Your Daily Dose

Proverbs 15:27 NIV
The greedy bring ruin to their households, but the one who hates bribes will live.

Kawikaan 15:27 ASD
Ang taong yumaman sa masamang paraan ay nagdudulot ng kaguluhan sa kanyang sambahayan. Mabubuhay naman nang matagal ang taong hindi nasusuhulan.

THE TRUTH ABOUT THREE (3) KINGS DAY CELEBRATION OR THE FEAST OF EPIPHANY CELEBRATION

Three Kings Day Celebration also known as " The Feast Of Epiphany".

Three Kings Celebration or The feast of Epiphany celebration is celebrated on January 6th, commemorates the revelation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, symbolized by the Magi's visit. It marks the end of the Christmas season in Roman catholic traditions.

The celebration of Three Kings Day is rooted in the biblical story of the Magi, but it's important to understand the nuances of how this event is portrayed in the Bible and how it evolved into a holiday.

∆ THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT OF THE MAGI
The story of the Magi is found in the Gospel of Matthew, specifically in chapter 2:1-12.
The Bible describes them as "wise men from the east" who followed a star, believed to be the Star of Bethlehem, to find the newborn Jesus.
They presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, symbolic of his kingship, divinity, and future suffering, respectively.

∆ IS THE MAGI WERE KINGS?
While often referred to as "3 KINGS," the Bible doesn't state that they were royalty.
The term "MAGI" (Magus singular) in the original Greek refers to "WISE MEN", possibly astrologers or astronomers from Persia. They were known for their knowledge of the stars and their ability to interpret celestial events.

∆ THE NUMBER OF MAGI
The number of Magi is unknown.
The Bible doesn't specify how many Magi there were. The number three likely stems from the three gifts mentioned, but the number of gifts does not exactly reflect the number of Magi were there.

∆ WHEN WERE THE MAGI VISITED BY THE BABY JESUS?
Their visit was not on the night of Jesus' birth. The Bible states they visited Jesus in a house, not in a stable, suggesting their arrival was some time after his birth, opposite to what we traditionally know.

∆ THE EVOLUTION OF THREE KINGS DAY
While the biblical account of the Magi is short, it has had a profound impact on Catholic tradition.
Over time, various customs and traditions associated with Epiphany developed, including the "rosca de reyes" (king cake) in Latin America, parades in Spain, and the tradition of children leaving shoes out for the Magi to fill with gifts.

∆ IS THREE KINGS DAY or THE FEAST OF EPIPHANY BIBLICAL?
While the celebration of Three Kings Day or The Feast Of Epiphany is based on a biblical event, the Bible doesn't explicitly instruct or command the Christians to celebrate it.

∆ THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MAGI'S JOURNEY, VISIT AND GIFTS
The Magi's journey was significant. They traveled a great distance, likely from Persia, to find Jesus, demonstrating their faith and devotion.
The Magi's journey and their gifts serve as a powerful reminder of the universality of God's love and the importance of seeking out the truth, no matter the cost.
It's a testament to the enduring power of faith and the human desire to find meaning and purpose in the world.

‭‭DEUTERONOMY‬ ‭28:1‭-‬3‬, 5-6, 8, ‭11-12, 14 NIV‬‬
[1] IF YOU FULLY OBEY THE LORD YOUR GOD and CAREFULLY FOLLOW ALL HIS COMMANDS I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.
[2] ALL THESE BLESSINGS WILL COME ON YOU AND ACCOMPANY YOU if you obey the Lord your God:
[3] YOU WILL BE BLESSED in the city and blessed in the country.
[5] Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.
[6] YOU WILL BE BLESSED WHEN YOU COME in AND BLESSED WHEN YOU GO OUT.
[8] THE LORD WILL SEND A BLESSING ON YOUR BARNS and on everything you put your hand to. THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL bless you in the land he is giving you.
[11] THE LORD WILL GRANT YOU ABUNDANT PROSPERITY—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.
[12] THE LORD WILL OPEN THE HEAVENS, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.
[14] Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.

‭‭‭‭DEUTERONOMIO‬ ‭28:1‭-‬3‬, 5-6, 8, 11-12, 14 ‭MBB
[1] “Kung susundin lamang ninyo si Yahweh na inyong Diyos at tutuparin ang kanyang mga utos, gagawin niya kayong pinakadakila sa lahat ng mga bansa sa balat ng lupa.
[2] Mapapasa-inyo ang lahat ng mga pagpapalang ito kung susundin ninyo ang Diyos ninyong si Yahweh.
[3] “Pagpapalain niya kayo sa inyong mga bayan at sa inyong mga bukid.
[5] “Pagpapalain niya ang imbakan ng inyong inaning butil at ang mga pagkaing nagmumula roon.
[6] “Pagpapalain niya kayo sa lahat ng inyong gagawin.
[8] “Pagpapalain niya ang inyong mga kamalig at lahat ng inyong gawain; pagpapalain niya kayo sa lupaing ibibigay niya sa inyo.
[11] Pasasaganain niya kayo sa lahat ng bagay pagdating ninyo sa lupaing ibibigay niya sa inyo. Pararamihin niya ang inyong anak, at mga hayop, at pasasaganain ang ani ng inyong bukirin.
[12] Bubuksan niya ang langit upang ibuhos sa inyo ang ulan sa kapanahunan. Pagpapalain nga niya kayo sa lahat ng inyong gagawin. Dahil dito, hindi kayo mangungutang, sa halip, kayo pa ang magpapautang sa ibang bansa.
[14] Huwag ninyong lalabagin ang alinman sa sinasabi ko sa inyo. Huwag kayong lilihis sa kanan o sa kaliwa. Huwag kayong tatalikod kay Yahweh ni sasamba o maglilingkod sa mga diyus-diyosan.

PRAYING AND HOPING FOR SUCCESS AND PROSPERITY FOR 2022?

SAGOT KA NI LORD☝👍

HERE IS SOME OF HIS PROMISES THROUGH HIS WORDS (BIBLE):

1 KINGS 2:3 CEV
DO what the Lord your GOD COMMANDS and FOLLOW HIS TEACHINGS.
OBEY EVERYTHING written IN THE LAW of Moses. THEN YOU WILL BE A SUCCESS NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO OR WHERE YOU GO.

JOSHUA 1:8 AMPC
THIS BOOK OF THE LAW SHALL NOT DEPART OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, BUT YOU SHALL MEDITATE on it day and night, that you may OBSERVE AND DO ACCORDING TO ALL THAT IS WRITTEN IN IT.
FOR THEN, YOU SHALL MAKE YOUR WAY PROSPEROUS, AND then you shall DEAL WISELY AND HAVE GOOD SUCCESS.

JOB 22:21-23
21 "SUBMIT TO GOD and BE AT PEACE WITH HIM; "IN THIS WAY PROSPERITY WILL COME TO YOU".
22 ACCEPT INSTRUCTION from his mouth and LAY UP HIS WORDS IN YOUR HEART.
23 If you RETURN TO THE ALMIGHTY, YOU WILL BE RESTORED..

JOB 22:21‭-‬23 RTPV
21 “SUMANG-AYON KA SA DIYOS, MAKIPAGKASUNDO KA SA KANYA, ANG BUHAY MO'Y GAGANDA AT MAGIGING MAGINHAWA.
22 MAKINIG KA SA KANYANG ITINUTURO, mga sinasabi niya'y ITANIM MO SA IYONG PUSO.
23 MANUMBALIK KA sa Makapangyarihan, IKAW AY MAGPAKUMBABÁ, AT ALISIN MO SA IYONG TAHANAN ANG LAHAT NG GAWAING MASAMA.

The New Year is approaching again.
A reminder: Christians let us no longer be enslaved by superstitions and lucky charms.

Rituals, lucky charms, amulets, and beliefs in "warding off bad luck" are spreading again, but all of these are merely deceptions.

Why should we not believe in lucky charms and superstitions?

1. Because superstitions and lucky charms shift our trust from God to material things.

When we rely on amulets, colors, numbers, food, or rituals, our trust—which should be in God—is placed in inanimate, powerless objects.

Proverbs 3:5
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart.”

We may prepare fruits, but blessings or luck do not come from the fruits; they come from God.

It is not luck that opens the door to tomorrow, God holds the key to the future.

2. Because superstitions are human traditions, not God’s will. Many superstitions are inherited from culture or adopted from other countries like China, but not all traditions are true and good.

Some things seem "normal," yet they contradict God’s Word.

Jeremiah 10:2
“Do not learn the ways of the nations.”

Christians are guided not by trends or culture, but by God’s Word.

We place our hope in Christ alone. He is our peace, certainty, and true blessing.

As we enter the New Year, let us choose to walk by faith, not by lucky charms, rituals, or superstitions.

Jesus is our beginning and end—He is our future, victory, protection, and life.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
"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."

Matthew 6:33 NIV
"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Psalm 37:4 NIV
"Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."

Galatians 4:8-10 NLT
[8] Before you Gentiles knew God, you were slaves to so-called gods that do not even exist.
[9] So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world?
[10] You are trying to earn favor with God by observing certain days or months or seasons or years.

DO NOT BE ENSLAVED BY TRADITIONS AND SUPERSTITIONS, live in the light of truth and the freedom that Christ brings!

NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

Do you know the HISTORY and the REASON why the new year had been celebrated?

YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT IT.
READ AND LEARN!!!

®HISTORY, REASON and SIGNIFICANCE why New Year is celebrated on January 1.

®SIGNIFICANCE:
New Year’s Day celebrations in most countries begin December 31, which is New Year’s Eve, and continue till the early hours of January 1.
During this time, party-goers share meals, good vibes and pray for good fortune in the coming year.

New Year’s Day is a happy occasion, which is celebrated annually on January 1st in accordance with the modern Gregorian calendar.

Across the world, people commemorate the occasion with their family members, relatives and friends, wishing them good luck and best wishes for another year; in many places there are massive gatherings.
People decorate their houses, have get-togethers, cook for their loved ones and even plan outings on this day.
In many places, people gather to watch customary fireworks.

It is believed that a new year is a new and clean slate, which is why people start afresh and make some resolutions on how they want to live their life.
A person can pledge to modify, change undesired habits or behaviours, and set personal goal(s).

Q: BUT, THE QUESTION ARISES AS TO WHY WE CELEBRATE THIS DAY AND CONSIDER IT TO BE SPECIAL?

® HISTORY:
It is said the concept of 'new year’ originated in ancient Babylon some 4,000 years ago, in the year 2,000 BC.
Babylonians conceptualised the new year with an 11-day celebration called ‘Akitu’ that included a different rite on each day, on the first new moon after the vernal equinox (typically around late March).
The festival commemorated the fabled victory of the sky deity Marduk over sea goddess Tiamat, as well as the act of crowning a new monarch or permitting the previous king to rule.

Q: WHY NEW YEAR IS BEING CELEBRATED ON JANUARY 1?

The early Roman calendar became out of sync with the sun over the years, and in 46 BC, emperor Julius Caesar resolved to fix the problem by contacting the most important astronomers and mathematicians of the period.
Thus, the Julian calendar was established, which is similar to the current Gregorian calendar.

Interestingly, CAESAR MADE JANUARY 1 THE FIRST DAY OF THE YEAR PARTIALLY TO CELEBRATE JANUS, the ROMAN DEITY of beginnings.

Some SCHOLARS REGARD JANUS AS THE god OF ALL BEGINNINGS and believe that his association with doorways is derivative.
HE WAS INVOKED AS THE FIRST OF ANY gods IN REGULAR LITURGIES.
THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY, MONTH, and YEAR, both calendrical and agricultural, WERE SACRED TO HIM.
THE MONTH OF JANUARY IS NAMED FOR JANUS (Ianuarius).

ROMANS COMMEMORATED JANUS' BIRTHDAY BY PRESENTING SACRIFICES to him, EXCHANGING PRESENTS, DECORATING THEIR HOMES with laurel branches, AND THROWING WILD CELEBRATIONS.

LATER, CHRISTIAN AUTHORITIES IN MEDIAEVAL EUROPE TEMPORARILY REPLACED JANUARY 1 AS THE BEGINNING DAY OF THE YEAR with days that THEY BELIEVED HAD GREATER RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE, such AS DECEMBER 25 (the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ) AND MARCH 25 (the Feast of the Annunciation).

IN 1582, POPE GREGORY XIII REESTABLISHED JANUARY 1 AS NEW YEAR'S DAY, WHICH HAS BEEN CELEBRATED SINCE.

NOW YOU KNOW!

📌What do you think?
📌Is it biblical and godly to celebrate New Year?
📌Is there any spiritual significance or relevance to celebrate new year?

1. As a Christian or as a bible-believer, do we need to celebrate New Year?
2. How does New Year's Celebration affect us and or our belief and Christian life?
3. Is there any significance or benefit that we could get from celebrating new year?

SCRIPTURE VERSE TO PONDER:
GALATIANS 4:8‭-‬10 (NLT)
8 BEFORE you GENTILES knew God, YOU WERE SLAVES TO SO-CALLED GODS THAT DO NOT EVEN EXIST.
9 So NOW THAT YOU KNOW GOD (or should I say, now that God knows you), WHY DO YOU WANT TO GO BACK AGAIN AND BECOME SLAVES ONCE MORE TO THE WEAK and USELESS SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES OF THIS WORLD?
10 You are TRYING TO EARN FAVOR WITH GOD BY OBSERVING certain DAYS or MONTHS or SEASONS OR YEARS.

The announcement of Christ's birth is not just a historical event, it is the fulfillment of long-awaited promise, and it's the dawn of the era of grace and salvation.
The title "Savior" is signifies the role of Jesus in delivering humanity from sin and offering a path to reconciliation with God.
Luke 2:11 invites us to reflect on Jesus' birth.
It's a call to celebrate not just a historical fact, but also the ongoing relevance of Christ in our lives.
The Joy and Hope that originated in a humble manger in Bethlehem continue to resonate, offering peace, redemption and a DEEP SENSE OF SPIRITUAL FULFILLment.

Ang pagsilang ni Cristo ay hindi lamang isang kasaysayan, ito ay ang pagtupad ng matagal nang hinihintay na pangako, at ito ang pagsiklab ng panahon ng biyaya at kaligtasan.
Ang titulong "Tagapagligtas" ay nagpapahayag ng papel ni Jesus sa pagliligtas ng tao mula sa kasalanan at nag-aalok ng landas tungo sa pagbabalik at pananag-uli sa Diyos.

Ang Lucas 2:11 ay nag-aanyaya sa atin na mag-isip hinggil sa pagsilang ni Jesus. Ito'y isang pagtawag na ipagdiwang hindi lamang ang isang kasaysayang totoo, kundi pati na rin ang patuloy na kahalagahan ni Cristo sa ating mga buhay.

Ang kasiyahan at pag-asa na nagmula sa isang simpleng pasilangan sa Bethlehem ay patuloy na naglalakbay, nag-aalok ng kapayapaan, kaligtasan, at MALALIM NA DAMDAMING PAGPAPATIBAY SA ESPIRITUWAL na buhay ng tao.

Juan 3:16 MBBTAG
Sapagkat gayon na lamang ang pag-ibig ng Diyos sa sangkatauhan, kaya't ibinigay niya ang kanyang kaisa-isang Anak, upang ang sinumang sumampalataya sa kanya ay hindi mapahamak, kundi magkaroon ng buhay na walang hanggan.

To KNOW the will of God is the greatest KNOWLEDGE.
To FIND the will of God is the greatest DISCOVERY.
And to DO the will of God is the greatest ACHIEVEMENT!