature. But, without faith we will not experience the fullness of what is available to us in God’s promises. God does not force emotion on us. He does not force us to receive the joy and peace that comes through trusting him. He does not force us into the fullness of relationship available to us in faith. And he does not force his purposes on us. Faith is the vehicle by which we experience all that God longs to give us. Specifically, faith is the avenue on which we experience the fullness of God’s promises for intimacy with him, purpose in this life, and freedom from sin.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 08, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God's Ranks"  Genesis 39:19-23 New International Version 19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. Whatever your situation, no matter how alluring or pleasurable or momentarily delightful the bait looks, don't linger. Claim the supernatural strength that comes from knowing Jesus Christ and, operating under the control of His power, stand strong in His might. Right now, this very moment, determine to be a Joseph. Make up your mind to join God's ranks—and from this day forward, resist. Otherwise, you will yield. It's only a matter of time.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 07, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "Sudden and Fierce" Genesis 39:10–12 She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house.   The appeal of sensual lust works like a magnet, drawing two "sudden and fierce" forces toward each other—inner desire and an outer bait. Let's face it, you can't escape the bait if you live in the real world. In fact, even if you somehow manage to shut yourself away from the real world, your mind will not let you escape the outer bait. But keep in mind that there is no sin in the bait. The sin is in the bite. When the lust of another tempts you to give in to your own lust, so much so that your resistance weakens, you have been enticed. You have given in to the lure of temptation. The secret of victory is modeled beautifully by Joseph. He refused to weaken. He continued to resist. What a clear image! What a practical spotlight on truth from Joseph's life. What strong biblical counsel. Whenever the New Testament lingers on the subject of sensual temptation, it gives us one command: RUN! It does not tell us to reason with it. It does not tell us to think about it and claim verses. It tells us to FLEE! I have discovered you cannot yield to sensuality if you're running away from it. So? Run for your life! Get out of there! If you try to reason with lust or play around with sensual thoughts, you will finally yield. You can't fight it. That's why the Spirit of God forcefully commands, "Run!"     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 06, 2023 Daily Devotion: “A Message of Hope ..." Genesis 37:18–20 When Joseph’s brothers saw him coming, they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. “Here comes the dreamer!” they said. “Come on, let’s kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, ‘A wild animal has eaten him.’ Then we’ll see what becomes of his dreams!”   No enemy is more subtle than passivity. When parents are passive, they may eventually discipline, but by then the delayed reaction is often carried out in anger. Passivity waits and waits until finally, when it can wait no longer, it comes down with both feet! When that happens, children are not disciplined, they are brutalized. Passivity not only blinds us to the here and now, it makes us inconsistent. No response is more cruel than jealousy. Solomon was right when he said, "Jealousy is cruel as the grave" Jealousy, if allowed to grow and fester, leads to devastating consequences. If you allow jealousy to rage within your family or between your children, you are asking for trouble. At some point, it will manifest itself in detrimental ways. Enough of the negatives. Let's find in all this at least one magnificent lesson of hope: No action is more powerful than prayer. The same can be said for you and me. Prayer brings power to endure. Those who are older are a source of wisdom for young parents and for children and grandchildren. Single men and women also have much to offer, whether within their own extended families or within the family of the church. Broken, hollow lives can find new strength to recover. Joseph, without question, turned his situation over to God, even as the caravan made its way toward Egypt. Surely he knew, even at seventeen, that his only hope would come through God's faithful intervention! Surely he cried out to the One who, alone, was in sovereign control of his future! And so must we!     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 05, 2023 Daily Devotion: "It Keeps Us Alive"  Job 33:4 (NASB) The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me.   Breathing is a miracle we don’t stop to think about very much. We just do it. It keeps us alive. In the same amazing way God has given us as Christians a way to “breathe spiritually” for our spiritual well-being. Spiritual breathing, like physical breathing, is a process of exhaling the impure and inhaling the pure. It can become a way of life. But the average Christian does not understand this concept and as a result lives on a spiritual roller coaster, controlling his or her own, life resulting in frustration. On our own we may at times have a fresh start in life only to lose it again – negative thoughts, angry words, slammed doors.       --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 04, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Great Awakening" Romans 6:14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.   There is a "grace awakening" loose in the land. Will you become a part of it? While you take your turn with the sledgehammer and pound away, a host of us are standing near, and some of us may be half a world away, cheering you on. Don't think of it as a lonesome, isolated task. You are breaking through to freedom, and no one is more delighted than the Lord Jesus Christ, who has promised you His grace. Never forget His words: "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." Stay at it. By the grace of Almighty God, the new movement will someday sweep across every continent and the longstanding wall that has kept people in bondage for centuries will come tumbling down. And we shall all, at last, be free indeed.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 03, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Magnetic Effects of Giving"  1 Corinthians 9:7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully."   Try to consider the magnetic effects of gracious giving, four qualities immediately emerge. First, grace is so attractive: Grace individualizes the gift. When you give from your heart you give individually. You give proportionately to your own income. You have needs and you have an income to meet those needs. That combination is unlike anyone else's on earth. You are an individual. When you give on that basis, your gift is an individual kind of gift. We are not all shoved into a tank, blended together, then "required" to give exactly 10 percent. (Though if everyone gave 10 percent, we would have such an enormous surplus in God's work we would not know what to do with the extra . . . but I'm sure we'd quickly find out.) It is much more individualized than that. Grace, remember, brings variety and spontaneity.       --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 02, 2023 Daily Devotion:  "Accept and Go..."  Genesis 12:1 New International Version   12 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.   Perhaps you have heard the living God of glory say to you, You must no longer depend upon what you have been depending on—the opinions, the attitudes, the philosophy in which you have been reared. These are wrong. They are based upon the lies of Satan, and you must not live on this basis any longer. You must learn to accept the truth reflected in the Word of God, though it cuts right across the philosophy of this world. You must, above all, leave your father's house, which is dependence upon yourself.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

June 01, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Redeemed" Psalm 103:12 New International Version 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. You may be surprised to know that the apostle Paul had every reason to feel ashamed. He was one whose past was dreadful: "formerly a blasphemer . . . persecutor . . . violent aggressor." Then how could the same man write, "I am not ashamed" (2 Timothy 1:12)? He gives us the answer here in 1 Timothy 1:14: Grace was more than abundant. Blasphemy had abounded in his past, but grace super abounded. Violence and brutality had abounded, but grace super abounded.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 31, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God is Working" Philippians 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.   Want a boost of encouragement? Our God is working toward that end in all of His children. It is His constant pursuit, His daily agenda, as He points us toward our final destination, "the Celestial City," as Bunyan calls it. Having cleansed our hearts of the debris of inward corruptions and the dust of sin's domination, God is now daily at work awakening grace within us, perfecting our character and bringing it to completion.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 30, 2023 Daily Devotion: "When Faith is Exercised" 1 John 5:10 New International Version 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son Is not God more dependable than people? If you will take the word of a stranger and act on it, can you not believe the Word of God, especially when He has caused the testimony to be written down by the eyewitnesses of these events? In addition, when faith is exercised on the basis of that objective testimony, a confirmation of the Spirit is given within that makes it wholly believable. Can you not exercise faith on that basis? John says, If you refuse to do that, then you are treating God as though He were a liar.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 29, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Issues and Various Viewpoints" 1 Corinthians 12:12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. In every disagreement, there are the same two ingredients: an issue and various viewpoints. The issue is usually objective and involves principles. The viewpoints are subjective and involve personalities. And therein lies the sum and substance of a clash, which could be defined as a disagreement over an issue because of opposing points of view. I will be candid with you: Every time we have those two basic ingredients in the midst of a disagreement, keep calm and think clearly. When we have forgotten them, almost without exception, I have failed to negotiate my way through the clash with wisdom. Furthermore, we have regretted something we said in the heat of verbal exchange. Those two simple ingredients have never failed to help keep cool. Why? The next fact will explain.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 28, 2023 Daily Devotion: “When God Forgives … He Forgets" 1 Corinthians 12:12 New International Version 12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. When God forgives, He forgets the transgression and removes it as far as east is from west. Perhaps you have heard of the man who loved the Lord, but he couldn't seem to conquer a particular sin. Time and again through the week he would come before the Lord and confess the same transgression. In all sincerity, he would tell God how much he hated what he had done and how grateful he was for God's grace in forgiving him. Wouldn't you know it, by Saturday of that same struggling week he was back on his knees: "Here I come again, Lord, with the same sin . . . asking Your forgiveness and claiming Your cleansing." To his surprise, he heard God's audible answer: "What sin?"     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 27, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Truth Will Set Us Free..." John 14:6 New International Version 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Did you know there is a difference between knowledge and truth? For example, knowledge will double and triple, but genuine truth does not. In school, there is a lot of study of the facts, but there’s a difference between facts and truth. Facts are like a recipe; truth is like a meal. Digest a truth, and it will change your life. God wants us to have truth. Why did God give us the Bible? Jesus said in John 17:17, “Your word is truth.” Why did God send us the Holy Spirit? He’s called in the Bible “the Spirit of truth” (see John 16:13). Why did the Messiah come? He said, “I am . . . the truth” (John 14:6). Why do we have the Church? It is the pillar and the ground of truth. What is the greatest desire for every Christian parent? To echo the words of the Apostle John, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 John 1:4). It’s truth that we need today. Truth is to your spirit what food is to your body, what light is to your eyes, and what sound is to your ears. You only have one short life to live, and in this life you ought to make it your desire, your aim, your burning ambition, to discover, to know, and to practice truth. To know truth is to know God, and to know God is to know truth.       --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 26,2023 Daily Devotion: "All for God's Glory..." Colossians 3:17 New International Version 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Refusing to dictate to others allows the Lord freedom to direct their lives. I especially appreciate the statement at the end of verse 5: "Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind." Give people room to make up their minds. Do you have a few new converts who are a part of your life and ministry? Do you want to help them grow toward maturity?  Let them grow up differently. Let them learn at their own pace, just like you had to learn, including failures and mistakes. If you really want grace to awaken, be easier on them than others were on you. Don't make up their minds—let them! Don't step in and push your weight around—give them plenty of space. Whatever you do, don't control and manipulate them to get what you want. Be an accepting model of grace. Refuse all temptations to be a brother hasher or sister smasher. We already have too many of them roaming around the religious landscape. And nothing catches the attention of the unsaved world quicker than those times when we Christians beat up on one another.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 25, 2023 Daily Devotion:  "Restless and Save"  Romans 5:6-8 New International Version 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Do you add to others' guilt or do you lessen it? Are you the type who promotes another's liberty or restrains it? Both questions have to do with attitude, don't they? We do what we do with others because of the way we think. Our attitude, therefore, is crucial. It is also at our mercy. We have full control of which attitude we shall have: charming and gracious or restrictive and rigid. Liberty or legalism will be the result. Depending on our attitude, we are grace givers or grace killers. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 24, 2023 Daily Devotion:  "Upon the Cross of Calvary"  Romans 5:6-8 New International Version 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person, someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. In Christ, we are one. As we come in sight of Calvary, and view the royal Sufferer who in humanity’s nature bore the curse of the law in their behalf, all national distinctions, all sectarian differences are obliterated; all honor of rank, all pride of caste is lost. The light shining from the throne of God upon the cross of Calvary forever puts an end to human-made separations between class and race. People of every class become members of one family, children of the heavenly King, not through earthly power, but through the love of God who gave Jesus to a life of poverty, affliction, and humiliation, to a death of shame and agony, that He might bring many sons and daughters unto glory.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 23, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Believe and Receive" Mark 11:24 New International Version 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. There are many who live under such a pressure of worry that they taste but little of the sweetness of God’s love. They do not know the meaning of the words, “That My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” Let us do our best, and then leave everything in the hands of the Lord, saying, I believe Thy promises. Wilt Thou not give evidence of Thy working? He will hear and answer. “All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” These words are the pledge that all that an omnipotent Saviour can bestow will be given to those who trust in Him. As stewards of the grace of heaven, we are to ask in faith, and then wait trustingly for the salvation of God. We are not to step in before Him, trying in our own strength to bring about that which we desire. In His name we are to ask, and then we are to act as if we trusted His efficiency.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 22, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Pride Goes Before Destruction” Proverbs 16:18 (TLB) Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall. David, king of ancient Israel, found himself in the midst of a confused national situation. His kingdom was torn by internal strife. Slave hated master; master hated slave. People blamed the government, and the government blamed the people. David looked about him and saw that every man thought himself perfect. Each individual placed blame upon other individuals. David knew that if sinful pride continued to increase, his nation would collapse spiritually. He knew that economic depression, moral disintegration, or military defeat inevitably followed spiritual decline. So David turned to God, and it was revealed to him by the Spirit of God that the spiritual tide of his nation could rise no higher than the spiritual level of his own heart. So he fell on his knees in utter humility and prayed.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 21,2023 Daily Devotion: "God's Prescription..." 2 Kings 20:1 Set thy house in order . . . Man condemns himself by his refusal of God’s way of salvation. In love and mercy, God is offering to men and women a way of escape, a way of salvation, a hope, and anticipation of better things. Man, in his blindness, stupidity, stubbornness, egotism, and love of sinful pleasure, refuses God’s simple method of escaping the pangs of eternal banishment. Suppose you were sick and called a doctor who came and gave you a prescription. But after thinking it over, you decided to ignore his advice and to refuse the medicine. When he returned a few days later, he might have found your condition much worse. Could you blame the doctor? Could you hold him responsible? He gave you the prescription, and he prescribed the remedy. But you refused it! Just so, God prescribes the remedy for the ills of the human race. That remedy is personal faith in and commitment to Jesus Christ. The remedy is to be “born again.” If we deliberately refuse it, then we must suffer the consequence; and we can not blame God. Is it God’s fault that we refuse the remedy?     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 20, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God is Doing His Job..." John 8:32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Some may be asking: Doesn't liberty have its limits? Shouldn't folks restrain their freedom and occasionally hold themselves in check? Yes, without question. Grace can be and sometimes is—abused. By that exercising one's liberty without wisdom, having no concern over whether it offends or wounds a young and impressionable fellow believer. But hasten to add that We believe such restraint is an individual matter. It is not to be legislated, not something to be forced on someone else. Limitations are appropriate and necessary, but I fail to find in Scripture anyplace where one is to require such restraint from another. To do so is legalism. It plugs up breathing holes. It kills grace. The best restraint is self-restraint that comes from the inner prompting of the Holy Spirit through the person and presence of Jesus Christ in each individual life. It's been observation over the years that the vast majority of believers need to be freed, not restrained. Our job is to free people; God's job is to restrain them. God is doing His job much better than we are doing ours.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 19, 2023 Daily Devotion: "He Lives in Me, and I Live in Him" Romans 6:11 New International Version 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. In order for us to live free from sin's control, free from the old master, with the power to walk a new kind of life, we have to know something, we have to consider something, and we have to present something. Christ died for us on the cross. He was raised from the dead for us at the tomb. When we believed in the Saviour's death and resurrection, we were "dipped" into the same scene. Our identity was changed. We didn't feel it, we didn't see it, we didn't hear it, but it occurred, nevertheless. When we came to Christ, we were placed into Him as His death became ours, His victorious resurrection became ours, His "awakening" to new life became our "awakening," His powerful walk became our powerful walk. Before we can experience the benefits of all that, we have to know it. The Christian life is not stumbling along, hoping to keep up with the Saviour. He lives in me, and I live in Him. In this identification with Him, His power becomes ours. His very life becomes our life, guaranteeing that His victory over sin is ours to claim. We no longer need to live as a slave to sin.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

MAY 18, 2023 DAILY DEVOTION: "Stop Seeking the Favor of Everybody" Galatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery." Stand your ground. Ask the Lord to give you courage. Stop seeking the favor of everyone. This may be a stubborn habit to break, but it is really worth all the effort you can muster. If you're in a group where you feel you are being coerced to do certain things that are against your conscience or you're being pressured to stop doing things that you see no problem with, get out of the group! You're unwise to stay in situations where your conscience tells you it is not right. That is nothing more than serving men, not God. I don't care how spiritual sounding it may be. Stop seeking the favor of everybody.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 16, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God Brings a Freedom" (Romans 7:24-25) Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Grace brings a freedom to do something else—a freedom to enjoy the rights and the privileges of being out from under slavery and allowing others such freedom. It's freedom to experience and enjoy a new kind of power that only Christ could bring. It is a freedom to become all that He meant me to be, regardless of how He leads others. I can be me—fully and freely. It is a freedom to know Him in an independent and personal way. And that freedom is then released to others so they can be who they are meant to be—different from me!       --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 15, 2023 Daily Devotion: "LIBERTY " Romans 7:24-25 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Liberty is freedom from slavery or bondage. It is initially freedom from sin's power and guilt. Freedom from God's wrath. Freedom from satanic and demonic authority. And equally important, it is freedom from shame that could easily bind me, as well as freedom from the tyranny of others' opinions, obligations, and expectations. Such freedom is motivated—motivated by unconditional love. When the grace of Christ is fully awake in your life, you find you're no longer doing something due to fear or out of shame or because of guilt, but you're doing it through love. The dreadful tyranny of performing in order to please someone is over . . . forever.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 14,2023 Daily Devotion: "Freeing Others from Bondage" 1 Corinthians 15:10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. God does what He does by His grace. Paul's first claim for being allowed to live, to say nothing of being used as a spokesman and leader, was "by the grace of God." Paul deserved the severest kind of judgment, but God gave the man His grace instead. Humanly speaking, Paul should have been made to endure incredible suffering for all the pain and heartache he had caused others. But he didn't, because God exhibited His grace. In our day of high-powered self-achievement and an overemphasis on the importance of personal accomplishments and building one's own ego-centered kingdom, this idea of giving grace the credit is a much-needed message. How many people who reach the pinnacle of their career? How many athletes would say that kind of thing at a banquet in his or her honor? What a shocker it would be today if someone were to say, "Don't be impressed at all with me. My only claim to fame is the undeserved grace of God." Jesus spoke of an abundant life that we enter into when we claim the freedom He provides by His grace. Wouldn't it be wonderful if people cooperated with His game plan? There is nothing to be compared to grace when it comes to freeing others from bondage.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 13, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "The Universal Good News of Salvation" Romans 14:22 You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. Grace is God's universal good news of salvation. The tragedy is that some continue to live lives in a deathlike bog because they have been so turned off by a message that is full of restrictions, demands, negativism, and legalism. You may have been one of those held in bondage, victimized by a system that has stolen your joy and snuffed out your hope. If so, I have some wonderful news. You've gotten very close to the border. There's a flag flying. And on that flag is a cross. And if you come into this camp of grace beneath the cross, you'll never have to be in that awful bog again.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 12, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "Free from Slavery" 1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Because of grace we have been freed from sin, from its slavery, its bondage in our attitude, in our urges, and in our actions. But having been freed and now living by grace, we can actually go too far, set aside all self-control, and take our liberty to such an extreme that we again serve sin. But that isn't liberty at all, that's license. And knowing of that possibility, many opt for legalism lest they be tempted to live irresponsibly. Bad choice. How much better to have such an awesome respect for the Lord we voluntarily hold back as we apply self-control.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 11, 2023 Daily Devotion: “FREE" John 8:30–32 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, 'If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" He spoke of the liberating power of the truth. Even though the official grace killers rejected His message, He assured them it could make them free. All who embrace grace become "free indeed." Free from what? Free from oneself. Free from guilt and shame. Free from the damnable impulses I couldn't stop when I was in bondage to sin. Free from the tyranny of others' opinions, expectations, demands. And free to what? Free to obey. Free to love. Free to forgive others as well as myself. Free to allow others to be who they are—different from me! Free to live beyond the limitations of human effort. Free to serve and glorify Christ. In no uncertain terms, Jesus Christ assured His own that His truth was able to liberate them from every needless restriction: "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:36). I love that. The possibilities are unlimited.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 10,2023  Daily Devotion:  "Unfaithfulness Would Bring Judgment"  Jeremiah 7:23 Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.   Living in a day when judging is a bad word, how do we reconcile the love of God and the justice of God? Isn’t God being harsh, overbearing, and tyrannical? How can we love a god who behaves this way? In response to those concerns, it is important for us to remember that God warned Israel of the consequences of disobedience again and again. He wanted them to avoid sin. After he finished building the Temple, the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time (vv. 1–2). Solomon was not surprised when God warned him to stay the course, to follow the path, and to remain faithful to the covenant (vv. 4–5). He warned Solomon of punishment if the king or the people disobeyed. “I will cut off Israel from the land” (v. 7). “This Temple will become a heap of rubble” (v. God wasn’t telling Solomon anything he didn’t already know. Again and again, God warned Israel not to sin and gave them clear instructions on what’s righteous and what’s sinful behavior. Israel’s God was never random, unpredictable, or given to changing the rules on a whim. The covenant He made with His people at Mt. Sinai clearly laid out the blessings and curses that awaited the people based on their behavior. These rules were not directed at making them God’s people. They already were His people. Rather, these were aimed at enticing them to enjoy fellowship with God! If they were faithful, they would enjoy His blessing. Unfaithfulness would bring judgment. We may not always experience the consequences that our choices deserve. When this happens, it isn’t a sign that God endorses our actions but a sign that He gives space to repent (Rom. 2:4).   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 09, 2023   Daily Devotion:  "Justified and Redeemed" Romans 5:1  "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." In order for anyone to stand securely and be at peace before a holy and just God, that person must be righteous. Hence, our need for justification. Remember the definition of justification? It is the sovereign act of God whereby He declares righteous the believing sinner while still in his sinning state. It doesn't mean that the believing sinner stops sinning. It doesn't even mean that the believing sinner is made righteous in the sense of suddenly becoming perpetually perfect. The sinner is declared righteous. God sovereignly bestows the gift of eternal life on the sinner at the moment he believes and thereby declares him righteous while the sinner still lives a life marked by periodic sinfulness. He hasn't joined a church. He hasn't started paying tithes. He hasn't given up all to follow Christ. He hasn't been baptized. He hasn't promised to live a sacrificial, spotlessly pure life. He has simply taken the gift of eternal life. He has changed his mind toward Christ (repentance) and accepted the free gift of God apart from works. Period. Transaction completed. By grace, through faith alone, God declares the sinner righteous (justification), and from that moment on the justified sinner begins a process of growth toward maturity (sanctification). Day by day, bit by bit, he learns what it means to live a life that honors Christ. But immediately? No way.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 08, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "Made Us Alive Together" Ephesians 2:1–9 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Pay close attention to ten single-syllable words, "by grace through faith . . . it is the gift of God." One of my greatest anticipations is some glorious day being in a place where there will be no boasting, no name-dropping, no selfishness. Guess where it will be? Heaven. There will be no spiritual-sounding testimonies that call attention to somebody's super-colossal achievements. None of that! Everybody will have written across his or her life the word "Grace."   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 07, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Gift" 2 Timothy 1:9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. With God the economy is altogether different. There is no wage relationship with God. Spiritually speaking, you and I haven't earned anything but death. Like it or not, we are absolutely bankrupt, without eternal hope, without spiritual merit; we have nothing in ourselves that gives us favor in the eyes of our holy and righteous heavenly Father. So there's nothing we can earn that would cause Him to raise His eyebrows and say, "Now maybe you deserve eternal life with Me." No way. In fact, the individual whose track record is morally pure has no better chance at earning God's favor than the individual who has made a wreck and waste of his life and is currently living in unrestrained disobedience. Everyone who hopes to be eternally justified must come to God the same way: on the basis of grace; it is a gift. And that gift comes to us absolutely free.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 06, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Step Toward Maturity" Proverbs 3:34 NKJV Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble. We should not limit grace to Christ. We, too, can learn to be just as gracious as He. And since we can, we must, not only in our words and in great acts of compassion and understanding but in small ways as well. Let me describe four practical expectations you can anticipate as you get a firm grasp on grace. You can expect to gain a greater appreciation for God's gifts to you and others. What gifts? Several come to mind. The free gift of salvation. The gift of life. The gift of laughter, of music, of beauty, of friendship, of forgiveness. Those who claim the freedom God offers gain an appreciation for the gifts that come with life. Spend less time and energy critical of and concerned about others' choices. Wouldn't that be a refreshing relief? When you get a grasp on grace—when you begin to operate in a context of freedom—you become increasingly less petty. You will allow others room to make their own decisions in life, even though you may choose otherwise. Externals will not mean as much to you. You'll begin to cultivate a desire for authentic faith rather than endure a religion based on superficial performance. You will find yourself so involved in your own pursuit of grace, you'll no longer lay guilt trips on those with whom you disagree. Take a giant step toward maturity. As your world expands, thanks to an awakening of your understanding of grace, your maturity will enlarge. Before your very eyes, new vistas will open. It will be so transforming; you will never be the same.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 05, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Only One On Earth Who Had Unlimited Power, Jesus Christ... " Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right. When Jesus told stories, grace was a favorite theme. He employed a gracious style in handling children. He spoke of the prodigal son in grace. As He told stories of people who were caught in helpless situations, grace abounded . . . as with the good Samaritan. And instead of extolling the religious official who spoke of how proud God must be to have him in His family, Christ smiled with favor on the unnamed sinner who said, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." Even from the cross He refused to be angry toward His enemies. Remember His prayer? "Father, forgive them . . . " No resentment, no bitterness. Amazing, this grace! Remarkable, the freedom and release it brought. And it came in full force from the only One on earth who had unlimited power, Jesus Christ...   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 04, 2023 Daily Devotion "Redemption Through His Blood” Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace. Candidly, know of nothing that has the power to change us from within like the freedom that comes through grace. It's so amazing it will change not only our hearts but also our faces. And goodness knows, some of us are overdue for a face change! Were you reared by parents whose faces said "No"? Or are you married to someone with a "No" face? If that is true, you envy those who had "Yes"- face parents or are married to "Yes"- face mates. All of us are drawn to those whose faces invite us in and urge us on.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 03, 2023 Daily Devotion: "GRACE" Galatians 6:1 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. This day—this very moment—millions are living their lives in shame, fear, and intimidation who should be free, productive individuals. The tragedy is they think it is the way they should be. They have never known the truth that could set them free. They are victimized, existing as if living on death row instead of enjoying the beauty and fresh air of the abundant life Christ modeled and made possible for all of His followers to claim. Unfortunately, most don't have a clue as to what they are missing. Grace received but unexpressed is dead grace. To spend one's time debating how grace is received or how much commitment is necessary for salvation, without getting into what it means to live by grace and enjoy the magnificent freedom it provides, quickly leads to a counterproductive argument. It becomes little more than another tedious trivial pursuit where the majority of God's people spend days looking back and asking, "How did we receive it?" instead of looking ahead and announcing, "Grace is ours . . . let's live it!" Deny it or debate it and we kill it. My plea is that we claim it and allow it to set us free. When we do, grace will become what it was meant to be—really amazing! When that happens, our whole countenance changes.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 02, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God Has PreparedEverything"  Hebrews 11:16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them" Like silent shadows, the heroes of the faith pass beside us, pointing us toward the upward way, whispering words of courage. The memory of all those models of righteousness now gone from view puts needed steel in our spirit, prompting us to press forward, always forward. The legacy of their powerful presence and penetrating pages adds depth to our otherwise superficial existence. Because their convictions live on in words that challenge today's shallow thinking, we do not—we dare not—remain the same. I would challenge you to do some further reading about these heroes of the faith. Their lives and their words are there for our edification."   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

May 01, 2023 Daily Devotion: “In Times for Difficulties” Job 42:1–6 Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do anything, and no one can stop you. You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’ It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me. You said, ‘Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.’ I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes. I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.” Look at your own life and your own dealings with the Lord. Think about your past . . . those times of adversity in your own life. Where you able to look up, look ahead, and look within? Where are you now in your journey of faith? If you are climbing ragged rocks of adversity, take His hand and let Him lead you through. In the midst of it all, it is His touch which comforts and guides you.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 30,2023 Daily Devotion: "All of Us Are Sinners" Romans 3:23–24 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. If you question your depravity, check your attitude toward intrusions. Having a French origin, "intrude" emerges from two terms to our world without permission, without an invitation, and refuses to be ignored.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 29, 2023 Daily Devotion: "GREAT HONOR TO THOSE WHO ENDURE UNDER SUFFERING" James 5:11 We give great honor to those who endure under suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy. The nation to whom the prophet Isaiah wrote was going through the empty motions of a hollow religion. All the right words, all the right appearances, but zero results. They even fasted and prayed. I suppose we could say they looked and sounded orthodox, but they missed God's favor. They observed the external Sabbath, but they lacked the internal Shalom. Why? Don't hurry through the answer (Isa. 58:6–12). It's worth reading aloud, perhaps more than once. Is this not the fast which I choose, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free and break every yoke? Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house; when you see the naked, to cover him; and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth; and your righteousness will go before you; the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry, and He will say, "Here I am." If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday. And the LORD will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail. Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will raise up the age-old foundations; and you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets in which to dwell.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 28,2023 Daily Devotion: "A Lifetime Journey" 2 Corinthians 11:12 New Living Translation 12 But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours. The Christian life isn't an eleven-day race. It's a lifetime journey full of more dangers and pitfalls than a hundred Iditarod. So it's foolish to think we can enter it half-heartedly or sustain it easily. To survive it calls for help from above and toughness from within. We should be capable of conquering the marathon from earth to heaven. A combination of two ingredients is essential: the capacity to accept and the tenacity to endure.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 27, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Be an Effectuator" Deuteronomy 31:6 New International Version 6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Leaders must go beyond analysis to action. One cannot lead without energy, motion, risk. Leaders are pathfinders, road makers, action takers. Cowardice, to put it bluntly, is an ungodly trait. God is not passive in the face of evil, nor is He indecisive. The Psalms are full of powerful lyrics that give us a clear portrait of the Lord God. Never is He portrayed as a mild-mannered, passive Deity, hoping and waiting for things to happen. Always He is aggressively engaged in an all-out war against injustice and inequity. Righteousness and truth are causes to be fought for. If left to fend for themselves, they can't withstand the overpowering hunts of heathenism. In every generation, then, conflict is inevitable. And the ammunition for such conflicts? You guessed it. Heart. Do you have it? Do you take courageous action in the face of wrong? Will you stand alone, if necessary, and embrace a principle, even though it means you lose votes or friends or prestige. . . or whatever? Are you an intellectual analyzer of wrong, a mere advocate of achievement, a person who enjoys discussions of issues to the point of getting bogged down in unproductive semantics . . . or do you translate ideas into action?   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 26, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God Can Still Shine into The Darkest Part of Your Life"  Titus 2:13 New International Version 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, One of the best ways to get rid of discouragement is to remember that Christ is coming again. The most thrilling, glorious truth in all the world is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. When we look around and see pessimism on every side, we should remember the Bible is the only Book in the world that predicts the future. The Bible is more modern than tomorrow morning’s newspaper. The Bible accurately foretells the future, and it says that the consummation of all things shall be the coming again of Jesus Christ to this earth. If your life is dismal, depressed, and gloomy today, Christ can turn those dark clouds inside out. The sunlight of His love can still shine into the darkest part of your life.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 25, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Someone's Pursuit" Colossians 1:3-8 English Standard Version   3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. [a] He is a faithful minister of Christ on your[b] behalf 8 and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. All of us are surrounded by and benefit from the results of someone's quest. Because some cared enough to dream, to pursue, to follow through and complete their quest, our lives are more comfortable, more stable.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 24, 2023 Daily Devotion: "SET FREE…" Ephesians 4:32 New International Version   32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Do you need to be set free? Honestly now, is your next step the need to forgive? Do it. Don't let anything or anyone talk you out of it. After all the misery you have had to endure, why should you have to be the one who humbles yourself and forgives? Christ could have asked the same question at Golgotha. Perhaps He did at Gethsemane. But once He discerned the Father's determination, there was no looking back . . . no turning back.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 23, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Today You Will Be With Me in Paradise” Matthew 6:25 (NIV) Do not worry about your life. . . Some people ask, “Do you think God has time for me? You don’t know how mixed up my life is, how confused it is; the pressures, the tension at home, the business problems, so many things I couldn’t possibly tell you about, including the sins in my life that I somehow cannot seem to give up.” Yes, God has time for you. When Jesus was dying on the cross, He had time for a thief who turned to Him and said, “Lord, remember me.” That’s all the record tells us that the thief said, “Lord, remember me.” But what he was really saying was, “I’m unworthy. I’ve broken all the laws. I deserve hell. Just remember me.” And Jesus turned to him in that moment and said, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 22, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Without God It Is Restless" Mark 8:36,37 (TLB) And how does a man benefit if he gains the whole world and loses his soul in the process? For is anything worth more than his soul? In the world in which we live, we give most attention to satisfying the appetites of the body and practically none to the soul. Consequently, we are one-sided. We become fat physically and materially, while spiritually we are lean, weak and anemic. The soul actually demands as much attention as the body. It demands fellowship and communion with God. It demands worship, quietness, and meditation. Unless the soul is fed and exercised daily, it becomes weak and shriveled. It remains discontented, confused, restless. Others attempt to quiet the longings of their souls in other ways. But nothing but God ever completely satisfies, because the soul was made for God, and without God it is restless and in secret torment.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 21, 2023 Daily Devotion: “For Those Who Have Known God" Jeremiah 4:22 For my people [are] foolish, they have not known me . . .   No man is more pathetic than he who is in great need and is not aware of it. Remember Samson? Standing there in the valley of Sorek, surrounded by the lords of the Philistines, ” … he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.” It has been truly said, “No man is so ignorant as he who knows nothing and knows not that he knows nothing. No man is so sick as he who has a fatal disease and is not aware of it. No man is so poor as he who is destitute, and yet thinks he is rich.” The pitiable thing about the Pharisees was not so much their hypocrisy as it was their utter lack of knowledge of how poor they actually were in the sight of God. There is always something pathetic about a man who thinks he is rich when he is actually poor, who thinks he is good when he is actually vile, who thinks he is educated when he is actually illiterate.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 20,2023 Daily Devotion: “Forgiven" Mark 1:4 And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins John announced this great word: that repentance is the way people come to God, and the result is the forgiveness of sins. The greatest blessing people can experience is to have their sins forgiven. This is what the people who streamed out of Jerusalem to listen to John were looking for, and this is what they found. They found forgiveness of sins, and it came by way of repentance greatest blessing people can experience is to have their sins forgiven. This is what the people who streamed out of Jerusalem to listen to John were looking for, and this is what they found. They found forgiveness of sins, and it came by way of repentance   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 19,2023 Daily Devotion: "Make It Happen" Mark 6:33-34 New International Version 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. Feeling a little overwhelmed? Starting to get the idea that you're surrounded by folks getting giant things done while it's all you can do to make it through the week? Maybe you've fallen into a well of comparison, and you're drowning in discouragement because "compared to ____" you're not making nearly the difference he or she is. To all who feel overwhelmed or who are tempted to take a much too critical look at their lives and feel insignificant . . . take heart! Do what you can!   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 18, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Omniscience” (Isaiah 29:13–16) The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”? But what a different picture comes in view when someone gets up close and in touch! What appeared so placid is really a mixture of winding roads of insecurity and uncertainty . . . maddening gusts of lust, greed, and self-indulgence That's why our Lord means so much to us. He is intimately acquainted with all our ways. Darkness and light are alike to Him. Not one of us is hidden from His sight. All things are open and laid bare before Him: our darkest secret, our deepest shame, our stormy past, our worst thought, our hidden motive, our vilest imagination . . . even our vain attempts to cover the ugly with snow-white beauty. He comes up so close. He sees it all. He knows our frame. He remembers we are dust.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 15, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Stand Steady" 2 Timothy 4:5 (TLB) Stand steady, and don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Bring others to Christ . . .  All the masterpieces of art contain both light and shadow. A happy life is one filled not only with sunshine, but one which uses both light and shadow to produce beauty. The greatest musicians, as a rule, are those who know how to bring song out of sadness. Paul and Silas sang their song of praise at midnight to the accompaniment of the jailer’s whip. But their patience in suffering and persecution led to the heathen warden’s conviction.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 14, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Stop and Think" (Luke 10:30–37) A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went off leaving him half dead . . . . But a certain Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him, and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, "Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you." Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands? And he said, "The one who showed mercy toward him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do the same". People don't want to listen to a recording of some sermon when the bottom drops out. They want a place to cry, a person to care, someone to bind up their wounds, someone to listen, the security of a few close, intimate friends who won't blab their story all over the church—who will do more than say, "I'll pray for you." They want refuge. Stop and think. Who and where is your refuge for bruised believers?   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 13, 2023   Daily Devotion: "God Has a Plan for Us" Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. The longer we walk with the Lord, the more we realize that we really don't know what each new day may bring. God alone knows our future. And there's no safer, no better, no more rewarding place to be than in the nucleus of His will, regardless of where that may be. We are only finite human beings. We can only see the present and the past. The future is a little frightening to us. So we need to hold on to His hand and trust Him to calm our fears. And at those times when we're stubborn and resisting and God shakes us by the shoulders to get our attention, we're reminded that we don't call the shots, God has a plan for us, mysterious though it may seem, and we want to be in the center of it.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 11, 2023 Daily Devotion:   "Follow God's Direction" Exodus 20:9-10 (NIV) Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.   Life on Planet Earth is fast becoming a rat race and a mad scramble to get ahead that is leaving brokenness everywhere. We desperately need a pattern to live by that will enable us to live our lives successfully. Such a pattern already exists; it was set at the dawn of Creation by God Himself. But we are not following the Creator’s directions. Our twenty-four-hour day is based on the earth’s rotation on its axis. Our twelve-month years are based on the revolution of our planet around the sun. But the only basis for the seven-day week that is used worldwide as a pattern for humanity’s lifestyle is the Creator’s example: “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work” (Gen. 2:2, niv). While God’s week included rest on the seventh day, it also involved work for six days straight, giving us a pattern for the discipline of our lives. How close does the pattern of your life follow His?   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 10, 2023 Daily Devotion: "To Walk in the Spirit" Galatians 5:16 (TLB) I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit's instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won't always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to. To walk in the Spirit is a challenging and inspiring exercise, for it combines activity with relaxation. To walk means to place one foot in front of the other. If you stop doing this, you are no longer walking-you are standing still. Walking always implies movement, progress, and direction. Sin shall no longer rule or dominate you when you are allowing the Holy Spirit to live Christ’s life through you. It is living by faith, living by trust, living in dependence upon God. If we look to our own resources, our own strength, or our own ability, as Peter did when he walked on the water, we will fail. You cannot live the Christian life by yourself. The Holy Spirit must live in you and express Himself through you. Living for Christ is a day-by-day experience. It is a continuous dependence upon the Spirit of God. It is believing in His faithfulness.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 8, 2023   Daily Devotion: "Rejoicing in Hope" Romans 12:11-12 New International Version 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer Each generation becomes more addicted to the sedatives of life, to dull the pain of living. Oppressed by a sense of triviality and thwarted purpose, men find no great goal or commitment to draw them, and no inner stimulation to give meaning to their existence. Christ can save you from the bane of boredom. He waits to give you a fresh sense of direction and to take dissatisfaction out of your life.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 07, 2023 Daily Devotion: "A Glorious Exhibition of His Love" Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.    As we stand at the cross of Christ we see a glorious exhibition of His love. Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, “While we were powerless to help ourselves . . . Christ died for sinful men.” In human experience, it is a rare thing for one man to give his life for another, even if the latter be a good man, though there have been a few who have had the courage to do it. Yet the proof of God’s amazing love is this: that it was “while we were sinners Christ died for us.”   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 06, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "The Lamb That Takes Away“  John 1:29 (TLB) Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the world's sin.     At the cross of Christ, sin reached its climax. Its most terrible display took place at Calvary. It was never blacker or more hideous. We see the human heart laid bare and its corruption fully exposed. Some people have said that man has improved since that day, that if Christ came back today, He would not be crucified but would be given a glorious reception. Christ does come to us every day in the form of Bibles that we do not read, in the form of churches that we do not attend, in the form of human need that we pass by. I am convinced that if Christ came back today, He would be crucified more quickly than He was two thousand years ago. Sin never improves. Human nature has not changed.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 05, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "The Existence of God" Psalm 19:1–3 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.   There is a language in nature that speaks of the existence of God. It is the language of order, beauty, perfection, and intelligence. Some time ago a scientist told me that when he gave serious thought to the majestic order of the universe and its obedience to unchanging law, he could not help but believe in God. He had become aware that God was speaking through nature. God speaks in the certainty and regularity of the regular seasons; in the precision of the movements of the sun, the moon, and the stars; in the coming of night and day; in the balance between man’s consumption of life-giving oxygen and its production by the plant life of the earth; and even in the cry of a newborn child with its ever-new dimension.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 04, 2023  Daily Devotion:  "Choose Right"  James 4:1 (NIV) “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?”   Every second of your life, there’s a battle in your brain. There’s a mental battle going on right now! It could be between right and wrong, between what’s easy and what’s hard, or what’s healthy and what’s unhealthy. All your negative emotions—stress, depression, anxiety, loneliness, fear, jealousy—are a mental struggle. All of your internal conflicts start in your mind. In fact, so do all of your external conflicts. James 4:1 says, “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” (NIV) That battle going on inside your mind between conflicting desires can continue even when you are sleeping, as you experience restless sleep and bad dreams.  This battle in your brain is constant and intense because your mind is your greatest asset. You are your thoughts, your will, your emotions, your soul. Without your brain, you’re not you. The Bible says in Romans 7:22-23, “I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me . . . that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God’s willing servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin” (TLB). If you follow Jesus, then God’s Spirit is in you. It’s part of your new nature. That means that Satan can’t control your mind, but he can make suggestions. The only influence Satan has in the life of a Christian is that he can put thoughts in your mind. He can get your attention—and that’s a pretty big deal. Why? Because whatever gets your attention gets you. Once he puts a thought in your mind, you have to decide if you’re going to accept or reject his suggestion.  There’s a lot going on in your brain right now, and all of it will eventually show up in your attitude and your actions. Ask God to help you choose right over wrong, healthy over destructive, and his truth over Satan’s lies. He is ready to give you the power you need through the Holy Spirit!   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 03, 2023   Daily Devotion:   “God Knows What Will Get Through To Us" 2 Corinthians 1:3–7 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us. God gave us a time in our life when we are bombarded with a series of unexpected and unfair blows. In our darkest hours, these principles become our anchor of stability, only means of survival. Afflicted, confused, persecuted, and rejected in that situation. God took us through the consequences and kept us from becoming bitter. Here is the first truth to claim when enduring the consequences of suffering: nothing touches me that has not passed through the hands of my heavenly Father. Nothing. Whatever occurs, God has sovereignly surveyed and approved (Job 2:3–6). We may not know why (we may never know why), but we do know our pain is no accident to Him who guides our lives. He is, in no way, surprised by it all. Before it ever touches us, it passes through Him. The second truth to claim is this: everything we endure is designed to prepare us for serving others more effectively. Everything. Because God is committed to shaping us, He knows the ultimate value of this painful experience (2 Corinthians 1:3–7). It is a necessary part of the preparation process. It is being used to empty our hands of our own resources, our own sufficiency, and turn us back to Him—the faithful Provider.  And God knows what will get through to us.     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 02, 2023   Daily Devotion:   "The Rewards" 1 Corinthians 3:10–14 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. Based on 1 Corinthians 3:10–14, I see three facts about our eternal rewards for serving God. Let's review the first two facts I mentioned yesterday, and then I'll complete the list with the third. First, most rewards are received in heaven, not on earth. Second, all rewards are based on quality, not quantity. Third, no reward that is postponed will be forgotten. Make no mistake about it, the Bible clearly teaches that each of us "will receive a reward" (1 Corinthians 3:14). God doesn't settle His accounts at the end of every day. Nor does He close out His books toward the end of everyone's life. No, not then. But be assured, fellow servant, when that day in eternity dawns, when time shall be no more on this earth, no act of serving others be it well known or unknown by others will be forgotten. You don't have to be a courageous soldier in battle or a well-spoken statesman to be remembered. You can be a "nobody" in the eyes of this world, and your faithful God will, someday, reward your every act of servanthood. Rewards may be postponed, but they will not be forgotten forever. Unlike many people today, God keeps His promises.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

April 01, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Honesty from the Heart" Psalm 51:6 (TLB) You deserve honesty from the heart; yes, utter sincerity and truthfulness. Oh, give me this wisdom. March   The Bible teaches that purity of conduct includes truthfulness. The Bible teaches that we should be truthful in our representation of ourselves. With what scorn Christ denounced the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees! In the Sermon on the Mount He rebuked all hypocritical giving, praying, and fasting. We should also be truthful in speaking of our past achievements in our particular vocation. God does not ask us to understate the facts—that might even be untruthfulness—but neither does He want us to overrate our achievements or our gifts, either in thought or in speech. A lie is anything contrary to the naked truth.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 30, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Fragile Clay Jars" 2 Corinthians 4:4–7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is God. Most every calling and occupation carries with it peculiar hazards—some subtle, some obvious.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 29, 2023   Daily Devotion:   "Light Shall Shine Out of Darkness"   2 Corinthians 4:5–7 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves.   We Christians have received a priceless treasure (the glorious gospel) in a very frail and perishable container (our weak bodies). There is a reason. So nobody will have any question about the source of power, it must be of God and not of any human origin. And so—to verify just how frail our humanity is, Paul lists four common struggles servants live with. I'm calling them consequences. Let's see all four in the two verses that follow before we analyze each one in the next few posts. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. (2 Corinthians 4:8–9)   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 28, 2023   Daily Devotion:   "The Gift"   Luke 11:13 (TLB) Realize that your heavenly Father will . . . give the Holy Spirit to those who ask for him.     Before He left His disciples, Christ promised that He would send a Comforter to help them in the trials, cares, and temptations of life. This word comforter means “one that helps alongside.” He is the Holy Spirit, the powerful Third Person of the Trinity. The moment you are born again; He takes up residence in your heart. You may not emotionally feel Him there, but you must exercise faith. Believe it! Accept it as a fact of faith! He is in your heart to help you. We are told that He sheds the love of God abroad in our hearts. He produces the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” We cannot possibly manufacture this fruit in our own strength. It is supernaturally manufactured by the Holy Spirit who lives in our hearts.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 27, 2023   Daily Devotion:   “The Power of The Word"   Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.   Time is running out. The seconds are ticking away toward midnight. The human race is about to take the fatal plunge. Which way shall we turn? Is there any authority left? Is there a path we can follow? Can we find a code book that will give us the key to our dilemmas? Is there any source of authority to which we can turn? Have we just been placed here by some unknown creator or force without any clue as to where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going?   The answer is “no.” We do have a code book. We do have a key. We do have authoritative source material. It is found in the ancient and historic Book we call the Bible.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 26, 2023   Daily Devotion:   "Too Good for This World"   2 Corinthians 11:27–28 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure upon me of concern for all the churches.   Now that's being under pressure. Paul even mentioned the disillusioning times of mistreatment and imprisonment. There certainly must have been times he did not know where to turn—or to whom. Doubt and questions might well have haunted him with maddening regularity. Here was one of those great men, "too good for this world," being pushed around, threatened, and living on the raw edge of constant danger. If you imagine yourself in those many situations and toss in several imprisonments to boot—you can start to feel beaten down and defeated. Your mind plays tricks on you. You wonder where God is, and you occasionally even doubt God. You get disoriented, "mixed up" inside. And on top of all that is the one most common experience all who have been in prison admit—profound loneliness. Mix all that together . . . and you've got the picture.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 25, 2023   Daily Devotion:   "Start Doing What Is Right... "   Psalm 42:11 Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.   Comparing the acts of forgiving and forgetting, I think forgetting is the tougher assignment. Why? Because forgetting is something shared with no other person. It's a solo flight.   All the rewards are postponed until eternity . . . but how great they will be on that day! Forgetting requires us as Christians to think correctly, which means our full focus must be on the Lord and not on people. By God's great grace, it can happen. Let us ask ourselves, Is there someone or something I have refused to forget, which keeps me from being happy and productive? Am I a victim of self-pity, living out my days emotionally paralyzed by anguish and despair? It is never too late to start doing what is right.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 24, 2023   Daily Devotion:   "Broader Than Money "   2 Corinthians 8:2–3 In a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord.   The Christians in the Macedonian churches were servants who gave to the needs of the believers in Jerusalem, giving anonymously, in fact. When Paul wrote of them to the Corinthian church, he also mentioned something else about those Macedonian servant-saints: When they gave, they "overflowed" in the process. They liberally and sacrificially gave "beyond their ability." I love the way Paul wrote that. Their giving dripped with sacrificial generosity. There wasn't a tightwad among them. How refreshing! Now, as we apply this passage to the way true servants give, let's understand that the giving involved is much broader than money.   That's for sure. It includes giving ourselves . . . our time and energy, our care and compassion, even our belongings on occasion. What a need there is for this trait within the ranks of humanity today! And yet, how rare it is!   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 24, 2023   Daily Devotion:   "That Thing Called Pain"   2 Corinthians 11:24–25 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.   Can you imagine being beaten "times without number"? I cannot. Here is the awful reality of physical abuse. Few people will ever know such extreme pain. But if you think the man was pretty much alone in it all, get hold of a copy of Fox's Book of Martyrs or read it online. There is no way to get around it; God's servants often become scapegoats.   This is true emotionally more frequently than physically. Humanity’s twisted depravity, for some reason, likes to express itself in this way. Take the prophet Daniel, for example. Faithful, efficient, honest, dedicated to the maximum, the man served others with a pure heart. But it backfired on him. According to the sixth chapter of the book that bears his name, the very people he worked with turned on him. They set out to prove he lacked integrity. They left no stone unturned.   Can you imagine how that hurt? You are the object of investigation. You hear whisperings about your character. Stories swirl around, calling into question your words, your actions. Every move you make is viewed with suspicion. And yet there is not a shred of truth to it. You have been a model of authenticity, you have devoted yourself to the dual role of helping others and honoring the Lord . . . and this is the thanks you get.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 22, 2023   Daily Devotion:   "God's Anointing Cannot Fail"   1 John 2:27   But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.   This anointing is God’s choice, not ours. But remaining or abiding in Him is our choice. These choices are not equal. Our choice is made in response to His and could only be made because of His. Because of this anointing, we bear a responsibility to obey His commands, an effort that is guaranteed to succeed because of His help. To stay faithful to the truth of the gospel is to abide with God and to walk in the light. Because of this we can stand “confident and unashamed” when Christ return. We have nothing to fear but can look forward to this day with assurance of our salvation. Having been made righteous, following Him who is perfectly righteous, and doing what is right is incontrovertible evidence that we have been truly “born of him.” This confidence is not in ourselves, then, but in God. His anointing cannot fail!   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 21, 2022   Daily Devotion:   "Write Injuries in Dust, Benefits in Marble"   Psalm 103:10 He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.   We say and hear that so much that it's easy to shrug it off as "only natural." That's the problem! It is the most natural response we can expect. Not supernatural. It also can result in tragic consequences.   Refusing to forgive and forget leads to other tragedies, like monuments of spite. How many churches split, then spin off in another direction, fractured, splintered, and blindly opinionated? Whether a personal or public matter, how we respond to those who offend us quickly reveals whether we possess a servant's heart. It isn't enough simply to say, "Well, okay—you're forgiven, but don't expect me to forget it!" That means we have erected a monument of spite in our mind, and that isn't really forgiveness at all.   Servants must be big people. Big enough to go on, remembering the right and forgetting the wrong. Like the age-old saying, "Write injuries in dust, benefits in marble."     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 20, 2023   Daily Devotion:   "The Spirit is God Himself"   Acts 11:12, 15 (NLT) ‘The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry that they were Gentiles. […] As I began to speak,’ Peter continued, ‘the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning.”   When God poured out the Holy Spirit, He changed the nature of His relationship with His people. The Spirit was God Himself. He was available not just to a few prophets but to everyone, including Gentiles. When they heard that the Gentiles had received the Gospel, some were concerned. Many criticized Peter for his actions. But he could only report what the Holy Spirit had said and done.   These disciples began to understand what Jesus had taught about the Spirit. He was like the wind, blowing wherever He pleased. “You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes” (John 3:8 NKJV). They realized that they could not control or limit the Spirit or anticipate what He would do. He was Sovereign God. That same Holy Spirit is available to you right now. You cannot anticipate His work in your life, but He is with you and wants to guide you. You need to be sensitive to His leading and aware of how He guides you day by day. Seek to be sensitive to God’s Spirit. Surrender your life to Him. He can fill you with His fruit. He can give you power. He can protect and guide you and give you His wisdom. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 19, 2023   Daily Devotion:   “Persecution Directs Us to Our Reward”   2 Corinthians 4:8–9 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.   In yesterday's post, we were introduced to four common struggles all servants of God deal with. Really, they're consequences. In 2 Corinthians 4:8–9 we read them: afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, struck down.   The first word, translated "afflicted," comes from a Greek term that suggests the idea of pressure. This is stress brought on by difficult circumstances or by antagonistic people. In other words, when servants are "afflicted," they feel under pressure, harassed, and oppressed. The Greek verb, thlibo, is a strong one, meaning at times "to treat with hostility."   Paul goes on to write there are times when servants of God become "perplexed." Interestingly, the combination of Greek terms that comprise the original word means "without a way." It is a picture of confusion—not knowing where or to whom to turn for help. Included in the meaning of this word would be such perplexing predicaments as being without necessary resources, feeling embarrassed, and in doubt so far as procedure is concerned. We have the phrase "at a loss" which adequately describes that uncertain feeling. There is more.   Originally, the term persecution meant "to run after, pursue." It's the idea of being chased, having others "on our case," we would say. It is an active, aggressive word conveying everything from being intimidated to being assaulted, actually attacked. Servants will suffer persecution. You may recall Paul's words, written to Timothy: "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:12). Persecution is one of those painful consequences, along with affliction and confusion.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 18, 2023   Daily Devotion:   "The Formula of Success"   1 Peter 5:5–7   You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.   These verses address three crucial realms related to true success: authority, attitude, and anxiety. And the best part of all is this: following God's directives will bring the one benefit not found in the world's empty promises—a deep sense of lasting satisfaction. It's what we could call the forgotten side of success. It is the success that will come to those who wish to develop the heart of a servant.   Maybe we should confess that one reason we find it so hard to set selfishness aside and adopt the spirit of a servant is that we're driven by dreams of success. We want to be winners.   Curiously, however, few ever address what most folks want (but seldom find) in their pursuit of success: contentment, fulfillment, satisfaction, and relief. On the contrary, the roads that are supposed to lead to success are not only rocky; they're maddening. As one author said "The trouble with success is that the formula is the same as the one for a nervous breakdown."     --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 17,2023 Daily Devotion: "True Servant Doesn't Keep Score" Ephesians 4: 31-32 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. When wrong has been done against another person, there are only two possibilities of blame. But whether we are responsible for the offense or we are the recipients of it, the first move is always ours. The true servant doesn't keep score. The general principle is set forth in Ephesians 4:31–32, which says: That's a beautiful summation of the whole subject of forgiveness. It describes how to live with a clear conscience and thus be free to serve. And observe the reminder—you forgive others "as God in Christ also has forgiven you." --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 16, 2023 Daily Devotion: "One Thing is Certain" 1 Peter 2:20–24 He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. As you serve people in ministry, you will give, forgive, forget, release your own will, obey God to the maximum, and wash dirty feet with an attitude of gentleness and humility. And after all those beautiful things, you will get ripped off occasionally. Knowing all this ahead of time will help "improve your serve," believe me. The Bible doesn't hide this painful reality from us. In 1 Peter 2:20 we read: "For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. If a person does wrong and then suffers the consequences, even though he or she patiently endures the punishment, nobody applauds. But now get this clearly fixed in your mind when you do what is right and suffer for it with grace and patience, God applauds! Illustration: Jesus Christ's suffering and death on the cross. He was mistreated, hated, maligned, beaten, and finally nailed cruelly to a cross. He suffered awful consequences, even though He spent His life giving and serving. One thing is certain: if people treated a perfect individual that way, then imperfect people cannot expect to escape mistreatment. If mistreatment hasn't happened to you yet, it will. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 15, 2023 Daily Devotion: “Come to Our Senses" 2 Kings 5:1–14 A man named Naaman was a high-ranking Syrian soldier. He was influential, wealthy, proud—a man of dignity, courage, patriotism, and military clout. There was only one problem: the man had leprosy. Through a chain of interesting events, Naaman was led to Elisha for cleansing from his dread disease. It fell to Elisha's servant to be the bearer of news the Syrian officer did not want to hear. As we read in the account, the high-ranking soldier was offended. He became enraged. And look who was caught in the crossfire—the servant. The dear guy didn't generate the news, he just communicated it . . . and boom! The result? Feeling and hearing the verbal blows of disrespect and resentment. Let me stretch this out and apply it. There are times when God's servant is called upon to confront or in some way tell another the truth that the individual does not want to hear. The information may be painful to accept, but it is what God wants said. So the faithful servant says it. Graciously yet accurately. And all of a sudden the lid blows sky high. He is caught in the crossfire. What do you do in such precarious moments? Fight back? Yell and scream and threaten in return? Listen to God's counsel to servants whose job it is to say hard things: The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24–26) What wise counsel! Not quarrelsome, but kind. Not irritated, but patient . . . even when wronged. Not angry, but gentle. God may be using your words to help the hearers "come to their senses," which may sound very noble. But, believe me, there are times it's not a lot to write home about. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 14, 2023 Daily Devotion: "When We Think Correctly” 2 Corinthians 10:3–5 NIV For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Did you catch the reality of divine power? Servants with renewed minds have a perspective on life and a power to live life that is altogether unique—divinely empowered. That explains how wrongs can be forgiven, and how offenses can be forgotten, and how objectives can be pursued day in and day out without our quitting. It's divine power. God promises that He will pour His power into us and supply all we need if we will simply operate under His full control. When we think correctly, we instantly begin to respond correctly. How can we "demolish" those things that once blew us away? With Christ living out His very life through ours, that's how. By His power we can give ourselves away again and again and again. And we won't fear the outcome. We won't even feel slighted when we don't get the same treatment in return. Servants, remember, don't "keep score." When God is in control of the servant's mind, we realize as never before that life's greatest joy is to give Christ's love away. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 13, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Press Toward the Goal" Philippians 3:14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Those men and women who refuse to get bogged down in and anchored to the past are those who pursue the objectives of the future. People who do this are rarely petty. They are too involved in getting a job done to be preoccupied with yesterday's hurts and concerns. Very near the end of his full and productive life, Paul wrote: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7). He relentlessly pursued life. A person with this negative mind-set is convinced he or she is the exception to the truths of God's Word. This individual is determined not to change because "life has dealt him or her a bad hand." Nothing could be further from the truth. When God holds out hope, when God makes promises, when God says, "It can be done," there are no exceptions. With each new dawn, there is delivered to your door a fresh, new package called "today." God has designed us in such a way that we can handle only one package at a time . . . and He gives us all the grace we need for each day as we live out that day. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 12, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Living Sacrifice" Romans 12:1-3 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. Wouldn't you love to live courageously in spite of the odds? Doesn't it sound exciting to be divinely powerful in day-to-day living? Aren't you eager to become independently authentic in a day of copycat styles and horrendous peer pressure? Of course! It all begins in the mind. Let me repeat it one more time: thinking right always precedes acting right. I cannot overemphasize the importance of the renewed mind. It is really impossible to grasp the concept of serving others—or to carry it out with joy and without fear—until our minds are freed from the world's mold and transformed by the Lord's power. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 11, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Have Life, and Have it to the Full" John 10:10 New International Version 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. This reminds us of God’s great promises for us. Even before we felt the breath of new life, when we were still separated from God because of our sin, through salvation, gave us the hope of becoming fully alive. His sacrifice for us gives us the challenge of becoming fully alive in him. To be fully alive is to be aware that the life God calls us to is dripping with meaning (even if it doesn’t always feel that way). And we are called to work at living out that meaning in a deeper way every day. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 10, 2023 Daily Devotion: "New Dimension" Psalm 19:1–3 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. There is a language in nature that speaks of the existence of God. It is the language of order, beauty, perfection, and intelligence. Some time ago a scientist told that when he gave serious thought to the majestic order of the universe and its obedience to unchanging law, he could not help but believe in God. He had become aware that God was speaking through nature. God speaks in the certainty and regularity of the seasons; in the precision of the movements of the sun, the moon, and the stars; in the regular coming of night and day; in the balance between man’s consumption of life-giving oxygen and its production by the plant life of the earth; and even in the cry of a newborn child with its ever-new dimension of the miracle of life. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 09, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Put It into Practice" Philippians 4:9 New International Version 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. What our young people want to see in their elders is integrity, honesty, truthfulness, and faith. What they hate most of all is hypocrisy and phoniness. That is why it is important for us to go to church, to read the Bible, and to say grace at the table. Let them see us doing what we would like them to do. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 08, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Work with Enthusiasm" Ephesians 6:7 New Living Translation (NLT) 7 Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. The most eloquent prayer is the prayer through hands that heal and bless. The highest form of worship is the worship of unselfish Christian service. The greatest form of praise is the sound of consecrated feet seeking out the lost and helpless. There must be a practical outworking of our faith here in this present world, or it will never endure the world to come. The Pharisees majored on show but minored on service. We need fewer words and more charitable works; less palaver and more pity; less repetition of creed and more compassion. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 07, 2023 Daily Devotion: "With Me in Paradise" Matthew 6:25 (NIV) Do not worry about your life . . . Some people ask, “Do you think God has time for me? You don’t know how mixed up our life is, how confused it is; the pressures, the tension at home, the business problems, so many things I couldn’t possibly tell you about, including the sins in our lives that We somehow cannot seem to give up.” Yes, God has time for you. When Jesus was dying on the cross, He had time for a thief who turned to Him and said, “Lord, remember me.” That’s all the record tells us that the thief said, “Lord, remember me.” But what he was really saying was, “I’m unworthy. I’ve broken all the laws. I deserve hell. Just remember me.” And Jesus turned to him and said, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” Do not worry about your life . . . --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 06, 2023 Daily Devotion: "No Man Is So Ignorant As He Who Knows Nothing And Knows Not That He Knows Nothing." Jeremiah 4:22 For my people [are] foolish, they have not known me . . . No man is more pathetic than he who is in great need and is not aware of it. Remember Samson? Standing there in the valley of Sorek, surrounded by the lords of the Philistines, ” … he wish not that the Lord was departed from him.” It has been truly said, “No man is so ignorant as he who knows nothing and knows not that he knows nothing. No man is so sick as he who has a fatal disease and is not aware of it. No man is so poor as he who is destitute, and yet thinks he is rich.” The pitiable thing about the Pharisees was not so much their hypocrisy as it was their utter lack of knowledge of how poor they actually were in the sight of God. There is always something pathetic about a man who thinks he is rich when he is actually poor, who thinks he is good when he is actually vile, who thinks he is educated when he is actually illiterate. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 05, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Our Rock Is God" 1 Corinthians 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom . . . I believe we ought to get all the education we can, but we dare not make it our god. John Dewey once defined education as the systematic, purposeful reconstruction of experience; but so much of modern education leaves out God. What we are actually doing is reconstructing our sins. We expand our sins, enlarge them, multiply them. We need education, but not just for the mind and the body; we also need education for the spirit. Man has a spirit, and in our educational system today we need a spiritual emphasis. If we bring up a generation that lacks the wisdom that God can give, they can turn into educated savages and fools. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” and education. Let’s make sure our rock is God. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 04, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Dedication ..." Luke 16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much . . . What God expects, and all God expects, is that we dedicate completely all of our talents and gifts to Him. That is the meaning of the parable of the talents in Matthew, chapter 25. Read this parable, and you will see that we are always rewarded because of our faithfulness. You can be just as faithful as anyone and have the commendation of the Lord. Take the one talent you have and invest it in eternal things. Some talented people lose their reward because they do things to be seen of men. Some untalented people lose their reward because they fail to dedicate what they have, because it is not noticed by men. Both have sinned equally. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 03, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Sunlight of His Love..." Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope . . . One of the best ways to get rid of discouragement is to remember that Christ is coming again. The most thrilling, glorious truth in all the world is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. When we look around and see pessimism on every side, we should remember the Bible is the only Book in the world that predicts the future. The Bible is more modern than tomorrow morning’s newspaper.  The Bible accurately foretells the future, and it says that the consummation of all things shall be the coming again of Jesus Christ to this earth. If your life is dismal, depressed, and gloomy today, Christ can turn those dark clouds inside out. The sunlight of His love can still shine into the darkest part of your life. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 02, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Sin Shall Not Reign Over Us” 1 John 4:4 Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. Paul once wrote, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye can not do the things that ye would” (Galatians 5:17). This is the battle or the tension that is present in us to a greater or lesser degree. So, you see, the spiritual lag that you feel is explained in the Bible. That does not mean that you accept it as the way it should be. You should make all necessary preparations for this battle which the Bible says “is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces.” In Ephesians 6 we read that the Bible tells what preparation you should make. In the meantime, always remember that “where sin abounds, grace did much more abound.” You can have complete victory! We are told to submit ourselves unto God, and the devil will flee from us. We are also promised that “sin shall not reign over us.” --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

March 01, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Where God Guides, He Provides" John 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. He (the Spirit) will never lead you contrary to the Word of God. I hear people saying, “The Lord led me to do this. … The Lord told me thus and so …” I am always a little suspicious unless what the Lord has said is in keeping with His Word. God never directs us to do anything contrary to His Word. The prophet Samuel once said, “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” The Scripture teaches, “He that willeth to do His will shall know the doctrine.” When you find yourself up a blind alley, not knowing which way to turn, if you are willing to do His will, He will reveal Himself. He conceals His will only from those who, before they consent to do His bidding, seek to know what He is going to say. Be an obedient Christian. Remember that “where God guides, He provides. Where He leads, He supplies all needs!” --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 28, 2023 Daily Devotion: “Future Life with God" Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. Life is a glorious opportunity, if it is used to condition us for eternity. If we fail in this, though we succeed in everything else, our life will have been a failure. There is no escape for the man who squanders his opportunity to prepare to meet God. Our lives are also immortal. God made man different from the other creatures. He made him in His own image, a living soul. When this body dies and our earthly existence is terminated, the soul lives on forever. One thousand years from this day, you will be more alive than you are at this moment. The Bible teaches that life does not end at the cemetery. There is a future life with God for those who put their trust on Him. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 27, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Conflict of the Ages" Luke 23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him . . . One of the ironies of human nature is that it often has a way of rejecting the best and accepting the worst. Why did the crowd ask for the release of Barabbas and the crucifixion of Jesus? The answer is in the biblical statement, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” Jesus is just as divine today and just as much alive as He was on that first Good Friday. Yet millions today don’t accept Him. His goodness is still a rebuke to our badness; His purity still shows up our impurities; His sinlessness still reveals our sinfulness; and unless we allow Him to destroy the evil within us, the evil within us still wants to destroy Him. This is the conflict of the ages. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 26, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Ability to Believe" Romans 10:9 believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead . . . It is impossible to believe anything into existence. The Gospel did not come into being because men believed it. The tomb was not emptied of Christ’s body that first Easter because some faithful persons believed it. The fact preceded the faith. We are psychologically incapable of believing without an object of our faith. The object of Christian faith is Christ. Faith means more than an intellectual assent to the claims of Christ. You are not called upon to believe something that is not credible, but to believe in the fact of history that in reality transcends all history. Faith actually means surrender and commitment to the claims of Christ. We do not know Christ through the five physical senses, but we know Him through the sixth sense that God has given every man—the ability to believe. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 25, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Christian Movement in Motion" Genesis 28:15 Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest. When Jesus uttered His words of comfort in the first few verses of the fourteenth chapter of John’s Gospel, concluding with, “And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know” (John 14:4), Thomas said unto Him, “Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?” (John 14:5). Jesus answered him with a statement which has in it the ring of eternity. It was sublimely simple and yet profoundly deep. Its surface meaning was clear to all, and yet the great theologians have never completely sounded its mighty depths. This is that statement, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). In one majestic sweep, these words silenced Thomas’ questioning tongue and brought reassurance and peace to the hearts of the other disciples. Within the marvel of that authoritative sentence from the lips of our Lord Jesus Christ., there was enough comfort to assuage the sufferings of the tormented, enough wisdom to satisfy those who yearned for understanding, and enough power to set the great Christian movement in motion. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 24, 2023 Daily Devotion: "A Humble Spirit" Matthew 23:12 He that shall humble himself shall be exalted. In almost every instance in the Bible, as well as in life, pride is associated with failure, not success. We hear a great deal about the inferiority complex, but the superiority complex of pride is seldom spoken of. It was pride that caused the fall of Lucifer, and he became Satan, the devil. It was pride that led King Saul down to a shameful and untimely death. It was pride that caused Peter to deny his Lord. The greatest act of humility in the history of the universe was when Jesus Christ stooped to die on the cross of Calvary. And before any man can get to heaven, he must kneel at the foot of the cross and acknowledge that he is a sinner, that he has broken the Ten Commandments of God, and that he needs the grace of God in Christ. No man can come proudly to the Savior. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 23, 2022 Daily Devotion: "I Can Do All Things Through Christ" Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Jesus had a humble heart. If He abides in us, pride will never dominate our lives. Jesus had a loving heart. If He dwells within us, hatred and bitterness will never rule us. Jesus had a forgiving and understanding heart. If He lives within us, mercy will temper our relationships with our fellowmen. Jesus had an unselfish heart. If He lives in us, selfishness will not predominate, but service to God and others will come before our selfish interests. You say, “That’s a big order!” I admit that. It would be impossible if you had to measure up to Him in your own strength and with your natural heart. Paul recognized that he could never attain this heart purity by his own striving. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 22, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Believe... " Mark 11:24 What things so ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe . . . We are to pray in times of adversity, lest we become faithless and unbelieving. We are to pray in times of prosperity, lest we become boastful and proud. We are to pray in times of danger, lest we become fearful and doubting. We need to pray in times of security, lest we become self-sufficient. Sinners, pray to a merciful God for forgiveness. Christians, pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit upon a willful, evil, unrepentant world. Parents, pray that God may crown your home with grace and mercy. Children, pray for the salvation of your parents. Christians, saints of God, pray that the dew of heaven may fall on earth’s dry, thirsty ground, and that righteousness may cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 21, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Satan's Defeat..." Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. When temptations come, let me suggest that you ask God for strength—and also to show you the way He has prepared for your escape. One other word of counsel; be very sure that you do not deliberately place yourself in a position to be tempted. All of us are not subjected to the same weaknesses and temptations. To one, alcohol may be the temptation; to another, it may be impure thoughts and acts; to another, greed and covetousness; to another, criticism and an unloving attitude. Regardless of what it may be, be sure that Satan will tempt you at your weak point, not the strong. Our Lord has given us an example of how to overcome the devil’s temptations. When He was tempted in the wilderness, He defeated Satan every time by the use of the Bible. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 20, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Future of Promise" Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Today many people are living in the bondage of fear. In a recent study a psychiatrist said that the greatest problem facing his patients was fear. Fear of going insane, committing suicide, being alone, or fear of heart disease, cancer, disaster, or death. We are becoming a nation of fearful people. Down through the centuries in times of trouble, temptation, trial, bereavement, and crisis, God has brought courage to the hearts of those who love Him. The Bible is crowded with assurances of God’s help and comfort in every kind of trouble which might cause fears to arise in the human heart. Today the Christian can come to the Scriptures with full assurance that God is going to deliver the person who puts his trust and confidence in God. Christians can look into the future with promise, hope, and joy, and without fear, discouragement, or despondency. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 19, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Hour of Decision" Psalm 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee . . . Some Christians have learned little of a daily devotional life. Nothing can take the place of a daily devotional life with Christ. Your quiet time, your prayer time, the time you spend in the Word, is absolutely essential for a happy Christian life. You cannot possibly be a happy, dynamic, and powerful Christian apart from a daily walk with Christ. Christ is calling Christians today to cleansing, to dedication, to consecration, and to full surrender. It will make the difference between success and failure in your spiritual life. It will make the difference between being helped and helping others. It will make a difference in your habits, in your prayer life, in your Bible reading, in your giving, in your testimony, and in your church membership. This is the Christian hour of decision! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 18, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Associated with Christ" 1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree ... All life is a struggle—that is the nature of things. Even within our physical bodies, doctors tell us, a conflict for supremacy is going on. The bacteria in our bloodstream are waging a constant war against alien germs. The red corpuscles fight the white corpuscles constantly in an effort to maintain life within the body. A battle is also raging in the spiritual realm. “We fight,” the Bible says, “against the rulers of the darkness of this world.” Darkness hates light. Men cannot help that it is their nature to respond to the lewd, the salacious, and the vile. They will have difficulty doing otherwise until they are born again. And until they are changed by the power of Christ, they will likely be at enmity against those who are associated with Christ. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 17, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Ordinary People Did Extraordinary Feats." 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 Easy-to-Read Version 4 We can say this, because through Christ we feel sure before God. 5 I don’t mean that we are able to do anything good ourselves. It is God who makes us able to do all that we do. 6 He made us able to be servants of a new agreement from himself to his people. It is not an agreement of written laws, but it is of the Spirit. The written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life. You don't have to be qualified in your natural state for God to use you in an extraordinary way; you simply have to be available and surrendered to Him. In the New Testament, Dorcas was a seamstress, and she was raised from the dead. Luke was a doctor, Peter was a fisherman, and Matthew was a tax collector and Jesus chose them as His disciples, who shared His ministry on earth and helped carry the gospel message to the world After His death and resurrection. Mary Magdalene, who was believed to have been a prostitute, suffered the torment of seven demons until Jesus set her free from them. After her salvation and deliverance, she traveled with a group of women who supported Jesus' ministry and helped in the work of spreading the gospel. These ordinary people did extraordinary feats. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 16, 2023 Daily Devotion: "A Perfect Heart" Genesis 1:31 New International Version 31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. God had written every day of our lives in His book before even one of them existed (Psalm 139:16). This means that He not only saw the good we would do, but He also saw every sin and mistake we would commit and every flaw and weakness we would have and He When God created you, He still accepts and loves us. Agree with created something good. God right now and accept yourself. Self-rejection does not help you change; it actually multiplies your misery. Accepting yourself where you are and asking God to make you what He wants you to be is the way He wants you to approach your relationship with Him. God told Jeremiah that before He formed him in the womb, He knew and approved of him as His “chosen instrument” (Jeremiah 1:5 AMPC). Surely, Jeremiah made mistakes and was far from perfect, but God saw his heart. A perfect heart in someone who makes mistakes is more important to God than a good performance that comes from an impure heart. All God wants is for us to love Him and admit our sins, and He is quick to forgive us and remember our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 15, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God's Voice" Isaiah 30:21 New International Version 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” How do we hear God's voice? It is not usually an audible voice, but a still, small voice in our spirit that causes us to know what to do. Elijah made many attempts to hear from God in a time of turmoil in his life, but not until he got still and waited on God Did he hear that beautiful “still, small voice” giving him direction. The NIV says that he heard a “gentle whisper.” Regardless of how it's translated, it was not a loud, booming, boisterous voice. It was quiet, and Elijah had to be still and quiet in order to hear it. In order to be your unique self, it is important for you to know that you can be guided by God. He will put desires in your heart, and they may not make sense to anyone but' you. This is why you can't let other people tell you what to do with your life. It is your life, given to you as a gift from God. He has gifted you in a way that will allow you to fit into His perfect plan, but only if you follow Him and refuse to let the demands and pressures of other people control you. People who don't follow they're hearts are never happy. They Live frustrated, disappointing lives. Be courageous enough to be true to yourself, and the people who genuinely love you will stick with you even if you don't do what they think you should do. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 14, 2023 Daily Devotion: "He Will Bring It to Completion... " Isaiah 46:10 New International Version 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ God knows His will for you, and if you agree and cooperate with Him, it will come to pass. God's purposes always stand. He has begun a good work in you, and He will bring it to completion (Philippians 1:6). Through your personal fellowship with God and your study of His Word, you are continually growing spiritually and being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. In order to be your unique self, you must be willing to follow the guidance of our Lord Jesus Christ that you sense in your heart rather than always looking to other people to tell you what to do. People Are quick to give advice, but that doesn't mean that their advice is right for you. In some instances, taking advice is wise, but even then, we need to make sure it is wise and godly. God's Word tells us not to take counsel from the ungodly (Psalm 1:1). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 13, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Trust Requires Unanswered Questions... " Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord Directs his steps and makes them sure” (AMPC). We used to have a plan for everything and sometimes grew frustrated if every aspect of it didn't go accordingly. In other words, you wanted the Lord to do things your way! However, God is smarter than we are, and He Wants us to place our trust in His great plan for our lives. We often say that trust requires unanswered questions. In the moment, we may not always understand why, but as David Says to God in Psalm 31:15, “My times are in your hands.” Even Though we may not understand something that is taking place in our lives, we will later look back and discover that the Lord had our best interests in mind all along. We encourage you to continue trusting God even when things don't make sense. It's one sure way to enjoy your life and experience more peace than ever before. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 12, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Have Peace... " 1 Peter 3:11 New International Version 11 They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. 1 Peter 3:11 is one of my favorite scriptures: “Let him search for peace...and seek it eagerly. [Do not merely desire peaceful relations with God, with your fellowmen, and with yourself, but pursue, go after them!]” (AMPC). Pursue is a strong word. It requires action. To pursue peace is to do whatever it takes to maintain peace in our lives. It means not always getting our way or having the last word in an argument. It requires us to trust God with the people in our lives instead of trying to force them to be what we want them to be. But it's all worth it because it brings peace, and peace is one of them most valuable qualities we can have. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 11, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Love Who God Has Made Us to Be" Matthew 22:39 New International Version And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Learning to accept and love ourselves is the pathway to authenticity, because if we reject ourselves and refuse God's love for us, we will not be free to be ourselves. Instead, we will live a life of pretense, choosing to do what we think will make us acceptable to others rather than what we honestly believe we should do. Even though our hearts scream no in certain situations, we will find our mouths saying yes to the things people want us to do. Let me ask you: Do you love yourself? To love yourself is to accept the unconditional love of God with your whole heart, to see yourself as He sees you, and to rejoice and be at peace with who He has created you to be. I am noticed talking about loving yourself in a selfish or self-centered way, but loving the unique you that God created you to be. This healthy self-love is not based on what you do right or wrong, but on who you are in Christ. Truly Believing that God loves you unconditionally is the foundation for relationship with Him, with yourself, and with others. No one will love everything they do, but we should all love who God has made us to be. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 10, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Same Faith and Obedience Will Bless Your Life Today" Luke 1:17 Mary said, "I am the servant of the Lord. Let this happen to me as you say!” Mary, the mother of Jesus, is perhaps the best known of all the women of the Bible-people across the world know who she was and honor her. It was to Mary that God first Revealed His specific plan to “save his people from their sins" through her Son (Matthew 1:21). Mary was an ordinary young woman, engaged to a carpenter named Joseph, until one day, an angel suddenly appeared and said, “Greetings! The Lord has blessed you and is with you" (Luke 1:28), changing her life forever. The angel told her that she had been chosen to carry Jesus, the Savior of the world. Mary could have asked a lot of questions-“What will Joseph think?” “What will happen to us?” If Mary was thinking these questions, she didn't say so. She never argued or said, “Let me think this over." She simply said yes to God's plan: "Let This happen to me as you said (Luke 1:38). She placed her reputation, her marriage, and her entire life at risk to be obedient to God-and trusted that His will was perfect. And because of her trust and obedience, salvation became available to all humanity. Mary's simple faith and readiness to do God's will bring the blessing of God into her life-and that same faith and obedience will bless your life today. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 09, 2023 Daily Devotion: "He Will Lifted You Out of the Pit of Destruction..." Psalm 23:4 (New King James Version) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. The word "depression" connotes a full range of meanings in our culture, from a quick, temporary feeling of hurt or disappointment, to a state of being physically and emotionally incapacitated by long-term feelings of intense sadness. There are also many ideas as to the sources of depression: lack of appropriate care as children; stress due to significant loss; negative thinking; repressed anger; and a number of biological causes, from injury to hormonal imbalances to nerve damage. Just as there are multiple sources of depression, so there are multiple ways to receive help: Physically, you may need- ·Rest. ·Exercise. ·Improved dietary habits. Emotionally, you may need- ·Friends. ·Avoidance of destructive personalities. ·Service opportunities. Spiritually, you may need- ·More time in· More time in prayer. ·A new understanding of how much God loves you. One of the most dramatic stories in the Old Testament was when the prophet Elijah became so distraught that he wanted to die (1 Kings 19:4). He felt he was the only person left who served God. He had obeyed God, but his life was still in danger (1 Kings 19:10). Always be mindful that just as God supernaturally helped Elijah (1 Kings 19:5-8), He is ready to help you. And also be mindful that God uses others to help His children. Know that the day is coming when you can sing with David: “He lifted me out of the pit of destruction, out of the sticky mud. He stood me on a rock and made my feet steady” (Psalm 40:2). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 08, 2023   Daily Devotion:  "Setting Appropriate Boundaries"   EPHESIANS 4:32  Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.  Just because you're an adult doesn't mean your parent or parents aren't still your parents! For some blessed individuals, the transition to an adult relationship with parents is smooth, with natural, easy communication and interaction. Most Adults, though, have at least some difficulty shifting from dependence to a more equal, though respectful, relationship. Some of the key issues to resolve include- ·Letting go of the past: One of the hardest realities of life is that our parents aren't perfect. Perhaps you came from a divorced home or one that lacked warmth and affection. As an adult, you must let go of the past with forgiveness and perspective(Philippians 3:13-14).  Dealing openly with current conflicts: Because of respect and familiarity, we sometimes struggle to effectively address problems with those we love most. It is possible to honor your parents and confront disagreements and hurts by “speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15).  Accepting your parents for who they are: Just as you may have felt resentment toward your parents for trying to “control"your life, so you must extend the same honor and respect for their opinions, attitudes, and actions that you have desired for yourself. St.Peter said,“Love will cover a multitude of sins” (1Peter 4:8 NKJV).  Setting appropriate boundaries: When God instituted marriage,He said, “So a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one body”(Genesis 2:24).Whether or not you are married, God expects you to take responsibility to build your own life. Countless Marriages are damaged when priority is placed on parents over spouses. Again, this in no way implies a lack of respect or active honoring of your parents.  Staying close and expressing love: Even if you must take the lead and be the one to initiate affection, tell and show your parents how much you love them by giving them your time.Don't hold back hugs and “I love you so." Remember, when you are a peacemaker,God blesses you (Matthew 5:9)! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 07, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Focusing" Colossians 4:2 Continue praying, keeping alert, and always Thanking God. One of the lost arts of civility and friendship is the hand-written note. It seemingly takes forever to write out a note of gratitude in a technologically advanced world where we can tap out a few letters-not necessarily spelled correctly on our cell phone or laptop and send an instant message to our friends and family. But the real tragedy is when we lose our sense of gratitude for others and for God. What happens when vibrant, active, kind, fun, different-making individuals lose the wonder of gratitude? Almost Overnight you see a change of expression and feel the shrinking of the soul. What is the cure for anger, bitterness, resentment, jealousy, low self-esteem, a quarreling spirit, and other modern maladies? Simple. Express thanks! Instead of buying into the advertising of a consumer culture, we need to begin focusing Continue praying, keeping alert, and always Thanking God. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 06, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Gift of Listening Ear" Philippians 2:3 When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves. We are admonished throughout all of Scripture to watch our words: We are to offer God praise and thanksgiving (Psalm100:4); we are to treat the name of God with utmost respect (Exodus 20:7); we are to be gentle in the face of anger (Proverbs15:1); we are to build others up (Ephesians 4:29); we are to avoid profanity and coarse language (Ephesians 5:4); and we are to tell the truth (Exodus 20:16 and 23:1). James says that our words are like the rudder on a ship or a spark that starts fire-they can do great works or cause great damage (3:2-8)! One other crucial way we are to watch our words is by simply remaining silent and listening to others: “My dear friends, you should be quick to listen and slow to speak or to get angry” (James 1:19 NKJV). If you stop to think about it, listening is actually one of the most powerful expressions of love. Because listening says to a person: You are important to me; your ideas and feelings matter to me; share your life with me. We live in a fast pace now, busy, and noisy culture. The TV And radio and other forms of entertainment bombard us from morning to night. Media superstars are referred to as “talking heads." No wonder so many of us feel unheard and underappreciated. Maybe there's no one there to listen to you right, but you could be there to listen to someone else. In Philippians 2:4, Paul says to us: “Do not be interested only in your own life, but be interested in the lives of others. ”The ratio of how much we listen to how much we talk is a pretty good barometer of how much we really look to the interests of others. Does this mean that you are to be doomed to a life of never sharing what's on your heart and mind? Absolutely not! For in the same way that when we give, we receive back so much more; when we give the gift of a listening ear, others reach out in their hearts to know us better. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 05, 2023 Daily Devotion: "A New Steps of Confidence" Matthew 14:29 Jesus said, "Come" And Peter left the boat and walked on the water to Jesus. Nothing can rob you of joy, confidence, optimism, and opportunities more quickly than a spirit of fear. Behavioral scientists have long debated whether the first emotion a baby experiences is love or fear. Because of the “startle reflex,” many researchers believe it is the latter. When faced with danger, the two foundational responses that appear to be “hard-wired” into the human psyche are fight or flight. So are you a fight or a flight person? There are many sources of fear. Some are unreasonable (to everyone else but the persons experiencing them!), and are considered unhealthy phobias. But whatever the source a sense of the unknown, the future, physical danger, spiritual warfare, financial crises, or reputation issues-fear is real and must be faced honestly. One of the greatest promises of God is that we don't have to face our fears alone. He is always with us; never will He forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). In fact, when we truly Experience His love, fear is cast away (1 John 4:18). Why? Love is what must be present for trust to flourish. So remember, if you fear- the past, God makes all things new (2 Corinthians 5:17); ·the future, God has promised you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11); ·enemies, God will protect and keep you (Deuteronomy 31:6); ·financial problems, God will provide for your every need (Philippians 4:19); death and dying, God has conquered the power of death and promises eternal life (Romans 8:1-2). Are you ready to walk boldly, with a new sense of confidence today? Take a few steps, even if they're baby steps, toward God and let Him handle all the anxieties that trouble you. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 04, 2023 Daily Devotion: "What Really Matters... " Matthew 6:33 The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. There are a number of steps that go into simplifying life but you must always begin by believing that you can live more richly having less-and then making a commitment to that belief. Then, you must determine what is really important to you and make a list of your values. Next you need to honestly assess where your time and money go in light of those values. And finally, you must be persistent in creating a healthier lifestyle. A word of caution is that we are not all called to simplify in any set way. That frees us from judging others and feeling guilty that we aren't more like others. What really matters for all of us is that simplicity ultimately is a spiritual issue-a matter of the soul. The key question is whether we have allowed activities, possessions, status, hobbies, entertainment, careers, and other pursuits to come before our love for God-and our relationships with others. John the Baptist made a powerful statement when pointing to Jesus Christ as the long-awaited Messiah: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Is Jesus increasing in your life? Is the pull and allure of other things decreasing? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 03, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Nothing Else Comes First" Luke 10:40 But Martha was busy with all the work to be done. She went in and said, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me alone to do all the work? Tell her to help me.” Have you ever found yourself in a situation of being so responsible, so dutiful, so correct in your religious practice that you lost your joy of knowing God? In the famous parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11-32), A Young man rejects his father's teachings and authority, demands his inheritance, and heads for a distant land where he squanders his financial and moral wealth. The loving father never gives up on this prodigal, and when his young son does come to his senses and ashamedly returns home, he welcomes him with open arms. He honors him with a feast, a party, a special cloak, and a golden ring. The older brother, who has faithfully stood by his father's side this whole time, is enraged that the prodigal should receive such a welcome. The father sadly reminds this older son that you don't have to work in a pig sty like his younger brother did to have a piggy attitude. Both sons learn about forgiveness and reconciliation from the love of their father. In our study passage, we discover that Martha, much like the older brother, holds deep resentment toward a younger sibling. No, Mary is not immoral and rebellious, but she certainly doesn't have Martha's sense of responsibility. She leaves the dishes and chores to her sister so that she can sit at Jesus' feet. Wouldn't you feel a little resentful, too? Jesus' answer to Martha's demand that He tell Mary to get busy is: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things. Only one thing is important. Mary has chosen they better thing, and it will never be taken away from her"(vv.41-42). Is Jesus' point that we not care for the maintenance of our homes and families? Of course not. But He does remind us that the heart of our faith, our reason for living, is to love and worship God. Nothing else comes first! And the details of life those areas in which perfection is elusive even to a Superwoman- are all secondary to our relationship with God. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 02, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Perspective with Kindness" Zechariah 7:9 This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: "Do what is right and true. Be kind and merciful to each other." Some religious leaders challenged Jesus with a question about who we should consider as a neighbor. In other words, who was acceptable and who was unacceptable in their highly segregated society? Jesus gave them an answer, but not to the question they asked. Instead of telling them who their neighbor is, He told them what a good neighbor looks like through the powerful story of the Good Samaritan. Note, many Jewish leaders of Jesus' day would have nothing to do with Samaritans, so you can imagine how mad they were that Jesus made a Samaritan the hero of the story-and the model for kindness. In taking care of a fellow traveler who had been beaten and robbed, the Samaritan teaches us that- Kindness can be costly- “The next day, the Samaritan brought out two coins, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of this man. If you spend more money on him, I will pay it back to you when I come again'" (Luke 10:35). No question, kindness requires effort and sometimes even sacrifice on our part. Kindness can be risky-"Evil people will not learn to do good even if you show them kindness" (Isaiah 26:10). Just as the Samaritan man risked being mugged himself by slowing down to help, at times our kindness will take advantage of. Kindness turns enemies into friends- “The Samaritan Went to him, poured olive oil and wine on his wounds, and bandaged them. Then he put the hurt man on his own donkey and took him to an inn where he cared for him” (Luke 10:34). If this Jew and Samaritan could be united through kindness, what might happen to your relationships as you become a good neighbor? Kindness saves people's lives- “A smiling king can give people life; his kindness is like a spring shower" (Proverbs16:15). There are teenage girls, divorcees, senior citizens who have all but given up on a good God because of how they've been treated. You can change their perspective with kindness. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

February 01, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Live each Day Gracefully" 1 Timothy 6:17 God richly gives us everything to enjoy. Walk into any bookstore, pick up any popular cultural magazine off a news rack, and you will quickly be reminded of how significant an issue aging is to millions of people. Questions abound: Am I making enough money to secure a comfortable future? What will do after I retire? Am I in the right career now? How are my kids doing? What kind of world awaits them? How am I doing health-wise? WilI be active and strong after retirement? How do I keep my mind sharp and alert? Improved healthcare, diet, and other medical and socio-logical factors mean that people today live much longer than at any other moment in history-at least since the early Old Testament record of pre-Flood characters like Methuselah! Questions of aging aren't just asked by the “old”- and “old” is a very hard concept to define-and not just regarding matters of health and money. Though we appear to be aging, more slowly, millions of young adults are already concerned with age issues in regard to attractiveness, career status, and other issues. The good news is that God has given us everything we need to enjoy life now. Yes, we should plan for and look to the future. The Apostle Paul describes with great emotion how they earns to be present with Jesus in Heaven (See 2 Corinthians5:1-10), but the real secret of aging with grace is how you live today. If you want to increase your chances of being healthy at age eighty, take care of your body with reasonable exercise and diet today. If you want your mind to be sharp and quick in twenty years, read, think, and discuss matters today. If you want to be stronger spiritually in the future and leave a lasting legacy through the people you have touched with grace, then pray and minister today. Ultimately, the question of how to age gracefully is no different than the question of how to live each day gracefully. Seize the day and enjoy it and live it fully. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 31, 2023 Daily Devotion: “Conference of Doing Well" 1 Thessalonians 2:7 But we were very gentle with you, like a mother caring for her little children. Some relationships come so easily and are so healthy and affirming, while with others, we struggle to connect. Maybe we aren't in a state of open hostility, but affection and love are hard to give or receive. What causes difficult relationships? The list is endless and can relate to both you and others. Different points of view. Competition. Self-centeredness. Bad first impressions. Inability to communicate effectively. Paul, who most scholars believe was single and never had in-laws, still knew something about challenging relationships. He writes to the church in Thessalonica as if they were his own children. He describes his ministry to them in intimate and highly relational language. His concern was that they be strong in their newfound faith and he didn't want any form of relationship conflict to undermine his teaching. He well understands the saying: People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. So Paul’s approach to them was as gentle as a mother for her child (v. 7). His motives were pure and he never tried to manipulate them (v.3). His goal was not to be praised button please God (v.6). He wasn't a burden to them (v. 6), but loved and delighted in them (v. 7). As a great father deals with Aisha children, Paul encouraged, comforted, and challenged them to live worthy of God's call on them (w.11-12). And, not surprisingly, the people of Thessalonica responded very favorably to Paul's ministry (v.13). How wonderful when someone treats us in this way. A teacher. A boss or work colleague. A friend. A parent. An in-law. It's hard to resist such an overflow of love. Sometimes the people we most desire love and Approval from don't express love like Paul did. Instead, they undermine or keep us at a distance. It is then that we, like Paul, must choose first and foremost to please God. Then, whether or not our efforts succeed, we can experience the peace and confidence of doing all we can. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 30, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God's Mercy" Psalm 91:1-2 God, be merciful to me because you are loving. Because You are always ready to be merciful, wipe out all my wrongs. Wash away all my guilt and make me clean again. Even the great heroes of the Bible had serious character flaws and were in need of God's mercy. Jacob, the son of Isaac and one of the fathers of our faith, tricked his twin brother and even his beloved father, in order to "steal" the family birthright (Genesis 25-27). Moses, who led the Hebrew slaves from the Pharaoh's Oppression in Egypt, murdered a man and lived as a fugitive for forty years (Exodus 2-3). David, perhaps the most beloved and popular of Israel's Kings throughout history, performed many acts of courage, faith, and mercy-slaying the giant, Goliath, and sparing King Saul, a sworn enemy to him, to name just two-but also had a litany of sins and shortcomings strewn along his past. His greatest crime was what he did to Uriah the Hittite, one of his bravest and most loyal soldiers. David coveted and then "took" Uriah's wife, Bathsheba, to be his own. To make his evil act even worse, he had Uriah killed to try and cover up what he had done. (See 2 Samuel 11-12 for the whole story.) Throughout the Psalms, and especially in Psalm 51, David Cries for God's mercy. He knows that being the king doesn't get him off the hook. He knows that no act of contrition can undo his evil deeds. Only God's mercy can enter a darkened heart and make it pure again. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 29, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God Is On the Way Right Now" Genesis 50:20 You meant to hurt me, but God turned your evil into good to save the lives of many people, which is being done. God promised to make Abraham the father of a great nation, with descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky (Genesis 15:5). Despite his great faith, can you blame him for questioning when this was going to happen when he was still fatherless at age 75 (Genesis 12:4)? Samuel anointed David as king of Israel in response to Saul's spirit of disobedience (1 Samuel 16:1). The problem is David was hunted like a fugitive and animal for the next seven years (1 Samuel 19:9). No wonder he cried to God, “Why have you forgotten me? Why am I sad and troubled by my enemies?” (Psalm 42:9). Moses led the Hebrew slaves from captivity and into the Promised Land-over the course of forty years (Exodus 16:35). Jesus spent the first thirty years of His life as a child, son, student, brother, and carpenter before the right moment came for Him to begin His ministry (Luke 3:23). Why doesn't God just bring about His plans in our lives right now? Could it be that one of the most important Ways God forms us into the image of His Son Jesus Christ is through allowing us to express our faith in Him through waiting? In the Proverb, Solomon points out the natural truism that "It Is sad not to get what you hoped for. But wishes that come true are like eating fruit from the tree of life"(13:12). But Paul's testimony that “The sufferings we have now are nothing compared to the great glory that will be shown to us"(Romans 8:18) is a powerful reminder that God may not be early but He's always right on time with just what we need. Is your soul weary with worry? Are you frustrated waiting to know what God wants to do in your life? Hold on. God is on the way right now. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 28, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Self Improvement" Philippians 1:6 God began doing good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ Comes again. What's wrong with accepting myself as I am? Why do we put so much emphasis on being better and "the best" in our society? Is that any way to live? No question, we can love ourselves for who we are because God does. And no, we don't have to join a “rat race” of competing with others to have the nicest house and most possessions. We need not push our kids into every activity to ensure that they are the smartest and most athletic. No, we cannot prove to God that we are worthy of salvation. Yes, we can relax and savor what we have and enjoy who we are. But we must also be mindful that “from everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded” (Luke 12:48). In speaking of our salvation, Paul says: “You did not save yourself; it was a gift from God. It was not the result of your own efforts, so you cannot brag about it. God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us do good works, which God Planned in advance for us to live our lives doing" (Ephesians 2:8-10). Notice that God has prepared works for each of us to accomplish. He has given each of us talents and gifts that we are to expand and invest into others: Paul compares the church to a body, each part having a different function that ultimately serves the whole (See Romans 12:5-8). Consider a couple of challenges and reminders in the area of self-improvement- We don't tend to stay in the same spot-we either move forward or backward. Big dreams and tasks begin with small steps-what can you do today? We aren't supposed to be someone else-growth with the dreams and aspirations, God has placed in your own heart. Work is part of the cycle of life--which also includes rest, play, and worship. Wanting to grow is not selfish-it is the way God created us. We grow to make ourselves better-and to better serve God. Discipline is a tremendous source of freedom-from doubt, fear, and lethargy. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 27, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Spirit of Love" Ephesians 5:21 Yield to obey each other because you respect Christ. One of the most hotly debated Bible verses in modern history is where Paul instructs wives to "submit to your husband's as to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:22 NKJV). However, all you have to do is look back at one verse and any argument That Paul was unfair to women and must somehow be reinterpreted becomes moot. There Paul instructs husbands and wives to "submit to one another." Later in the chapter, Paul command husband to love their wives as Christ loved the church, which means they must be ready to pay the ultimate sacrifice (Ephesians 5:25). In the traditional wedding vows, both husband and wife promise to the other that they will love, honor, comfort, keep in sickness and health, forsake all others, and be true as long as both are alive. Despite such clear, simple biblical admonitions and marital vows, too many marriages are not characterized by love, honor, comfort, keeping, and forsaking. In too many marriages, not nearly enough mutual submission takes place. Paul says: “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others" (Philippians 2:4 NKJV). It's fair to say that the source of most marital strife is when one or the other spouse is primarily looking out for his or her interests. The key to building your marriage and loving your husband, then, is very simple-but can be oh so hard. You must look first to his interests. Wait a minute. That's not fair. And what if he doesn't reciprocate? Fairness and reciprocity are important. But true love is not always fair and not always returned in kind. And what God Wants you to do is to love and honor your husband-and trust your husband's response into His hands. Does that mean I have to be a doormat? God does not want you to cast aside your personality, thoughts, perspectives, and life. Remember, His ideal is mutuality. So He does want you-just as He wants your husband-to be the first to love, honor, forgive, and be faithful if that's what is required. In the mysterious ways that God works and changes lives, nothing will bless you, your children, your friends, and yes, your husband, more than a spirit of love. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 26, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Fully and Freely" Ephesians 1:7-8 In Christ we are set free by the blood of his death, and so we have forgiveness of sins. How rich is God's grace, which he has given to us so fully and freely. Why do we find it so hard to share our true self with others? One of the great fears of the human race is that if someone were to truly know us-really get to know us at the core being-then there is no possible way that they could love and respect us. The amazing truth of our Bible study verses is that God, who knows us best, also loves us the very most. The verbs found in Ephesians 1 wonderfully describe God's love for us and are powerful expressions of the intensity of His feelings for us: He chooses us; He lavishes grace on us; He knows us-even before we were born-to be His children. We also read in this chapter that He redeems us and forgives our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. What makes this love even more remarkable is that God doesn't meet our needs in a begrudging manner-I created them, I guess / have to save them-but "according to His good pleasure"(v. 9 NKJV). It pleases God to love us. Just as a parent glories in her child, so God glories in us (v. 12). But how well does God really know me? Does He really understand how bad and ugly my attitudes and actions have been? Be assured, God knows everything-and He lavishes on you with full wisdom and understanding (If the two great needs of being human are to love and be loved, then you are doubly blessed because of God's love for you. That gives you all the reasons and resources you need to love others-and yourself. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 25, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Use Our Time and Resources Wisely" Isaiah 40:29-31 He gives strength to those who are tired and more power to those who are weak. Even children become tired and need to rest, and young people trip and fall. But the people who trust the Lord will become strong again. They Will rise up as an eagle in the sky; they will run and not need rest; they will walk and not become tired. If you ever struggle with the discouragement that comes from fatigue, you are in good company- Moses, one of the greatest leaders in the history of humankind, became so exasperated from the grumblings of the Israelites That he lashed out in anger, bringing God's judgment on him (see Numbers 20:2-13). The prophet Elijah was so tired from standing alone for God Against false prophets that he withdrew from the world and said that he preferred death over life (see 1 Kings 19:3-9)! David, while waiting to assume the throne promised to him by God, felt so beset by his enemies that he wrote Numerous Psalms of lament and sorrow (see Psalms 59, 69, and 72). Even Jesus, Son of God (but fully man), was so discouraged and weary in the Garden of Gethsemane, that He longed to have His Friends beside Him in this moment of acute need (see Mark 14:32-42). None of us are immune from the effects of fatigue on our body, mind, and spirit. No wonder it is so important that we continually seek and create ways to balance work, rest, play, and worship if we are to be at our very best. In addition to using our time and resources more wisely, we must turn to the Giver of life, God himself, who will bring renewal to even the weariest spirit. All that's required is trust: trust that God loves you and will minister to your spirit. That's What God did for Moses, David, Elijah, and other heroes of faith and that's what He will do for you. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 23, 2023 Daily Devotion: "In Good Times or in Crisis" Colossians 3:12-13 God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you. So always do these things: Show mercy to others, be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. Get along with each other, and forgive each other. If Someone does wrong to you, forgive that person because the Lord Forgave you. If you are experiencing conflict in your home, don't despair-you are part of a long and proud lineage of family feuds. Jacob, one of the great fathers of our faith from the Old Testament, had twelve sons. As was the custom of the day, the sons were born of two mothers. Not surprisingly, there was sibling rivalry based on which mother the son was born to, but even more because Jacob clearly favored one of his wives-and especially one of his sons, Joseph. He was resented for his coat of many colors-a singular gift from his dad. He was hated for his dreams, including the one he told to his brothers, predicting that they-and his parents-would bow before him. Not even doting Jacob was crazy about that one. When the conflict boiled over, Joseph's ten older brothers sold him into slavery and told their father Joseph was dead. While in Egypt, Joseph worked his way up to head of a household, was falsely accused and sent to prison, was forgotten in a dungeon of despair for seven years, and finally ended up as the Pharaoh's most powerful and trusted advisor. Oh, and he also forgave his brothers and saved his own people and that entire region of the world from a great famine. Not every family meltdown has a storybook ending-it seems impossible when we are in the midst of a crisis. Children rebel and make terrible, self-defeating choices. Sibling rivalry hits epic proportions and tums a home into a battleground. Spouses lose touch. Busy schedules outweigh family bonds. In Colossians 3:12, Paul says: “Show mercy to others, be kind, humble, gentle, and patient." Maybe you are experiencing conflicts and problems that go beyond civility and preventative medicine right now. Draw comfort from Paul's instructions to “not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. And God's peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7). And whether in good times or moments of crisis, our greatest step of faith will be to entrust our children to God. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 22, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Your Body and Mind” 1 Corinthians 6:20 Because you were bought by God for a price. So honor God with your bodies. Read the bestsellers list for books any day, any week, any year, and you will always find multiple health, fitness, and diet books there. Cosmetics and beauty aids have always been a huge and profitable industry, but now much more invasive cosmetic surgery treatments are growing and multiplying yearly. When considering physical fitness as one way to care for your soul, we are not subjecting you to a new assault of unreal and unhealthy expectations of beauty and fitness. Paul's simple admonition is: “Training your body helps you in some ways, but serving God helps you in every way by bringing you blessings in this life and in the future life, too"(1 Timothy 4:8). That suggests that all of us receive benefit from the physical care of our bodies. Benefits of good physical health include More strength and energy to invest in relationships. Increased self-control, which is an important part of Our Christian walk. Sharper mental acumen due to the release of endorphins in your brain. ·Better emotional health. ·Increased self-esteem, which is fed through accomplishing goals. But I'm so busy already, I don't have time to exercise. Add thirty minutes to an hour of exercise to your life three or four times a week and discover you have more time. But I don't have the energy to exercise. I'm tired. You might be tired by lack of exercise. Physical energy is not a finite quantity, but a renewable resource. Exercise renews it. But I've tried to lose weight before and it didn't work. This Soul matter isn't about losing weight. It's about improving fitness. Don't worry about your weight. But how will this help me grow closer to God? Nothing is more important than your relationship with God. Why not listen to Christian music and pray as you walk, run, lift, stretch, bike, or jump rope? May your soul grow as you start today to take care of your body and mind! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 21, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Daily Trusting in God" Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don't depend on your own understanding. Remember the Lord in all you do, and he will give you success. We rightfully teach our children-and attempt to live our own lives-by the credos of responsibility, self-control, and mature self-reliance. And yes, being responsible is a very good thing. But when our attitude reaches the point where we trust more in our selves than in God, twin temptations, both that lead to spiritual shipwreck, suddenly confront us. One temptation is pride, an unhealthy arrogance that slips (or roars) into our thinking when things are going great in our lives. We become convinced that we are in control of our own world. The second temptation, despair, works itself into our hearts when we face the inevitable difficulties and setbacks of life that are outside of our control-illness, a difficult relationship, an economic downturn. Daily trusting in God-acknowledging that He is the one source of all good gifts and success and the only safe refuge when life is difficult-steers us from the twin dangers of pride and despair. James points out that trials test and prove our faith (James 10:1-3), but we don't have to wait for challenging moments to begin trusting God with our entire life. The good news is that with complete and total trust in Him, He directs our steps in the most fulfilling paths for our lives. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 20, 2023 Daily Devotion: "People Harvest Only What They Plant" Galatians 6:9 We must not become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up. In the sixth chapter of Galatians, Paul sets out some of them most practical principles for expressing love for one another found anywhere in the Bible. But just because they are practical doesn't make them easy! First, he tells us that we should be redemptive people, helping restore those who have been caught in a sin (v.1). He Does caution you that as you reach out to help someone, be extra careful not to get trapped in sin yourself. Secondly, Paul challenges us to love others unconditionally, without judgment and comparisons (v.4). Competition Can be friendly and healthy, but when it consumes our relationships, the inevitable result is conflict. How many marital and sibling relationships have been torpedoed by a spirit of striving rather than a spirit of pulling together? Next, Paul urges us to help carry the "excessive weights "that others are forced to bear (v. 2). He does point out that each of us should carry our own “backpacks," so we aren't required to do everything for others (v.5). But when someone has burdens that are bigger than any one person should handle alone, we are to step in help. Most importantly, Paul reminds us not to give up on loving others (v. 9). Sure, some people are unbelievably difficult to love, but if we don't lose faith in God's power to authentically change their lives, our steadfast persistence may be the very thing that makes the difference between them finding God's forgiveness and peace or never receiving God's grace in their hearts. The result of how we relate to others is simple, according to Paul. He says, “People harvest only what they plant" (v.7). When we sow love into others, we will ultimately receive love in return. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 19, 2023 Daily Devotion: “Perfectionism" Romans 15:7 Christ accepted you, so you should accept each other, which will bring glory to God. When Paul wrote the letter to the church in Ephesus, he was very concerned that Christian believers understand their “exalted" new position through grace “blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ" (1:3 NKJV) -and then how that grace is to be lived out among our spiritual friends and family members. Beginning in chapter 4, he challenges these young people of faith to “live a life worthy” of God's grace and calling (4:1NKJV) by the way they treat each other. In verses 2 and 3 he spells this out: We love each other through humility, gentleness, patience, bearing one another in love, and by committing ourselves to unity. What a contrast to the critical and cynical age in which we live, where tearing others down is considered a fun sport. What a contrast to the messages that many of us have receive and accepted since early childhood that only the very best from ourselves and others is satisfactory. What a contrast to a slate of self-help titles at the bookstore that preach the necessity of perfect bodies, perfect relationships, and perfect kids. We too easily run after perfection and forget to love! Humility keeps us from the sin of arrogance and from looking down on others-both major relationship killers. Gentleness means we speak and act in ways that don't hurt others but that build others up. Patience demonstrates that we truly believe God can and is working in another person's life-even if we want more progress right now! Bearing one another means that we love someone even when he or she is difficult. Keeping unity means we are wise enough to know how much we really do need each other. Perfectionism can reflect a magnificent desire to think, speak, and act in the highest forms possible. Wonderful! As Long as we continue to honor others, ourselves, and God Through the qualities of humility, gentleness, patience, and unity! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 18,2023 Daily Devotion: "Like A Mother's Love" 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 But we were very gentle with you, like a mother caring for her little children. Because we loved you, we were happy to share not only God's Good News with you, but even our own lives. You had become so dear to us! When Paul wrote his letter to the Greek Church in Thessalonica, he could think of no greater way to describe his love for the people than to compare it to the love a mother has for her children. Not only was he gentle as their leader, but he loved them so much he poured his very life into them. What but Terrible description of a mother's love is there? All who birthed a child understand full well that there are challenges to being a parent. Children can be difficult and needy. No wonder Paul considers the greatest character trait of a Christian to be love, and goes on to describe it in terms and phrases like kindness, not self-serving, not easily angered, always protects, and always hopes (see 1 Corinthians 13). In some cases, children are difficult because they are needy and fragile. The good news is that God bestows special strength and comfort to those who comfort others like the mother who comforts her child. (See 2 Corinthians 1:2-5.) But at the end of the day, as you pour your life into your children, know that a special blessing from God awaits you. May you hear in your heart what was said of Jesus' mother: “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you” (Luke 11:27 NKJV). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 17, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Shine as Lights in The World" 1 Timothy 4:12 Do not let anyone treat you as if you are unimportant because you are young. Instead, be an example to the believers with your words, your actions, your love, your faith, and your pure life. Paul wrote two letters to his young protégé, Timothy, giving special attention to Timothy's integrity. He wanted him to exhibit a blameless, godly lifestyle of purity through his words and actions. Paul's biggest concern for this young pastor and the young church was expressed when he said: “But if l am delayed, l write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15 NKJV). As The Christian church grew and made headway in an immoral (or amoral) and permissive culture, there were a myriad of questions raised by new believers about ethics and truth. Though Paul recognized that there can be legitimate disagreements on matters of conscience, one non-negotiable was that followers of Jesus Christ should have the highest standard of honesty. Even in the church in Jerusalem, where it was expected that members came from a more honest and moral society, lying was a problem and was judged with severity. (See the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5.) We, too, live in a permissive society that does not always show high regard for telling the truth. We have the same opportunity as Timothy and the early Christian church to make a profound impact on others through our honesty. Paul Expressed this prayer for another first-century church: “that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God Without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world"(Philippians 2:15 NKJV). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 16, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Embrace and Love Yourself " Deuteronomy 7:7-8 The Lord did not care for you and chose you because there were many of you-you are the smallest nation of all. But the Lord chose you because he loved you, and he kept his promise to your ancestors. If Ever there was a person who had reasons to struggle with their self-image, it was the woman who met Jesus at the well as recorded in John 4. First of all, she was a Samaritan. In Jesus' day, the Jews despised all Samaritans as religious infidels and “halfbreeds." When Israel Was conquered by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. the youngest and most educated were taken into captivity. When their descendants returned to Jerusalem seventy years later, they expected to find a thriving center of worship and faith. Instead, many who had been left behind converted to other religions and married people from other countries. They were despised from that moment on. Second, she was a woman, which meant she had second-class status in her culture and was viewed as the "property" of her husband. Third, she had failed at love. Jesus asked her where her husband was. She admitted she wasn't married, but was living with a man. Jesus pointed out she had previously been married six times! Whether a serial widow or divorcee, she had probably given up on marital vows. Fourth, she was rejected by her peers. Jesus met her during the hottest time of the day with no one else around her. The women of Middle East villages gathered water at the well together during the coolest part of the day. But when Jesus entered her life, everything changed. He took the initiative and spoke to her first, uncommon for a man to do in that culture. In the same way, He reaches out to us long before we reach toward Him. He looked at her as a person on the basis of her potential-not her past or even her present circumstances. Most importantly, He offered her a living water that would satisfy the emptiness and longing of her soul, a drink of water that would provide renewal for her parched soul and life. Even if you feel as needy as a lonely Samaritan at a well today, be assured that Jesus provides you with all the reasons you need to love and embrace yourself. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 15, 2023 Daily Devotion: "God's Ultimate Concern with Your Life" 2 Corinthians 5:17 If Anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The Old things have gone; everything is made new! There are several forms of determinism prevalent in the fields of education and psychology today. One is a causal determinism, the belief that everything a person does is deter-mined by the shaping influences in their lives like parents and life experiences. Common expressions would include sayings like, “Once a person is five, their personality is shaped and you can't really change it.” A more popular kind of determinism says that we are primarily a psychological product of genetics, so our behavior and attitudes follow from the way we are “wired." Common Expressions of this would include: “I can't help it, it's just the way I was born"; or “a leopard can't change his spots”; or “the nut doesn't fall far from the tree.” Though nature and nurture have a huge impact on us as person, aren't you glad that there is a miraculous, powerful God who is able to change even the most stubborn, damaged, sinful heart? Paul goes so far as to say, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV). After A change of heart at the moment of conversion, God isn't finished with us, either. Paul says: “We all show the Lord's Glory, and we are being changed to be like him. This change in us brings ever greater glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18). But you don't understand my upbringing. You don't understand mistakes I've made. You don't understand how hard it is for me to break certain negative patterns. With grace, with faith, with the help of godly friends, you can say along with Paul: “I keep trying to reach the goal and get the prize for which God called me through Christ to the life above"(Philippians 3:14). Because of His forgiving, life-changing power, God's ultimate concern with your life is not where you've been but where you are going. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 14, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Do I Have to Forget?" Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ. Forgiveness is one of the most profound, pervasive, and powerful teachings within the Bible-but also one of the most difficult! Are we required to forgive someone who abused us? An unfaithful spouse? A person who hurts our child? One who persistently takes advantage of us? The clear and simple message of Jesus is that we are to forgive anyone and always. In the Lord's Prayer, our model for prayer, Jesus teaches that it is only as we forgive others that forgiveness takes hold in our own life (Luke 6:37). He knows it will be difficult, but He reminds us that our love must extend even to our enemies (Matthew 5:44). But not everyone deserves to be forgiven! This is very true. In fact, none of us deserve to be forgiven. This is what makes Gods forgiveness of us so incredible and unexpected. As Paul season eloquently, "When we were unable to help ourselves, at the moment of our need, Christ died for us, although we were living against God. Very few people will die to save the life of someone else. Although perhaps for a good person someone might possibly die. But God shows his great love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners" (Romans 5:6-8). Does this mean that the sin against me doesn't really matter? God never requires or asks us to minimize the pain and trauma of sin. God doesn't want us to be in denial as to what happened to us. And even after we forgive someone, it doesn't mean that all the earthly penalty is absolved. If someone has committed a crime, the legal system will still do its work. Do I have to forget? Paul says that we aren't to remember and count someone's ways against them (1 Corinthians 13:5). That doesn't mean, however, we can just magically and instantly forget harsh and painful words or some other attack on us. But we do need to give even our memories to God and ask Him to bring healing over time. What If I can't forgive? Again, present your situation and sorrow to God and trust that He is working in your life right now, even if the feelings aren't there. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 13, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Lean On Me…" Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, making people happy and healthy. Did you know that friendship fights stress? An Author says about women, “We're more inclined to seek out friends and reach out to family. Social support brings down our blood pressure, signals our adrenal glands to stop pumping out corticosteroids, and voila! We feel less anxious, less overwrought, less over-whelmed. We may even live longer as a result of coping this way. Do you have enough friends in your life to stay healthy? Emotionally? Mentally? Spiritually? One of the most dramatic stories of friendship in the Bible is that of David and Jonathan. David, once King Saul's favorite, has become the target of the king's growing madness and wrath. Jonathan, torn between love for his father and his friend, ultimately obeys God and at great personal risk and cost, protects David on numerous occasions. David reciprocates that love by sparing Saul's life on two occasions-and blessing Jonathan's children and grandchildren. Sometimes friendship expresses more intense love than that we share with our family. But without exception, all of us need the support of someone we trust and whom we can share our joys, sorrows, challenges, and heart with. A true friend is someone to cry with as a comfort in times of trouble; someone to laugh with in order to rekindle joy; someone to pray with to lift our spirits.; someone to argue with as we challenge each other to grow and be our best; someone to share hearts with us so that we can know them and ourselves better; someone to forgive and be forgiven by as we learn about God's redemptive love for us; someone to grow old with as we become men and women of wisdom and grace together. In other words, friends are good for the soul. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 12, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Be a Good Cheer" PSALM 32:11 Good people, rejoice and be happy in the Lord. Sing all you who sent hearts are right. There are so many ways to experience God's joy in your life. How many ways are you celebrating right now? ·The Joy of God's presence. In Psalm 16:8-9, David exalts: “7keep the Lord before me always. Because he is close by my side, I will not be hurt. So I rejoice and am glad.” If God is beside you, no one can steal that joy. The Joy of salvation. Paul tells us: “And not only that, but now we are also very happy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we are now God's friends again" (Romans 5:11). Forgiveness of sins and peace with God are great reasons to be joyful. The joy of God's goodness. Isaiah 63:9 tells us of God's great redemptive work: “When they suffered, he suffered also. He sent his on angel to save them. Because of his love and kindness, he saved them. Since long ago he has picked them up and carried them." What a kind and good God-and what a great source of joy! The joy of God's Word. King David speaks of God's Word with awe, reverence, and joy: "I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart" (Psalm 40:8 NKJV). Do you set yourself up for joy each day by partaking of God's Word? The Joy of a clean heart. One of the most beautiful prayers ever uttered was David's immortal prayer for cleansing: “Create in me a pure heart, God, and make my spirit right again. Do not send me away from you or take your Holy Spirit Away from me. Give me back the joy of your salvation. Keep Me strong by giving me a willing spirit" (Psalm 51:10-12). If You are not experiencing joy in your life, maybe you need to start by seeking God's forgiveness and cleansing. Joy in suffering. It doesn't seem possible to experience joy in the midst of sorrow, but Jesus reminded His disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 NKJV). Are you discouraged? Blue? Depressed? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 11, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Hear the Voice of Your Father" Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times with all kinds of prayers, asking for everything you need. To do this you must always be ready and never give up. Always pray for All God's people. If you read through the four Gospels you can't help but notice how people and crowds were drawn to Jesus. If He Went up a hill to pray alone, the crowds would be gathered below awaiting His return (Luke 4:42). If He jumped into a boat to slip off to the other side of a lake, word of His movements would race Him to the other side (Matthew 14:13). He interacted non-stop with military officers, widows, children, the seriously ill, the demon-possessed, religious leaders, close friends, prophets, and sinners. At the beginning of His ministry at age thirty, despite having so much to do in such a short amount of time, Jesus pulled away from everyone to spend forty days in the wilderness to pray and fast. While alone, Jesus was tested three times by Satan, but each time answered the challenge with Scripture and a profound sense of His purpose in life (Matthew 4:1-11). Again, at the end of his earthly life, Jesus pulled away from the crowds to pray alone in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:35-36). It was there, with the agony of the cross just Before Him, that He reaffirmed His most earnest desire: “Not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42 NKJV). If Jesus Christ sought solitude and quiet, how much more important is it for us? We can come to the end of the day-or week or even month-and discover that we made no time at all to be alone with God. Television, radio, meetings, chores, and a cacophony of other “noises” crowd out prayer and silent reflection. You don't have to take a forty-day trip to the desert to create ways to spend quiet time alone with God. In fact, once you recognize what distracts you from hearing God's voice, it's just a matter of giving yourself some quiet time. Your soul will thrive as you pull away from the noise to hear the voice of Your Father. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 10, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Be a Witness..." Mark 12:31 Love your neighbor as you love yourself. The last recorded words of Jesus before His ascension into heaven were: “But when the Holy Spirit comes to you, you will receive power. You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world” (Acts 1:8). One of the lessons Jesus wanted His disciples to hear was that they need to share their story of God's love to those closest to them (Jerusalem), those in their general vicinity (Samaria), and ultimately to the ends of the earth. There are a number of hindrances to sharing our faith: Some people have been “burned" by someone who attends church and are highly resistant to the gospel. Some of us feel embarrassed to talk about God, fearing others might think we are strange or be offended by our words. Some of us are not confident in our knowledge of the Bible and spiritual matters. There are a few dynamics of sharing your faith that might help you relax and be more effective: First, the job of the Holy Spirit To convict people of their need for God (Matthew 10:19-20). Second, God will guide us to people who are open and receptive and ready to hear about God's love. Paul was led to a City in Macedonia by a divine dream (Acts 16:9). An angel led Philip to an Ethiopian politician (Acts 8:26-27). He will lead you to people who are responsive to your story. Third, not all of us are called to be evangelists, but all of us are called to be witnesses (Acts 1:8). What does a witness do? Simple. She tells her story. You don't have to teach a Bible Lesson or understand theology to tell your story. You just have to know what God has done for you. Fourth, the Holy Spirit gives us special power when we share the Gospel with others. If You stumble and bumble a little bit, don't worry. The Holy Spirit is at work, too. Are you ready to share? Keep it simple. In the words of Peter, "Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have"(1 Peter 3:15). --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 9, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Give Freely" Malachi 3:10 “Bring to the storehouse a full tenth of what you earn so there will be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord All-Powerful. "I will open the windows of heaven for you and pour out all the blessings you need.” One of the true tests of our character is what we do with our money. Of course, God calls us to give a portion of our income to Him through ministry (Numbers 18:28) and to also give special sacrificial offerings to meet special needs as we feel directed in our hearts (Numbers 15:3). Paul does say that some people have a special gift of giving (Romans 12:8), but heal so points out that God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7), and Jesus himself drew attention to the meager-but beautiful-gift of a poor widow as a true model of generosity all of us should follow (Matthew 12:43-44). When we are generous with our money above and beyond expectations, a number of healthy emotional and spiritual dynamics are fostered in our lives· We acknowledge that God owns everything and we have only been appointed as caretakers. The psalmist declares on Behalf of God: “Every animal of the forest is already mine. The cattle on a thousand hills are mine"(Psalm 50:10). ·We clutch less tightly to what we can generate and become more aware that all good gifts come from God. James tells us: “Every Perfect gift is from God."(James 1:17). We learn to trust and serve God with a pure heart. Jesus told his disciples: “You cannot serve both God and worldly riches"(Matthew 6:24). We receive the joy that comes from helping someone in need (Matthew 25:23). We become more confident and trusting, and begin to eliminate worry from now our lives (Philippians 4:5-7,17). We become better stewards in all areas of our finances; there is a strange paradox that the more we give the more we seem to have (Matthew 19:29). The most important gift that God wants you to offer Him is your very life (Romans 12:1-2). Then He can teach you the wonderful truth that whatever we grasp and hoard, dries up and suffocates. Whatever we give freely and generously, takes off and soars. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 08, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Perfect Plan" JEREMIAH 29:11 “I know what I am planning for you," says the Lord.“ I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future." Jeremiah is known as the “weeping prophet.” Imagine losing absolutely everything you hold dear-your family, home, country, church, and maybe even your faith. Jeremiah Anguished over what had happened to his people. King Nebuchadnezzar had conquered the Kingdom of Judah, destroying the walls of Jerusalem and the temple built by Solomon. The strongest and most educated were led as captives to serve the conquering king. They left behind all they loved, smoldering in ruins. This young man of God preached to the Hebrew exiles, who now lived in the foreign country of Babylon, along the banks of the Tigris River. Like Job who had lost a future and family; like Joseph and their Hebrew ancestors who were captives in Egypt, despair reigned in the lives of the Israelites-their hope was lost. How could they think of themselves as God's chosen people under such circumstances? In the midst of this hopelessness, this young prophet, Jeremiah, called to speak for God at an early age, dried his eyes and boldly proclaimed a new promise that God had a future filled with hope for these people. That promise did come true for the Hebrew children, and the promise still echoes and holds true today, no matter what the situation in which you find yourself. Do things look bleak in your life right now? Are you flooded with insecurity about the future? Just as God had a plan for His people thousands of years ago, He has a plan for you-all good, pleasing, and perfect plan. And He is trustworthty make that plan happen. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 07, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Servanthood" John 13:14-15 If l, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash each other's feet. I did this as an example so that you should do as I have done for you. One of the issues that most mattered to Jesus' disciples was who of them was the most favored and important to Him. In fact, two of the disciples, James and John, asked their mother to help them assume the seats of honor in Jesus' kingdom. Her Request to Jesus was: “Promise that one of my sons will sit at your right side and the other will sit at your left side in your kingdom” (Matthew 20:21). Jesus' response was that she didn't know what she was asking. She and her sons were interested in the trappings and benefits of power, but not the sacrifice. Otherwise, these sons of Zebedee could have been on Jesus' left and right when he prayed in the Garden (Matthew 26:40-46). Instead, they slept. They could have been on His left and right when He was arrested (Mark 14:50). Instead, they fled. They could have been on His left and right when He hung on a cross (Matthew 15:27, Luke 23:49, John 19:16-19, 26). Instead, they stayed in the crowd. When Jesus taught His disciples the true meaning of greatness, He taught with a towel and basin. He washed their feet-the duty of a house servant. Peter, still unable to comprehend the object lesson, initially refused to let Jesus lower himself in such a way. We live in a competitive and self-aggrandizing world. Examples of humility, kindness, helpfulness, and caring for others first-servant hood-are hard to find. Great is the reward, the sense of purpose, the self satisfaction of one who follows the Master's example. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 06, 2023 Daily Devotion: "The Secret to Happiness" Matthew 6:34 The Living Bible Translation So don't be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time. The secret of happiness is not to do what you like to do, but to learn to like what you have to do.” Too many think of happiness as some sort of will-o’-the-wisp thing that is discovered by constant and relentless searching. It is not found by seeking. It is not an end in itself. Pots of gold are never found at the end of the rainbow, as we used to think when we were children; gold is mined from the ground or panned laboriously from a mountain stream. Jesus once told His disciples, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” The “things” He spoke of were the things that make us feel happy and secure—food, drink, clothes, shelter. He told us not to make these the chief goal of our lives but to “seek the kingdom” and these needs would be automatically supplied. There, if we will take it, is the secret of happiness. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 05, 2023 Daily Devotion: "With All Our Heart" Romans 10:9 If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. The heart is the blood-pump of the body. It is also used metaphorically when we speak of affections and feelings. Since it is the central organ of the body and one of the most vital, the Bible speaks of it as the wellspring of life. Hence, it is used synonymously with “life.” When the Bible says, “Son, give me thine heart,” it doesn’t mean that we are to cut out our actual hearts and give them to God. It means that we are to give Him our lives, our all. When we come to Christ, we are not only to give intellectual assent with our minds, we are to “believe in our hearts.” We can believe in the historic Jesus, but if we have “saving faith” our belief must involve our whole being. When we believe with all our hearts, the will, the emotions, and the intellect are surrendered to Christ. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 04, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Food for the Soul" Psalm 119:9 (TLB) How can a young man stay pure? By reading your Word and following its rules. Many of the difficulties we experience as Christians can be traced to a lack of Bible study and reading. We should not be content to skim through a chapter merely to satisfy our conscience. Hide the Word of God in your heart! A little portion well digested is of greater value to the soul than a lengthy portion scanned hurriedly. Do not be discouraged because you cannot understand it all. Go on reading. As you read, the Holy Spirit will enlighten the passages for you. Reading the Bible has a purifying effect upon the heart and mind. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 03, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Whom Shall I Fear" Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Today many people are living in the bondage of fear. In a recent study a psychiatrist said that the greatest problem facing his patients was fear. Fear of going insane, committing suicide, being alone, or fear of heart disease, cancer, disaster, or death. We are becoming a nation of fearful people. Down through the centuries in times of trouble, temptation, trial, bereavement, and crisis, God has brought courage to the hearts of those who love Him. The Bible is crowded with assurances of God’s help and comfort in every kind of trouble which might cause fears to arise in the human heart. Today the Christian can come to the Scriptures with full assurance that God is going to deliver the person who puts his trust and confidence in God. Christians can look into the future with promise, hope, and joy, and without fear, discouragement, or despondency. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 02, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Through the Thick Cloud of Suffering ... " 1 Timothy 4:9,10 The Living Bible Translation We work hard and suffer much in order that people will believe it, for our hope is in the living God who died for all. Our life has its beginning in suffering. Life’s span is marked by pain and tragedy, and our lives terminate with the enemy called death. The person who expects to escape the pangs of suffering and disappointment simply has no knowledge of the Bible, of history, or of life. The master musician knows that suffering precedes glory and acclaim. He knows the hours, days, and months of grueling practice and self-sacrifice that precede the one hour of perfect rendition when his mastership is applauded. The student knows that years of study, privation, and self-renunciation precede the triumphant day of graduation and honors. Yes, there are clouds of suffering for each one of us, but God says, “I come to you in the thick dark cloud of suffering.” By faith you can see His blessed face in the storm. God has His plan and purpose in all suffering. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

January 01, 2023 Daily Devotion: "Pray and Believe" Mark 11:24 What things so ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe . . . We are to pray in times of adversity, lest we become faithless and unbelieving. We are to pray in times of prosperity, lest we become boastful and proud. We are to pray in times of danger, lest we become fearful and doubting. We need to pray in times of security, lest we become self-sufficient. Sinners, pray to a merciful God for forgiveness. Christians, pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit upon a willful, evil, unrepentant world. Parents, pray that God may crown your home with grace and mercy. Children, pray for the salvation of your parents. Christians, saints of God, pray that the dew of heaven may fall on earth’s dry, thirsty ground, and that righteousness may cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 31, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Peace of Heart" Proverbs 28:14 The Living Bible Translation Blessed is the man who reveres God, but the man who doesn't care is headed for serious trouble.” All Christians believe in God, but many Christians have little time for God. They are too busy with everyday affairs to be taken up with Bible reading, prayer, and being thoughtful to their fellowmen. Many of them have lost the spirit of a zealous discipleship. If you ask them if they are Christians, they would probably answer, “I think so,” or, “I hope so.” They may go to church but otherwise they have little time for God. They have crowded God out of their lives. The Bible warns against neglect of your soul. It is possible to harden your heart and shrivel your soul, until you lose your appetite for the things of God. This hunger, then, that you should have is a desire to be always right with God. It is a consciousness that all searching for peace of heart, except in Him, is in vain. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 30, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Use Your Time Wisely” James 4:14 For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Nothing takes God by surprise. Everything is moving according to a plan, and God wants you in that plan. The devil also has a plan for the world. God has a plan and the devil has a plan, and you will have to decide which plan you are going to fit into. Scripture says that God allows us 70 years and some beyond. The first 15 are spent in childhood and early adolescence. Twenty years are spent in bed, and in the last five, physical limitations start to curtail our activities. That gives us about 30 years in which to live as adults. We take time out for eating, and for figuring our taxes, and we are down to perhaps 15 years. Now suppose we spend seven of those years watching television. That cuts us down to seven or eight years. Our time is short! The time we can invest for God, in creative things, in reaching our fellowmen for Christ, is short! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 29, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Peace may Come" 1 John 5:14 If we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. God has said, “If my people . . . pray . . . then will I hear from heaven.” Before three thousand people were brought into the Church on the day of Pentecost, the disciples had spent ten days in prayer, fasting, and spiritual travail. God desires that Christians be concerned and burdened for a lost world. If we pray this kind of prayer, an era of peace may come to the world and the hordes of wickedness may be turned back. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 28, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Escapism" 2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations . . . and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Thousands of people have made plans to escape from the realities of life. A new word has come into common usage the last few years. That word is “escapism.” The dictionary defines it as “a retreat from reality into an imaginary world.” The escape of imagination. Solomon spoke of the unregenerate heart as one which is inclined to excessive fantasy. The dream world Satan promotes always ends with disillusionment. Thousands of people live in an unreal dream world, while shirking their responsibilities toward their families and toward God. The Bible teaches that with Christ in your heart, you can face the realities of life. Even though they are hard, the grace of God will give you greater joy and pleasure than any dream world to which you try to escape. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 27, 2022 Daily Devotion: “Who and What God Really Is... " Psalm 119:18 The Living Bible Translation Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word. Some, who doubt that the Bible is the true Word of God, doubt it because they are unwilling to ascribe to God anything they cannot themselves achieve. If you have any uncertainty about the inspiration of the Bible, go back and look at it again. Look at it in the light of a person who has been staring at a mud puddle all his life, and who is confronted for the first time by a view of the ocean! Perhaps you are only now catching your first glimpse of God’s unlimited power. Perhaps you are only now beginning to understand Him for what He actually is. For if God is the Spirit There is no problem of providence, there is no problem of His sovereignty in the affairs of men, there is no problem of His inspiration of the men who wrote the Bible. Everything fits into place, once you understand who and what God really is. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 26, 2022 Daily Devotion: “His Plans Are Already Formed" Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the man who trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. The Scriptures predict that a new day is coming. There will be a golden age of prosperity when all perplexing problems-religious, social, or political-will find their complete solution. It will be a marvelous time for this mixed-up world. However, the Bible teaches that man will not bring about this coming golden age. Man alone cannot. The flaw in human nature is too great. Man has no ability to repair this damaged planet. God is our only hope! His plans are already formed, and they are perfectly stated in the Scriptures. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 25, 2022 Daily Devotion: "The Way to Deliverance" Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Man has always been beset by worry, and the pressures of modern life have aggravated the problem. To men of all time Jesus said, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow . . . but seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33-34). Many of you are filled with a thousand anxieties. Bring them to Jesus Christ by faith. He will bring peace to your soul and your mind. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 24, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Saving Faith” Romans 10:9 if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. The heart is the blood-pump of the body. It is also used metaphorically when we speak of affections and feelings. Since it is the central organ of the body and one of the most vital, the Bible speaks of it as the well spring of life. We can believe in that Jesus, but if we have “saving faith” our belief must involve our whole being. When we believe with all our hearts, the will, the emotions, and the intellect are If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 23, 2022 Daily Devotion: "The God of Breakthrough" Hebrews 13:20,21 The Living Bible Translation may the God of peace . . . produce in you through the power of Christ all that is pleasing to him . . . In the revelation that God established between Himself and us, we can find a new life and a new dimension of living, but we must “tune in.” There are higher levels of living to which we have never attained. There is peace, satisfaction, and joy that we have never experienced. God is trying to break through to us. The heavens are calling. God is speaking! Let man hear. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 22, 2022 Daily Devotion: "The Christian Hour of Decision" Psalm 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee . . . Nothing can take the place of a daily devotional life with Christ. Your quiet time, your prayer time, the time you spend in the Word, is absolutely essential for a happy Christian life. You cannot possibly be a happy, dynamic, and powerful Christian apart from a daily walk with Christ. Christ is calling Christians today to cleansing, to dedication, to consecration, and to full surrender. It will make the difference between success and failure in your spiritual life. It will make the difference between being helped and helping others. It will make a difference in your habits, in your prayer life, in your Bible reading, in your giving, in your testimony, and in your church membership. This is the Christian hour of decision! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 21, 2022 Daily Devotion: "With All Sincerity" Ephesians 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Certain relationships in life require from the parties involved only moderate degrees of devotion. A certain degree of reserve and distance seems to be suitable in such relations as these. But there are other relationships in life where all this is changed when friendship becomes love. Two hearts give themselves to each other to be no longer two, but one. Instead of being separated, their interest and paths are now together. The reserve and the distance suitable to mere friendships is fatal in real love. Love gives all and must have all in return. The wishes of the other party become binding obligations; and the deepest desire of each heart is to know every secret wish and longing of the other, in order that it may do all in its power to gratify those desires. Is that the kind of love, affection, and obedience you have for Christ? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 20, 2022 Daily Devotion: "The Manifestation" 1 John 3:21 The Living Bible Translation we can come to the Lord with perfect assurance and trust . . . The Bible teaches that faith will manifest itself in three ways. It will manifest itself in doctrine—in what you believe. It will manifest itself in worship—your communion with God and the fellowship of the church. It will manifest itself in morality—in the way you live and behave. . . . The Bible also teaches that faith does not end with trust in Christ for your salvation. Faith continues. Faith grows. It may be weak at first, but it will become stronger as you begin to read the Bible, pray, go to church, and experience God’s faithfulness in your Christian life. You will learn more and more how to rely on Christ for every need, in meeting every circumstance, and every trial. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 19, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Hope" Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope . . . One of the best ways to get rid of discouragement is to remember that Christ is coming again. The most thrilling, glorious truth in all the world is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. When we look around and see pessimism on every side, we should remember the Bible is the only Book in the world that predicts the future. The Bible is more modern than tomorrow morning’s newspaper. The Bible accurately foretells the future, and it says that the consummation of all things shall be the coming again of Jesus Christ to this earth. If your life is dismal, depressed, and gloomy today, Christ can turn those dark clouds inside out. The sunlight of His love can still shine into the darkest part of your life. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 18,2022 Daily Devotion: "New dimension, A New Direction, and A New Power in Life" Psalm 61:2 When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. When you become a Christian, it doesn’t mean that you will live on a perpetual “high.” The Psalmist David went down to the very depths, and so did the Apostle Paul. But in the midst of all circumstances God’s grace, peace, and joy are there. The tears will still come, the pressures will be felt, and so will the temptations. But there is a new dimension, a new direction, and a new power in life to face the circumstances in which you live. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 17, 2022 Daily Devotion: "God Has Equations and Rules in the Spiritual” Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust . . . The trouble with our modern thinking is that we have a conception that God is a haphazard God with no set rules of life and salvation. Ask the astronomer if God is a haphazard God. He will tell you that every star moves with precision in its celestial path. Ask the scientist if God is a haphazard God. He will tell you that His formulas and equations are fixed, and that to ignore the laws of science would be a fool’s folly. If the laws in the material realm are so fixed and exact, is it reasonable that God could afford to be haphazard in the spiritual realm, where eternal destinies of souls are at stake? Just as God has equations and rules in the material realm, God has equations and rules in the spiritual. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 16, 2022 Daily Devotion: "The Binding Obligation" Ephesians 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Certain relationships in life require from the parties involved only moderate degrees of devotion. A certain degree of reserve and distance seems to be suitable in such relations as these. But there are other relationships in life where all this is changed when friendship becomes love. Two hearts give themselves to each other to be no longer two, but one. Instead of being separated, their interest and paths are now together. The reserve and the distance suitable to mere friendships is fatal in real love. Love gives all and must have all in return. The wishes of the other party become binding obligations; and the deepest desire of each heart is to know every secret wish and longing of the other, in order that it may do all in its power to gratify those desires. Is that the kind of love, affection, and obedience you have? --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 15, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Think Before We Speak..." James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. The problems of the world could be solved overnight if men could get victory over their tongues. Suppose there was no anger, no profanity, no lying, no grumbling or complaining; suppose there were no dirty stories told, no unjust criticism—what a different world this would be! The Bible teaches that a man who can control his tongue can control his whole personality. We should ask ourselves three questions before we speak: Is it true? Is it kind? Does it glorify Christ? If we would always think before we speak, there would be much less evil speaking, and there would soon be a spiritual awakening that would sweep the church. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 14, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Invest Wisely... " Ephesians 5:16 Redeeming the time . . . We are stewards of our time. God has given each one of us a little “chunk of eternity” called time. These golden moments of opportunity are doled out to us for our benefit and for God’s glory. If we use them wisely, they are woven by God’s omnipotent hand into the fabric of eternity. You cannot kill time without injuring eternity. He who has no vision of eternity, has no hold on time.” “Only one life, will soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last” is the sentiment of every man who desires to be a good steward of his time. We are entrusted with a small portion of the capital of time. If we invest it wisely, it will pay dividends throughout eternity. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 13, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Transform you from the inside out" John 11:40 Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? If you are a young man or young woman hooked on dissent or despair, ready to split, then lend me your attention. My answer concerns your dreams, and the element in your make-up called “faith.” All that God requires of anyone in taking his first step toward Him and toward total self-fulfillment is faith—faith in His Word, that teaches to believe that you were alienated from Him by sin, that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you, that when you make a personal surrender to Him as Lord and Savior, He can transform you from the inside out. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 12, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Divine love, like a reflected sunbeam" 1 John 2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light… This age in which we live could hardly be described as conducive to a sensitiveness of the needs of others. We have developed a veneer of sophistication and hardness. Abraham Lincoln once said, characteristically, “I am sorry for the man who can’t feel the whip when it is laid on the other man’s back.” Much of the world is calloused and indifferent toward mankind’s poverty and distress. This is due largely to the fact that for many people there has never been a rebirth. The love of God has never been shed abroad in their hearts. Many people speak of the social gospel as though it were separate and apart from the redemptive Gospel. The truth is: there is only one Gospel. We must be redeemed, we must be made right with God before we can become sensitive to the needs of others. Divine love, like a reflected sunbeam, shines down before it radiates out. Unless our hearts are conditioned by the Holy Spirit to receive and reflect the warmth of God’s compassion, we cannot love our fellowmen as we ought. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 11, 2022 Daily Devotion: "A Friend... " Proverbs 18:24 There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. How many lonely people there are today! God did not create man to live in miserable inner loneliness. In that first Eden, God Himself came down to keep the man He had made from being lonely. One of the most heartening things Jesus said to His disciples was, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). He came to restore fellowship between man and God, and to take away human loneliness. Jesus Christ will take away loneliness from your soul. He will be your companion and friend. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 10, 2022 Daily Devotion: "What Makes You Tick? " Ephesians 3:17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith. Experts have told us that society is sick. Their solutions have treated human frailty with infusions of low-income housing, welfare payments, integrated education, and psychological conditioning. But we are learning that this is not the total answer. The world does need changing, society needs changing, the nation needs changing, but we never will change it until we ourselves are changed. And we never will change until we look into the mirror of our own soul and face with candor what we are inside. Then freely acknowledge that there is a defect in human nature, a built-in waywardness that comes from man’s natural rebellion against God. I am not preaching now, just trying to give you an understanding of what makes you tick. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 09, 2022 Daily Devotion: "The Naked Truth" Psalm 51:6 The Living Bible Translation You deserve honesty from the heart; yes, utter sincerity and truthfulness. Oh, give me this wisdom. The Bible teaches that purity of conduct includes truthfulness. The Bible teaches that we should be truthful in our representation of ourselves. With what scorn Christ denounced the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees! In the Sermon on the Mount He rebuked all hypocritical giving, praying, and fasting. We should also be truthful in speaking of our past achievements in our particular vocation. God does not ask us to understate the facts—that might even be untruthfulness—but neither does He want us to overrate our achievements or our gifts, either in thought or in speech. A lie is anything contrary to the naked truth. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 08, 2022 Daily Devotion: "The Unspeakable Gift" Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born . . . and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. To Christians the joy of Christmas is not limited to His birth. It is built even more on the triumph of His death and resurrection—that gave meaning to His birth. The mysterious spirit of generosity which possesses us at Christmas is the afterglow of Calvary. The fact of the cross illuminates this day and hallows it. As we exchange our gifts, let us remember that they are symbolic of the unspeakable gift of God’s love. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 07, 2022 Daily Devotion: "The Sword of the Spirit" Proverbs 13:13 The Living Bible Translation Despise God's Word and find yourself in trouble. Obey it and succeed. As Christians, we have the Spirit of God in us. But ours is the responsibility to keep sin out of our lives so that the Spirit can produce His fruit in us. Become grounded in the Bible. As Christians, we have only one authority, one compass: the Word of God. Abraham Lincoln in a letter to a friend said, “I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance upon faith. You will live and die a better man.” Begin the day with the Book; and as the day comes to a close, let the Word speak its wisdom to your soul. Let it be the firm foundation upon which your hope is built. Let it be the Staff of Life upon which your spirit is nourished. Let it be the Sword of the Spirit which cuts away the evil of your life and fashions you in His image and likeness. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 06, 2022 Daily Devotion: "The Code Book" Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Time is running out. The seconds are ticking away toward midnight. The human race is about to take the fatal plunge. Which way shall we turn? Is there any authority left? Is there a path we can follow? Can we find a code book that will give us the key to our dilemmas? Is there any source of authority to which we can turn? Have we just been placed here by some unknown creator or force without any clue as to where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going? The answer is “no.” We do have a code book. We do have a key. We do have authoritative source material. It is found in the ancient and historic Book we call the Bible. This Book has come down to us through the ages. It has passed through so many hands, appeared in so many forms-and survived attack of every kind. Neither barbaric vandalism nor civilized scholarship has touched it. Neither the burning of fire nor the laughter of skepticism has accomplished its annihilation. Through the many dark ages of man its glorious promises have survived unchanged.4 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 05, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Only One Who Conquered Death" Luke 24:6 He is not here, but is risen. Something distinguishes Christianity from all the religions of the world. Not only does it carry the truth of the redemption, by the death of our Savior for our sins on the cross, but it carries the fact that Christ rose again. Only the Christian faith claims that its Leader died and rose again and is alive at this moment. Many gravestones carry the inscription, “Here lies . . . ,” but on Christ’s tomb are emblazoned the words, “He is not here.” Christianity has no shrines to visit, no dusty remains to venerate, no tombs at which to worship. Many good men have lived, and still live, in the memory of those who knew them, but there is only one Man who conquered death—Jesus Christ—and He will live forever. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 04, 2022 Daily Devotion: "The Pleasure That Runs Deep" Acts 13:52 The disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost. The Bible speaks of three kinds of pleasure. There is lustful pleasure, the lust of the flesh, and Scripture says it is sinful and wrong. There is legitimate pleasure, which is not wrong, but we are not to become so preoccupied with its activities that it takes the place of God. Then there is a third kind of pleasure, lasting pleasure. Do you have that kind? It does not depend on circumstances or feelings. It is the pleasure that runs deep and comes from the Spirit of God. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 03, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Everyday Process... " 1 Corinthians 3:1 The Living Bible Translation Dear brothers, I have been talking to you as though you were still just babies in the Christian life . . . Some people have received Christ but have never reached spiritual maturity. They have been in church all their lives, and yet they have never become mature Christians. They are still considered “spiritual children” and “babes in Christ.” They know little Scripture. They have little desire to pray, and bear few of the marks of a Christian in their daily living. To say, “I will resolve to do better, I will muster all my will power and revise my way of living,” is noble, but futile. A corpse could as well say, “I will-through sheer effort-rise out of this coffin and be a living man again.” You need a power outside yourself. You cannot get over the habits and chains that are binding you. You need outside help. You need Christ. The Bible tells of a bridge of faith which reaches from the valley of despair to the high hills of glorious hope in Christ. It tells where we are, but beyond that-it tells where we may be in Christ. Now, of course, you will not be completely mature until you are in the presence of Christ, but you should be growing every day as a Christian. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

December 02, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Total Surrender" John 11:40 Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? If you are a young man or young woman hooked on dissent or despair, ready to split, then lend me your attention. My answer concerns your dreams, and the element in your make-up called “faith.” All that God requires of anyone in taking his first step toward Him and toward total self-fulfillment is faith—faith in His Word, that you were alienated from Him by sin, that He died on the cross for you, that when you make a personal surrender to Him as Lord and Savior, He can transform you from the inside out. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 30, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Unity is the key to Victory" John 15:12 Love one another, as I have loved you. As I study the subject of “separation” in the Old and New Testaments, I discover that the weight of Scripture lies in the direction of fellowship rather than separation. What is the great overwhelming evidence that we have passed from death unto life? It is love! Jesus Christ clearly was speaking of visible unity; such as can be seen by the world. His motive for praying was that the world might believe and the world might know. He prayed for unity among believers. God, who wills man’s unity in Christ, is a God of variety. So often we want everyone to be the same—to think and speak and believe as we do. Many Scripture passages could be called to witness that love is the real key to Christian unity. In the spirit of true humility, compassion, consideration, and unselfishness, we are to approach our problems, our work, and even our differences. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 29, 2022 Daily Devotion: "The Law" Galatians 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. When God gave the law, He knew that man was incapable of keeping it. Many persons are confused as to why God gave the law, if He knew man could not possibly keep it. The Bible teaches that the law was given as a mirror; I look into the law and see my spiritual condition. I see how far short I come, and this drives me to the cross of Christ for forgiveness. The Bible teaches that this is why Christ came—to redeem them that were under the law. Man could not keep the law; he was condemned by the law. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 28, 2022 Daily Devotion: "A Living Soul" Psalm 33:20 Our soul waiteth for the Lord . . . I am a soul—and I have a body! The body is the house in which the soul lives. In this materialistic age we often forget that the real, the abiding part of us is invisible. Much time, money, and effort are expended to perpetuate the physical part of us, and too many are unconcerned about their spiritual health and nurture. Hence doctors’ offices are overcrowded. When God created man, He made him distinctive, different from the other animals. “He breathed into him the breath of life and man became a living soul.” He clothed him with intelligence, conscience, and a will. He made him like Himself—a companion, a friend of God. At the resurrection, this mortal shall put on immortality, and we shall be like Him, and be with Him forever. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 27, 2022 Daily Devotion: “The Internal Revenue Service” Luke 12:42 And the Lord said, who then is that faithful and wise steward . . . It is not wrong for men to possess riches. But the Bible warns that money cannot buy happiness! Money cannot buy true pleasure. Money cannot buy peace of heart. And money certainly cannot buy entrance into the Kingdom of God. Often money is a hindrance to these things. Money takes our minds off God. Riches, when used selfishly rather than for the glory of God, tend to corrupt in our hands. Money cannot be a substitute for God. If God has given you more wealth than your neighbors, dedicate it to Christ. Realize that you are only a steward of that which God has given you and some day you will have to give an account of every penny you have spent. The Internal Revenue Service wants a record of how you spend your money, but that is nothing compared to the books God is keeping. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 26, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Worship in Particular Place and in Particular Time” Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together . . . I will not argue with you about nature inspiring thoughts of God. David said, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” But at the same time, I would give you no comfort about absenting yourself from the house of God. The Bible says, “Christ loved the Church and gave Himself for it.” If our Lord loved it enough to die for it, then we should respect it enough to support and attend it. I like what Theodore Roosevelt once said, “You may worship God anywhere, at any time, but the chances are that you will not do so unless you have first learned to worship Him somewhere in some particular place, at some particular time.” --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 25, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Putting Less Confidence in Ourselves" Lamentations 3:40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Our modern philosophy of self-reliance and self-sufficiency has caused many to believe that we can make the grade without God. “Religion,” they argue, “may be all right for certain emotional people, but you can’t beat a man who believes in himself.” But this self-confident generation has produced more alcoholics, more dope addicts, more criminals, more wars, more broken homes, more assaults, more embezzlements, more murders, and more suicides than any other generation that ever lived. It is time for all of us to take stock of our failures, blunders, and costly mistakes. It is about time that we are putting less confidence in ourselves and more trust and faith in God. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 24, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Mourning to Joy" Psalm 34:18 The Living Bible Translation The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins. In God’s economy, you must go down into the valley of grief before you can scale the heights of spiritual glory. You must become tired and weary of living alone before you seek and find the fellowship of Christ. You must come to the end of self before you begin to live. The mourning of inadequacy is a weeping that catches the attention of God. The Bible says, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” The happiest day of my life was when I realized that my own ability, my own goodness, and my own morality was insufficient in the sight of God; and I publicly and openly acknowledged my need of Christ. I am not exaggerating when I say that my mourning was turned to joy, and my sighing into singing. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 23, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Stand Still" Psalm 52:8 The Living Bible Translation I am like a sheltered olive tree protected by the Lord himself. I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. Turn to your Bible and read the wonderful stories of men who were alone in godless surroundings but who, by the help and presence of the living God, made a marvelous contribution to their own times. Joseph was surrounded by sin and intrigue in Egypt. His master’s wife tried to seduce him. He was tested by imprisonment, but through it all he trusted in God and sought to know and do His will; and he stands today as a wonderful example of the keeping and strengthening power of God in the heart of a man who believed in Him. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 22, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Unity in Christ" John 15:12 Love one another, as I have loved you. As I study the subject of “separation” in the Old and New Testaments, I discover that the weight of Scripture lies in the direction of fellowship rather than separation. What is the great overwhelming evidence that we have passed from death unto life? It is love! Jesus Christ clearly was speaking of visible unity; such as can be seen by the world. His motive for praying was that the world might believe and the world might know. He prayed for unity among believers. God, who wills man’s unity in Christ, is a God of variety. So often we want everyone to be the same—to think and speak and believe as we do. Many Scripture passages could be called to witness that love is the real key to Christian unity. In the spirit of true humility, compassion, consideration, and unselfishness, we are to approach our problems, our work, and even our differences --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 21, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Fit for the Master’s Service” James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God . . . You have a tongue and a voice. These instruments of speech can be used destructively or employed constructively. You can use your tongue to slander, to gripe, to scold, to nag, and to quarrel; or you can bring it under the control of God’s Spirit and make it an instrument of blessing and praise. The 20th-century version of James 3:3 says, “When we put bits into the horses’ mouths to make them obey us, we control the rest of their bodies also.” Just so, when we submit to the claims of Christ upon our lives, our untamed natures are brought under His control. We become meek, tamed, and “fit for the Master’s service.” --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 20, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Deformity Precedes Conformity" 2 Corinthians 12:9 Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. God is especially close to us when we are lying on a sickbed. God will make the bed soft and will freshen it with His presence and with His tender care. He makes the bed comfortable and wipes away our tears. He ministers to us with special tenderness at such a time and reveals His great love for us. Tell me why the gardener trims and prunes his rosebushes, sometimes cutting away productive branches, and I will tell you why God’s people are afflicted. God’s hand never slips. He never makes a mistake. His every move is for our own good and for our ultimate good. Oftentimes He must deform us and mutilate our own image. Deformity sometimes precedes conformity. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 19, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Invest for God... " James 4:14 For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Nothing takes God by surprise. Everything is moving according to a plan, and God wants you in that plan. The devil also has a plan for the world. God has a plan and the devil has a plan, and you will have to decide which plan you are going to fit into. Scripture says that God allows us 70 years and some beyond. The first 15 are spent in childhood and early adolescence. Twenty years are spent in bed, and in the last five, physical limitations start to curtail our activities. That gives us about 30 years in which to live as adults. We take time out for eating, and for figuring our taxes, and we are down to perhaps 15 years. Now suppose we spend seven of those years watching television. That cuts us down to seven or eight years. Our time is short! The time we can invest for God, in creative things, in reaching our fellowmen for Christ, is short! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 18, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Keeping and Strengthening the Power Of God. " Psalm 52:8 The Living Bible Translation I am like a sheltered olive tree protected by the Lord himself. I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. Turn to your Bible and read the wonderful stories of men who were alone in godless surroundings but who, by the help and presence of the living God, made a marvelous contribution to their own times. Joseph was surrounded by sin and intrigue in Egypt. His master’s wife tried to seduce him. He was tested by imprisonment, but through it all he trusted in God and sought to know and do His will; and he stands today as a wonderful example of the keeping and strengthening power of God in the heart of a man who believed in Him. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 17, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Gifts from God" Psalm 85:12 Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. The great economic and material prosperity we are enjoying today is a gift of God’s hand. The Bible tells us that the very goodness of God should lead us to repentance. All of these material blessings are gifts from God, given in order that we might humble ourselves, fall upon our knees before Him, and call upon His name. We should thank God, too, for the spiritual blessings that are beyond the power of the human tongue to describe. We have the opportunity to share the Gospel. God has blessed us with a thousand and one spiritual blessings. In days of uncertainty and confusion, such as we are now passing through, these are gifts that go beyond our power to understand; and yet they are gifts of God that become ours when we receive Him. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 16, 2022 Daily Devotion: "The True Joy of a Christian Living ..." 2 Corinthians 9:7 God loveth a cheerful giver. The greatest blessing of giving is not on the financial side of the ledger but on the spiritual side. You receive a sense of being honest with God. You receive a consciousness that you are in partnership with God—that you are doing something constructive—that you are working with Him to reach the world for Jesus Christ. You are also enabled to hold on to this world’s goods loosely because the eternal values are always in view. How do you give? Is it liberally and cheerfully? Or is it sparingly and grudgingly? If you have been giving God the leftovers of your substance and your life, you have been missing the true joy and blessing of Christian giving and living. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 15, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Pray, Believe, Receive... " Matthew 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Prayer is a two-way conversation; it is our talking to God, and His talking to us. As a Christian, you have a heavenly Father who hears and answers prayer. Jesus said, “All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Every man or woman whose life has counted for the church and the Kingdom of God has been a person of prayer. You cannot afford to be too busy to pray. A prayer less Christian is a powerless Christian. Jesus Christ spent many hours in prayer. If He felt that He had to pray, how much more do we need to pray! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 14, 2022 Daily Devotion: "Deny and Follow..." Isaiah 26:3 The Living Bible Translation He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord! You have an ego - a consciousness of being an individual. Of course, you do. But that doesn’t mean that you are to worship yourself, to think constantly of yourself, and to live entirely for yourself. Common sense tells you that your life would be miserable if you followed that course. God is infinitely more concerned about your happiness than you could possibly be. He says, “Deny yourself, and follow me.” There is many a person in the insane asylum today who thought excessively about himself, to the exclusion of God and others. Hypochondriacs who have a fanciful anxiety about their health will never be well, regardless of their physical condition. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 13, 2022 Daily Devotion: "His Purity Still Shows Up Our Impurities" Luke 23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him . . . One of the ironies of human nature is that it often has a way of rejecting the best and accepting the worst. Why did the crowd ask for the release of Barabbas and the crucifixion of Jesus? The answer is in the biblical statement, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” Jesus is just as divine today and just as much alive. Yet millions today don’t accept Him. His goodness is still a rebuke to our badness; His purity still shows up our impurities; His sinlessness still reveals our sinfulness; and unless we allow Him to destroy the evil within us, the evil within us still wants to destroy Him. This is the conflict of the ages. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 12, 2022 Daily Devotion: "The Fulfillment of His Plan... " Psalm 37:5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. To know the will of God is the highest of all wisdom. Living in the center of God’s will rules out all falseness of religion and puts the stamp of true sincerity upon our service to God. You can be miserable with much, if you are out of His will; but you can have peace in your heart with little, if you are in the will of God. You can be wretched with wealth and fame, out of His will; but you can have joy in obscurity, if you are in the will of God. You can have agony in good health, out of His will; but you can be happy in the midst of suffering, if you are in God’s will. You can be miserable and defeated in the midst of acclaim, if you are out of His will; but you can be calm and at peace in the midst of persecution, as long as you are in the will of God. The Bible reveals that God has a plan for every life, and that if we live in constant fellowship with Him, He will direct and lead us in the fulfillment of this plan. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message

November 11, 2022 Daily Devotion: “The Mystery of the Gospel” Ephesians 6:19 “that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.” The word “mystery” means beyond human knowledge or understanding. God’s mysteries baffle the unbelieving, but bless the believer. The mystery of righteousness, like some of the other great mysteries of God, we cannot comprehend, but we know it works. We stand amazed at this great mystery which enables God to change the human heart, its attitudes, its desires, and its nature. God, a holy God, who loves righteousness and hates wickedness, through a process of redemption has refashioned us in the image of Himself. How marvelous! For generations He has been applying His righteousness to the hearts of men. Even in our time, with its complexities of living, God is in the business of changing men and women by the mystery of righteousness. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerzon-etino/message