From the book “Seeing the Unseen: A Daily Dose of Eternal Perspective” by Randy Alcorn
Blessed 2021 sa inyo pong lahat and I truly praise the Lord that I could go back again to doing this daily devotions para po sa inyo. I hope you had a meaningful and very reflective, at contemplative at seryosong pagdiriwang ng Pasko at ng Bagong Taon.
Kagaya ng sinabi natin sa mga nakaraan natin na pagsasama-sama, be it in our devotions or in our preachings, isa sa palagay ko ang ginawa sa atin ng 2020 or ung pangyayari sa 2020 is that it captured our attention and it has led us to understand na ang buhay natin ay sandali lang talaga. Because chances are we probably know of someone or maaaring kamag-anak, kaibigan or mga mahal sa buhay or acquaintance lamang na directly na naapektuhan ng COVID virus or some of them may have gotten well and we praise the Lord for that. But some may have gotten worse and some may have died. Sa church natin meron po tayong mga kapatiran na in one way or another was directly affected by COVID-19, and they, sa katalinuhan ng ating Panginoong Diyos was translated and promoted to glory.
Bakit ko sinasabi ito? Kadalasan kasi pag may mga nangyayaring ganito sa buhay natin, sa aking palagay, this should indeed catch our attention and focus on what really matters the most. Ito pong pag uusap natin is just the introductory discussion of what we are gonna use for our daily devotion starting tomorrow or ngayon and Lord willing, sa mga susunod pang mga araw. Ang atin pong gustong tignan is tayong lahat ay may eternal perspective sa mga nangyayaring ito.
Yes, we go through some struggles, we go through some difficulties, pero I pray deep in my heart na as we go through these situations that we would have an eternal perspective. Kaya po ang ating gagamitin na devotional material, I’ve been looking for one that would be helpful for all of us. And then I came across andito pala sa library ko, sa mga books ko, itong book/devotion material ni Randy Alcorn which is entitled Seeing the Unseen: A daily dose of eternal perspective.
If you know Randy Alcorn, he’s the one who wrote the book Heaven. And so, sa introductory pages nitong deovotion, he goes on to say ang life verse daw nya is 2 Corinthians 4:18.
Let me read to you 2 Corinthians 4:18,
“while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:18 NASB
Sabing ganun ni Randy Alcorn, ano bang ibig sabihin nun? What is the bible telling us to focus on? The things that are unseen. Definitely, he’s telling us to focus on eternity. We are commanded, instructed to focus on the spiritual aspect of our lives. Kasi importante nating makita na kahit mga believers we still can get corrupt with the things that are going on.
And so, sabi ganun sa atin dito, we need to have an eternal perspective on everything. Ang buhay po natin nag-ma-matter dito sa mundong ito, life here on earth matters because hindi ito ang buhay lamang. Ibig sabihin po, it does not end and begin or begin and end just here. It is the beginning of life and will continue on without end because we are eternal beings, we were made for eternity. Therefore, depende lang yun kung saan ka mag-i-spend ng eternity. Would it be with God or would be in eternal torment. Eternal life begins now. It does not begin when we die. It begins now. So dapat tayo, meron tayong eternal perspective, that we have heaven in view, that we would have a longing for eternity.
Bakit mahalaga yun? Kasi if we have an eternal view as we live our lives whether you are building a table or you are a carpenter or nagkukumpuni ka ng mga bagay sa bahay ninyo or maaaring bus driver or grab driver kayo or maaaring gardener or maaaring accountant. Whatever it is that you are doing. Maybe you are a full time mom. Whatever it is that you are doing, if we would have an eternal view or eternal perspective, then alam natin lahat ng ginagawa natin sa mundong ito are investments in God’s kingdom. So therefore, whether we eat or drink, we do everything for the glory of God. Kasi alam natin God is eternal, His place is eternal, His word is eternal and we are people na itatalaga and tinalaga para sa eternity.
And I pray na sana po as we look at this devotional, we would indeed have a daily dose of eternal perspective sa buhay natin.
So sabi ni Randy Alcorn, when we live with eternity in view, even washing dishes and repairing carburetors becomes an investment in God’s plan. When we view our short today in light of eternity’s long tomorrow, even the little choices that we do becomes very very important. Kasi alam natin after we die we will never have another chance to share Christ. So therefore, if we have that mindset, that if you are indeed believers then everything that you do should be for the glory of God, should be for declaring God’s excellencies, should be to live out and speak forth the gospel.
So ang dalangin ng puso ko mga kapatid as we start officially our devotion tomorrow, that we would have that perspective.
2020 had been rough but I praise the Lord because it has caused us to sit down and have a time to be in the word. And Lord willing, it has gripped your heart into the realization that “Hey, everything that we see here, everything that we go through are just temporal” therefore we should invest in eternity.
So ito po ang dalangin ko para sa atin. It is my desire that we would all, as we look at Scripture, as we marvel at the genius of Scripture, sama sama natin pag-aralan itong devotion na ito. That everyday we would have an eternal perspective. Everyday would be an investment towards God’s kingdom.
Everyday, if you are not a believer yet, would be an encouragement for you, a challenge for you, a conviction for you. Hey, you are eternal beings. You are here now but afterwhich you would go on in eternity. Depende lang kung saan ka mag-i-spend ng eternity. Would it be spending eternity with Christ in heaven or would it be spending eternity in hell. Ito po ang desire ng heart ko, so samahan nyo po ako daily, Lord willing, sa ating pag-aaral ng devotional na ito.
So let’s pray, again this is just an introductory material. Gusto ko lang i-introduce sa inyo ang ating pag-aaralan. Sama-sama nating yayakapin everyday, para sa ating daily devotions. Pray tayo.
Lord we thank you for 2020. Alam po naming hindi ka nagkamali. We know for sure Lord that you were, have been and will always be faithful to your people. Dalangin po namin Panginoong Diyos as we look forward and as we live our lives now in 2021, that we would have a different perspective, Lord. That we would have an eternal perspective on everything, that we would live our lives as if they are investments and they are, Lord, para po sa inyong kaharian. That everything that we do, maliit man ito o malaki would be gospel-centered upang sa ganoon Panginoong Diyos ang amin pong buhay sa lupang ito has indeed been Lord lives na meron pong pag-yakap sa eternity. And Lord we pray that you would be with us and open our hearts and mind sa inyo pong pangangaral sa maiiksing mga pag-sasama namin everyday. Sa pangalan mo Hesus, ito ang aming dalangin. Amen at amen.
Again, happy new year and I hope to see you tomorrow as we officially begin our daily devotions “Seeing the Unseen: A daily dose of eternal perspective”.
Until then, ingat po kayo. I’ll see you all, Lord willing, sa mga gatherings natin. Be sure to register for that. God Bless you. Ingat po kayo.
Our devotion comes from the book:
Seeing the Unseen: A Daily Dose of Eternal Perspective by Randy Alcorn
Reach through the fog of this life… and see the world beyond. From the author of the bestselling book Heaven, here are 60 meditations that will inspire you to live each day with an eternal perspective. Spiritually speaking, we live in the Country of the Blind. Sin has blinded us to the truth about God and Heaven, both of which are real yet unseen. But just as the physically blind must accept by faith there are stars in the sky, we must remind ourselves what Scripture tells us about eternal realities. In daily doses, author Randy Alcorn offers insights on the Christian life along with Scriptures and inspirational quotes that can transform the way you think and live today. It’s time to open your eyes – and see the unseen. (Excerpt from Amazon)