1811025 Interview with Franco for El Larguero
I: In football terms, who impressed you the most?
F: Well, not long ago I was asked the same question, and I answered Bellingham. I still stand by that, to me, he's an incredible player.
I: Why? What makes you say that?
F: In my opinion, he has a strong personality on the field, I think he's a very talented player, and along with his technique, he helps the team. Also, he's an amazing person whom I get along with very well. We have a great bond and I'm very happy to be able to share this with him.
NOVEMBER 20 2025, THURSDAY
Entry: 1:56pm, Fairview QC
VERSE OF THE DAY:
MATTHEW 19:26
But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this looks impossble, but with God all things are possible.
JESUS DOES THE IMPOSSIBLE
Jesus' statement in Matthew 19:26 is often taken out of context. Many people have taken this verse to mean that they can do anything they want in life because God can do the impossible. Often this can lead to selfish prayers nad a small view of God.
In order to understand what Jesus is saying, we should read the preceding verse. In Matthew 19:16-22, a young man comes to Jesus asking for eternal life. Jesus tells him that he must give up all of his earthly possessions-something the young man is not willing to do. Because he failed the test, the young man failed to inherit eternal life.
Jesus said in Matthew 19:23 that it is very difficult for a rich man to enter heaven. The point is that loving JEsus requires everything we are. Our ultimate love cannot be split between Jesus and something else.
The disciples then ask, "Who can be saved?" Jesus responds in Matthew 19:26 that it is impossible for man to save himself but it is possible with God. God can do the very thing that man cannot.
We cannot earn out salvation. We cannot earn our salvation, we cannot work hard enough to attain it, and we can't achieve it on our own. It is impossible. But with God all things are made possible for us to be saved. It is only through the work and power of Jesus that we have access to salvation. And through the empowerment of the Spirit, we are enabled to have faith in God.
What in your life is keeping you from faith in Jesus? Maybe it's a relationship, Maybe it's material posessions. Maybe it's a wrong mindset. Whatever it might be, God has the power to remove these things from your heart so that you can have faith in Jesus.
So spend some time with God today, and ask Him to search your heart. Ask Him to revel anything within you that is keeping you from loving Jesus. Then, do something daring-surrender those things to Him.
God, unclench my closed fists. Whatever it is that's holding me back-I release it to You. Please deliver me as I battle against my selfish desires and thoughts, and the things that feel impossible. Show me how to love You above all else. I trust that You are working all things for my good and Your glory. In Jesus' name, Amen.
SHARE YOUR FAITH
What currently feels impossible?
Remember: Impossible is where God begins.
Now is not the time to shrink back. Pray bold prayers, take courageous steps, and trust in the God who can do tha impossible.
DAILY BIBLE READING:
EZEKIEL 14-15
JAMES 2
IDOLATROUS ELDERS CONDEMNED
“Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
JERUSALEM WILL NOT BE SPARED
“Son of man, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it and break its supply of bread and send famine upon it, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, declares the Lord God, they would deliver neither son nor daughter. They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness." They will console you, when you see their ways and their deeds, and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, declares the Lord God.”
THE SIN OF PARTIALITY
show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.
FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD
faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!Abraham our father justified by works. You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers. For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
ROMANS 12:3-8
GIFTS OF GRACE
think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them.
INSIGHT
Paul’s call for us to have “sober judgment” (Romans 12:3) regarding our abilities and giftings comes just before he compares Christ’s church to “one body with many members” (v. 4). Everything we have is a gift, including our faith (v. 3) and our talents (vv. 6-8). A proper self-awareness recognizes that we’re neither worthless nor indispensable. We’re not worthless because we’re created in God’s image and redeemed by His Son who died for us. And we’re not indispensable because all our gifts and abilities come from Him in the first place. He equips all who believe in Him to serve Him and others. But it’s essential that believers do this work together, as one body. Such interdependency requires love, which the apostle highlights in the next section. “Love must be sincere,” he wrote (v. 9). When we accept God’s grace, we’ll see ourselves as He sees us and “be devoted to one another in love [and] honor one another above [ourselves]” (v. 10).
By: Tim Gustafson
IMPOSTER SYNDROME
Do you ever feel like a fraud? You aren’t alone! In the late 1970s, two researchers identified “imposter syndrome” as the condition of doubting one’s skills, talents, or abilities and interpreting oneself as a fraud. Even successful and brilliant people struggle with inadequacy, worrying that if anyone peeked behind the curtain of their lives, they’d see how much they don’t know.
Paul exhorts the people of the first-century church in Rome to be humble: “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment” (Romans 12:3). We understand the importance of not elevating our abilities. But when we doubt our own value, we go too far, robbing others of the gifts God wants us to use to serve Him. To think of ourselves with “sober judgment” (v. 3) is to have a sane estimation—a realistic regard—for what we offer. Paul nudges us to overcome our hesitancies, to embrace who we are “in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of [us]” (v. 3). In this way, God’s body of believers may be built up (vv. 4-8).
Rather than degrading our offerings with imposter syndrome, let’s embrace God’s giftings within us. By gratefully accepting His grace, we can think neither too highly nor too lowly of ourselves. In doing so, we please our Father and build up Christ’s body of believers.
By: Elisa Morgan
REFLECT AND PRAY
Where do you struggle with imposter syndrome? How can God offer you faith to overcome?
Dear God, please help me to see myself the way You see me, in accordance with the measure of faith You give. In Jesus' name, Amen.
MORE OF HIM, MORE LIKE HIM
DESIRING MORE OF HIM
PSALM 42:1
As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God, When shall I come and appear before God?
OBSERVATION
What do you think did Jesus mean by the word “righteousness” from these passages:
Matthew 5:10 - Christ-like living
Matthew 5:20 - Steadfastness in faith and holiness
Matthew 6:1 - Good works but bad self-exalting intention
Matthew 6:33 - God's will
Put the ideas together and come up with what Jesus meant by the word.
Righteousness is Christ-likeness, perseverance, Christ-centered, God -glorifying, and aligned with the will of God.
In a day and age when instant food is easily accessible, what does “hunger” mean?
Use Proverbs 16:26 to help you come up with an understanding of the word.
Good appetite gives you the desire to acquire food.
What is the promise given in the verse? With what will the hungry and thirsty be filled?
God gives freely to those who seek Him.
REFLECTION
Read Isaiah 55:1-2. In the passage, Isaiah talks about spending money on what will not nourish and what does not satisfy. Name some “substitutes” that people pursue in this life that has no lasting value. Which of those do you tend to indulge in?
substitues- food, entertainment, luxury comfort, man-made rights and rules, social stature and reputation etc.
APPLICATION
In the light of Mark 4:19-20, list at least 3 things you can do to cultivate hunger and thirst for righteousness in your own life.
-consistent devoted time for prayer and studying God's word.
-continuously be a faithful witness of the Gospel of Christ and His testimony in my life.
-persevere in good works prepared beforehand and fulfill it with joy and power from the Holy Spirit.
Write a prayer to Jesus using Matthew 5:6 expressing your desire to grow in the area of hungering and thirsting after righteousness.
Dear God, my heavenly Father, my Creator and the Shaper of my heart. Thank you for this new heart that You have given. it enables me to obey You and be nourished with Your lovingkindness. Thank you for allowing me to see Your provisions and Your grace all the days of my life. I know, without daily and constant moment by moment grace, I will not be able to stand against sin, trials, and temptations of this world, my flesh and my enemy. Thank You Jesus for protecting me, rescuing me, and saving me completely without fail. You are my perfect Savior. Thank You for putting good desires in my heart, Help me Oh God, to truly be surrendered, and constantly dependent on You, hungry for Your Word! thank You Jesus, in Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
I just arrived home. It was a nice meetup. As expected I hugged tita as she cried in my arms. I cried din I couldn’t help it. Tita is part of Abi. This way it’s like I’m hugging her too.
More than a year since they were gone but we’re all still grieving. Okay kami but ang dami pa ring times na grief would just hit us randomly. We exchanged how are you’s and discussed how we were coping. I asked about Abi’s brother too. I am glad that they are doing fine kahit papano. There’s still so much to do about the case and transfer ng libingan. Pero itong what happened today it’s like reopening a wound. Still painful but needed sya to heal.
Pag labas, I saw tita still shedding tears. IK nag hold back lang sya bc public place. Same with me, I cried more pag uwi. God, I miss my best friend so much. She and her dad didn’t deserve what happened. No one deserves to die like that.
Anyway, we also reminisced about the fun memories. Our moments with Abi and her personality haha. Bilis ng panahon. My heart is still the same. I just know na I’ll forever bring this longing with me.
