NO TESTS?

Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction  produces endurance… – Romans 5:3

Can you imagine going through school without ever taking exams?
      “That would be heaven!” you might say.
       True, but do you think you would learn as much?
       The purpose of having exams is to test our knowledge. It forces us to review and make sure that we understand and retain lessons. It’s the same thing when it comes to the trials we encounter in life. When I was a baby Christian, my understanding of a victorious life in Christ meant that the Lord would shield me from suffering, sorrow and disappointment.
       How wrong I was!
       With that mistaken notion, you can just imagine how devastated I was when things  didn’t go according to how I had prayed. When loved ones got sick...when family members died...when something our community had fervently prayed for and believed in didn’t materialize.
       As I matured in my faith walk, I realized that troubles and trials were a necessary part of growing in the Lord. Devotional writer Oswald Chambers explains, “God does not give us overcoming life: He gives us life as we overcome. The strain is the strength.” Rissa S.

REFLECTION:
“When written in Chinese, the word ‘crisis’ is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.” (John F. Kennedy)

Lord, I know that I will have trouble in this world. But I take heart because You have overcome the world. Amen.

P S A L M 

Psalm 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R: O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!

3 [4] When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you set in place — 4 [5] what is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him? (R) 5 [6] You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 [7] You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet. (R) 7 [8] All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, 8 [9] the birds of the air, the fishes of the sea, and whatever swims the paths of the seas. (R)

2nd READING

Romans 5:1-5

“Nothing comes from nothing” is a very ancient adage that we should never forget. Paul alludes to this in today’s Second Reading when he tells us that God’s love through suffering brings patience, then endurance and finally the sure hope of salvation. We also see from this text that God’s grace builds on our human experience, including even something as negative as suffering! Let us never lose hope no matter how dark our experience may be because we can be sure that somehow God is working for our good.
 
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our LORD Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, 4 and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

G O S P E L

John 16:12-15

The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of truth and there is no doubt in my mind that we need His help as much as at any other time in history. The world stands at the crossroads of a decision to globalize everything or not. It will work to globalize some aspects of the world’s existence and not others. This would result in irreconcilable conflict between cultures. On the other hand, to globalize completely means a world without any real borders where trade and labor are free to find their own status quo. Is the world ready for such a reality? It remains to be seen what choices we will make. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us upon the right path.

12 Jesus:“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. 13 But when he comes, the Spirit of Truth, he will guide you to all Truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”
  
my reflections
think: The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of truth.

________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

________________________________________________________

 T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

_______________________________________________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Psalm 82-89

SABBATH PAUSE

My weekly time with God

THANK YOU LIST

Things to be grateful for from the past week

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

SPECIAL NEEDS

Things to ask God for in the coming week

________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

HIDDEN TREASURE

Most important word God told me this week

________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________