Monday, January 30, 2017
James 5:16
James 5:16
The prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
I heard this verse today on board the UV Express on the way to my interview. And right before going to bed, I decided to listen to the preaching in youtube, and there it was again being uttered by the preacher. May God reveal what exactly he wants me to pray about.
Friday, May 14, 2010
God's Miraculous Provision
Mar 26 - Miraculous Provision
Lessons in the Life of Moses: Miraculous Provision
By Jim Laffoon
[The LORD said,]"Tell the people: 'Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed, "If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!" Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat it. You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, but for a whole month--until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it--because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?"' "
But Moses said, "Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, 'I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!' Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?"
The Lord answered Moses, "Is the Lord's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you."... Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail in from the sea. It brought them down all around the camp to about three feet above the ground, as far as a day's walk in any direction. Numbers 11:18-22; 31
The people were stunned; everywhere they looked, quail were piled three feet high. No matter which direction you started to walk from the center of the camp, you could walk for hours without seeing bare ground. The supply of quail was so abundant it took the children of Israel thirty-six hours to collect it. Even Moses was amazed.
Although he had seen God part the Red Sea and provide bread and water, day after day, for a whole nation in the heat of the desert, this new miracle was beyond his comprehension. If God had done this in response to the wailing and whining of His unbelieving people, how much more would He do when they would finally learn to cry out in faith?
What lessons can you and I learn from this incredible story of God's "miraculous provision?"
First of all, the most amazing thing about this story is not that God covered the ground with millions of quail. Rather, it is the fact that God released this abundant provision despite the unbelief and ingratitude of His own people--people He would later punish for their attitudes while they were eating the very quail for which they had lusted.
Even Moses, the greatest man of faith on the face of the earth, struggled to believe that God could bring this level of provision to His people.
If God could provide this type of extraordinary provision in response to the wailing and whining of unbelief, how much more could He do when He found the true cry of faith? Do you see it yet?
No matter what type of need you are facing today, whether it is financial, relational, or health related, God is well able to meet it.
According to Paul in Philippians 4:19, "God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." This means, if you will only live by faith, the unlimited resources of God are at your disposal through Christ.
Second, from this miraculous story we also learn that no matter how much faith we are apprehending at the present time, there are always new levels of faith God desires for us to experience. Even Moses, who had to believe on a daily basis for the needs of two and a half million people and their animals, had not yet achieved the place of faith God had for him.
That's right; despite everything he had seen God do, Moses could not comprehend or even imagine the extent of God's power and provision. This should not surprise us. In Ephesians 3:20, Paul makes this astonishing statement: "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 ..."
This is amazing; no matter how much faith you have, there are levels of abundant provision beyond anything you could ever imagine.
Today, whether you are in desperate need of God's provision or you are being challenged by circumstances to enter a new level of faith, do not be afraid.
God is well able to meet every one of your needs as you cry out to Him in faith.
Lessons in the Life of Moses: Miraculous Provision
By Jim Laffoon
[The LORD said,]"Tell the people: 'Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The Lord heard you when you wailed, "If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!" Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will eat it. You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, but for a whole month--until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it--because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?"' "
But Moses said, "Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, 'I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!' Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?"
The Lord answered Moses, "Is the Lord's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you."... Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail in from the sea. It brought them down all around the camp to about three feet above the ground, as far as a day's walk in any direction. Numbers 11:18-22; 31
The people were stunned; everywhere they looked, quail were piled three feet high. No matter which direction you started to walk from the center of the camp, you could walk for hours without seeing bare ground. The supply of quail was so abundant it took the children of Israel thirty-six hours to collect it. Even Moses was amazed.
Although he had seen God part the Red Sea and provide bread and water, day after day, for a whole nation in the heat of the desert, this new miracle was beyond his comprehension. If God had done this in response to the wailing and whining of His unbelieving people, how much more would He do when they would finally learn to cry out in faith?
What lessons can you and I learn from this incredible story of God's "miraculous provision?"
First of all, the most amazing thing about this story is not that God covered the ground with millions of quail. Rather, it is the fact that God released this abundant provision despite the unbelief and ingratitude of His own people--people He would later punish for their attitudes while they were eating the very quail for which they had lusted.
Even Moses, the greatest man of faith on the face of the earth, struggled to believe that God could bring this level of provision to His people.
If God could provide this type of extraordinary provision in response to the wailing and whining of unbelief, how much more could He do when He found the true cry of faith? Do you see it yet?
No matter what type of need you are facing today, whether it is financial, relational, or health related, God is well able to meet it.
According to Paul in Philippians 4:19, "God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." This means, if you will only live by faith, the unlimited resources of God are at your disposal through Christ.
Second, from this miraculous story we also learn that no matter how much faith we are apprehending at the present time, there are always new levels of faith God desires for us to experience. Even Moses, who had to believe on a daily basis for the needs of two and a half million people and their animals, had not yet achieved the place of faith God had for him.
That's right; despite everything he had seen God do, Moses could not comprehend or even imagine the extent of God's power and provision. This should not surprise us. In Ephesians 3:20, Paul makes this astonishing statement: "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 ..."
This is amazing; no matter how much faith you have, there are levels of abundant provision beyond anything you could ever imagine.
Today, whether you are in desperate need of God's provision or you are being challenged by circumstances to enter a new level of faith, do not be afraid.
God is well able to meet every one of your needs as you cry out to Him in faith.
Friday, May 1, 2009
lost and found
on Friday of last week - April 24th, my father decided to bring us to SM Marikina to buy my son some sando and pjs. It all went as planned, we first bought baby clothes and then went down to the supermarket to buy some grocery items. Prior to going to the grocery we passed by the kids shoes section where i saw a pair of rubber shoes that i wanted to buy for Nathan. While I was about to put it on him, he kicked it and was about to cry, perhaps to indicate that he doesnt like it. So to prevent him from wailing, we went ahead and proceeded to the first floor to the grocery section.
When we got home and started sorting out the items we bought, we realized that we dont have the plastic bag that contains the things we bought for my son. We thought we forgot to retrieve it from the car and since my husband went to the hospital to visit his father, i just sent him an sms to inquire whether we left it in the car. Much to my dismay, my husband later on confirmed that it was not there. Ergo, we lost it at the mall. When i tried to recall the days event, I realized we left it at the seat at the kids shoes section.
I told my dad about it the next day since he was the one who bought it for my son. He just then instructed us to go back for it the next day. He said we just ought to pray so that we can find it. Unfortunately, we didnt get to go back to the mall the next few days due to other things. So I was thinking it's probably lost for good.
Yesterday, we went to the same mall to do our bi-monthly grocery shopping. But since i was the one who lost the items we bought the week before, we first went to the kids clothes section so i could buy the same items. I purchased the same items plus 4pcs of underwear for the little man. After paying for the items at the counter, i saw a supervisor. I then told him about what happened last week and told him that that the receipt has my name on it, since they swiped my SM Advantage card. He then offered to help us out and look it up. After 10 minutes, he went back together with the lost items. He just asked us to sign something to acknowledge receipt of the retrieved items.
I was so happy and grateful to God! To ever consider it forever lost is very stupid of me. If God brought my trainee's father back from being in a coma for more or less 2 months, how much more about giving us back what we lost??
God is truly wonderful and awesome!
When we got home and started sorting out the items we bought, we realized that we dont have the plastic bag that contains the things we bought for my son. We thought we forgot to retrieve it from the car and since my husband went to the hospital to visit his father, i just sent him an sms to inquire whether we left it in the car. Much to my dismay, my husband later on confirmed that it was not there. Ergo, we lost it at the mall. When i tried to recall the days event, I realized we left it at the seat at the kids shoes section.
I told my dad about it the next day since he was the one who bought it for my son. He just then instructed us to go back for it the next day. He said we just ought to pray so that we can find it. Unfortunately, we didnt get to go back to the mall the next few days due to other things. So I was thinking it's probably lost for good.
Yesterday, we went to the same mall to do our bi-monthly grocery shopping. But since i was the one who lost the items we bought the week before, we first went to the kids clothes section so i could buy the same items. I purchased the same items plus 4pcs of underwear for the little man. After paying for the items at the counter, i saw a supervisor. I then told him about what happened last week and told him that that the receipt has my name on it, since they swiped my SM Advantage card. He then offered to help us out and look it up. After 10 minutes, he went back together with the lost items. He just asked us to sign something to acknowledge receipt of the retrieved items.
I was so happy and grateful to God! To ever consider it forever lost is very stupid of me. If God brought my trainee's father back from being in a coma for more or less 2 months, how much more about giving us back what we lost??
God is truly wonderful and awesome!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Seeking his Hands
Over the last couple of days after the high that i got when God delivered the father of one of my trainee-turned-friend-and-brother-in-Christ, i felt my enthusiasm slowly ebbing away again. I felt myself starting to get caught up in the mundane things of this world. i found myself starting to become impatient once again. questions starting to fill my head once more, about why my current state - in all aspects, remain the same. the trials we faced a year and two years ago are still facing us now (Financially) pay day after pay day. all the more that i could feel it pressing on me now, due to a family crisis that my husband and his family are facing.
my father-in-law was rushed to the ust hospital intensive care unit thursday early morning of last week. immediately upon arriving there, one of my brother-in-law was requested to deposit a minimum of P100,000.00, to which he handed over his car key to the admission attendant. well, to cut the story short, i feel so helpless. i was thinking that if we should be able to help if we claim to have God's blessings. but we dont have that much money.
last sunday after an afternoon siesta with my husband's family - his eldest sister and her 2 daughters, as well as his brother who opted to remain unmarried due to familial obligations and his three other nephews from his other brother - at robinson's galleria, they walked us to the victory christian fellowship center before heading back to the hospital. after the service, just as when we were about to go down to the parking lot, i heard someone calling my name, well shouting my name actually. when i turned around, i saw a former church mate and old friend - John. He was one of the people that my dad helped. he's actually not able to finish a college degree but i would say that he's one determined folk. he told me during our brief conversation that he also goes to church at victory and that he already owns a house in Pasig and in Cavite and that his sister, who used to be a good friend of mine - was also able to purchase her own house in Cavite.
those were all the words i needed to hear and i felt all the questions came flooding back at me. the dam of doubt came flooding back, questions about my standing, the prosperity, the bible verses - all came back to make me feel unsure. unsure because my current situation is contrary to the things that i was told.
last night when i got to the office, I did talk to my friend and brother in Christ - James. Told him that i'm starting to feel spiritually dry. he gave me encouragement to which im grateful. but im waiting for God's word. and when i opened my mail, i found the answer to my questions. my prosperity is detained because, my heart seeks those things more than i long for God. I was reminded of Matthew 3:33 (Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.) I should not distract myself with longings for worldly treasure because it will definitely come, when the Lord can fully trust me with his blessings.
He has always been that way to me. back in my younger days, when i have something i really really like, when that something occupies the number one spot in my heart, i find myself not getting that thing. when i finally told myself that its okay even if i dont get it, that's when God would give me that thing, when he can finally be certain that He's back on the number 1 spot of my heart. The same thing happened over the Mandy Moore concert - yeah I should transfer my blog entry about that here.
Anyway, here is God's word for me last night, which is followed by a much deeper revelation concerning the same matter.
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
Seekest thou great things for thyself?
Jeremiah 14:5
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=jer+14:5&sr=1
Are you seeking great things for yourself? Not seeking to be a great
one, but seeking great things from God for yourself. God wants you in
a closer relationship to Himself than receiving His gifts, He wants
you to get to know Him. A great thing is accidental, it comes and
goes. God never gives us anything accidental. There is nothing easier
than getting into a right relationship with God except when it is not
God Whom you want but only what He gives.
If you have only come the length of asking God for things, you have
never come to the first strand of abandonment, you have become a
Christian from a standpoint of your own. "I did ask God for the Holy
Spirit, but He did not give me the rest and the peace I expected."
Instantly God puts His finger on the reason - you are not seeking the
Lord at all, you are seeking something for yourself. Jesus says -
"Ask, and it shall be given you." Ask God for what you want, and you
cannot ask if you are not asking for a right thing. When you draw
near to God, you cease from asking for things. "Your Father knoweth
what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him." Then why ask? That
you may get to know Him.
Are you seeking great things for yourself? "O Lord, baptize me with
the Holy Ghost." If God does not, it is because you are not abandoned
enough to Him, there is something you will not do. Are you prepared
to ask yourself what it is you want from God and why you want it? God
always ignores the present perfection for the ultimate perfection. He
is not concerned about making you blessed and happy just now; He is
working out His ultimate perfection all the time - "that they may be
one even as We are."
His word today:
WHAT YOU WILL GET
Thy life will I give thee for a prey in all places
whither thou goest.
Jeremiah 14:5
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=jer+14:5&sr=1
This is the unshakable secret of the Lord to those who trust Him - "I
will give thee thy life." What more does a man want than his life? It
is the essential thing. "Thy life for a prey" means that wherever you
may go, even if it is into hell, you will come out with your life,
nothing can harm it. So many of us are caught up in the shows of
things, not in the way of property and possessions, but of blessings.
All these have to go; but there is something grander that never can
go - the life that is "hid with Christ in God."
Are you prepared to let God take you into union with Himself, and pay
no more attention to what you call the great things? Are you prepared
to abandon entirely and let go? The test of abandonment is in
refusing to say - "Well, what about this?" Beware of suppositions.
Immediately you allow - What about this? - it means you have not
abandoned, you do not really trust God. Immediately you do abandon,
you think no more about what God is going to do. Abandon means to
refuse yourself the luxury of asking any questions. If you abandon
entirely to God, He says at once, "Thy life will I give thee for a
prey." The reason people are tired of life is because God has not
given them anything, they have not got their life as a prey. The way
to get out of that state is to abandon to God. When you do get
through to abandonment to God, you will be the most surprised and
delighted creature on earth; God has got you absolutely and has given
you your life. If you are not there, it is either because of
disobedience or a refusal to be simple enough.
And finally i leave you with a few lines of one of my favorite Gospel songs:
To seek your face and not your hands
To fall in love with the Holy Lamb
To steal your heart with one look of my eyes
To seek your face is my heart's cry
my father-in-law was rushed to the ust hospital intensive care unit thursday early morning of last week. immediately upon arriving there, one of my brother-in-law was requested to deposit a minimum of P100,000.00, to which he handed over his car key to the admission attendant. well, to cut the story short, i feel so helpless. i was thinking that if we should be able to help if we claim to have God's blessings. but we dont have that much money.
last sunday after an afternoon siesta with my husband's family - his eldest sister and her 2 daughters, as well as his brother who opted to remain unmarried due to familial obligations and his three other nephews from his other brother - at robinson's galleria, they walked us to the victory christian fellowship center before heading back to the hospital. after the service, just as when we were about to go down to the parking lot, i heard someone calling my name, well shouting my name actually. when i turned around, i saw a former church mate and old friend - John. He was one of the people that my dad helped. he's actually not able to finish a college degree but i would say that he's one determined folk. he told me during our brief conversation that he also goes to church at victory and that he already owns a house in Pasig and in Cavite and that his sister, who used to be a good friend of mine - was also able to purchase her own house in Cavite.
those were all the words i needed to hear and i felt all the questions came flooding back at me. the dam of doubt came flooding back, questions about my standing, the prosperity, the bible verses - all came back to make me feel unsure. unsure because my current situation is contrary to the things that i was told.
last night when i got to the office, I did talk to my friend and brother in Christ - James. Told him that i'm starting to feel spiritually dry. he gave me encouragement to which im grateful. but im waiting for God's word. and when i opened my mail, i found the answer to my questions. my prosperity is detained because, my heart seeks those things more than i long for God. I was reminded of Matthew 3:33 (Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.) I should not distract myself with longings for worldly treasure because it will definitely come, when the Lord can fully trust me with his blessings.
He has always been that way to me. back in my younger days, when i have something i really really like, when that something occupies the number one spot in my heart, i find myself not getting that thing. when i finally told myself that its okay even if i dont get it, that's when God would give me that thing, when he can finally be certain that He's back on the number 1 spot of my heart. The same thing happened over the Mandy Moore concert - yeah I should transfer my blog entry about that here.
Anyway, here is God's word for me last night, which is followed by a much deeper revelation concerning the same matter.
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
Seekest thou great things for thyself?
Jeremiah 14:5
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=jer+14:5&sr=1
Are you seeking great things for yourself? Not seeking to be a great
one, but seeking great things from God for yourself. God wants you in
a closer relationship to Himself than receiving His gifts, He wants
you to get to know Him. A great thing is accidental, it comes and
goes. God never gives us anything accidental. There is nothing easier
than getting into a right relationship with God except when it is not
God Whom you want but only what He gives.
If you have only come the length of asking God for things, you have
never come to the first strand of abandonment, you have become a
Christian from a standpoint of your own. "I did ask God for the Holy
Spirit, but He did not give me the rest and the peace I expected."
Instantly God puts His finger on the reason - you are not seeking the
Lord at all, you are seeking something for yourself. Jesus says -
"Ask, and it shall be given you." Ask God for what you want, and you
cannot ask if you are not asking for a right thing. When you draw
near to God, you cease from asking for things. "Your Father knoweth
what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him." Then why ask? That
you may get to know Him.
Are you seeking great things for yourself? "O Lord, baptize me with
the Holy Ghost." If God does not, it is because you are not abandoned
enough to Him, there is something you will not do. Are you prepared
to ask yourself what it is you want from God and why you want it? God
always ignores the present perfection for the ultimate perfection. He
is not concerned about making you blessed and happy just now; He is
working out His ultimate perfection all the time - "that they may be
one even as We are."
His word today:
WHAT YOU WILL GET
Thy life will I give thee for a prey in all places
whither thou goest.
Jeremiah 14:5
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=jer+14:5&sr=1
This is the unshakable secret of the Lord to those who trust Him - "I
will give thee thy life." What more does a man want than his life? It
is the essential thing. "Thy life for a prey" means that wherever you
may go, even if it is into hell, you will come out with your life,
nothing can harm it. So many of us are caught up in the shows of
things, not in the way of property and possessions, but of blessings.
All these have to go; but there is something grander that never can
go - the life that is "hid with Christ in God."
Are you prepared to let God take you into union with Himself, and pay
no more attention to what you call the great things? Are you prepared
to abandon entirely and let go? The test of abandonment is in
refusing to say - "Well, what about this?" Beware of suppositions.
Immediately you allow - What about this? - it means you have not
abandoned, you do not really trust God. Immediately you do abandon,
you think no more about what God is going to do. Abandon means to
refuse yourself the luxury of asking any questions. If you abandon
entirely to God, He says at once, "Thy life will I give thee for a
prey." The reason people are tired of life is because God has not
given them anything, they have not got their life as a prey. The way
to get out of that state is to abandon to God. When you do get
through to abandonment to God, you will be the most surprised and
delighted creature on earth; God has got you absolutely and has given
you your life. If you are not there, it is either because of
disobedience or a refusal to be simple enough.
And finally i leave you with a few lines of one of my favorite Gospel songs:
To seek your face and not your hands
To fall in love with the Holy Lamb
To steal your heart with one look of my eyes
To seek your face is my heart's cry
Monday, April 13, 2009
a Miracle
Last Saturday, God gave me the blessing to pray for one of my trainees in Cebu. Prior to his actual certification date (was originally Wednesday of last week but was moved to Saturday), he was already corresponding with me via SMS to let me know that he's actually feeling demotivated due to personal reasons. His father has been in a coma for more or less 2 months now. He's torn between his ill feelings towards his dad and the love that he has for him as a son. He is confused and sad and he was afraid to go through certification thinking that his current situation will make him automatically fail his certification.
Through God's grace I told him to talk to his dad, even if he's not conscious. To let his dad know all about the things that he's been holding against him, forgive him and release him from all those things. He said he'll do it.
Last Saturday, after we finished with one certification proficiency and before we started with his second certification (it was conducted via videocon), he told me again of his current situtaion. The Holy Spirit led me to counsel him and pray for him. He agreed to accept Jesus as his personal Master and Savior. And then we prayed for healing for his father. In the past, with the old church we used to go to (where God took us out through His grace) there is a disclaimer right away when you pray for a sick person. They (the elders and leaders of the church) would pray for healing but then all too quickly in the same prayer, they would say that if it's God's will to take the person, then so be it. But God shed a light to that by telling us later on that He is a very specific God and whatever we tell him in prayer, that He will do provided its in accordance to His divine will. So God led me to pray for his father. The Spirit led me to say that we are specifically asking for his father's healing and that we know that God is all powerful and no one can stop him. And that we believe that he will do what we asked for, for we believe that this asking is in accordance to His divine will. The Lord did not let me utter that disclaimer, instead He's made me firm in my asking that we wanted healing for my trainees father.
Yesterday, whenever i remember them, i utter a prayer for him and his family. And yesterday afternoon, on our way to church, I got a message from my trainee. He said that his father is finally awake!!!
God is truly amazing! As the song says: He is mighty to save. The message in the churhc is also very timely - resurrection!
I praise God for His mighty display of power, let it be known that my God is a truly awesome God!
Through God's grace I told him to talk to his dad, even if he's not conscious. To let his dad know all about the things that he's been holding against him, forgive him and release him from all those things. He said he'll do it.
Last Saturday, after we finished with one certification proficiency and before we started with his second certification (it was conducted via videocon), he told me again of his current situtaion. The Holy Spirit led me to counsel him and pray for him. He agreed to accept Jesus as his personal Master and Savior. And then we prayed for healing for his father. In the past, with the old church we used to go to (where God took us out through His grace) there is a disclaimer right away when you pray for a sick person. They (the elders and leaders of the church) would pray for healing but then all too quickly in the same prayer, they would say that if it's God's will to take the person, then so be it. But God shed a light to that by telling us later on that He is a very specific God and whatever we tell him in prayer, that He will do provided its in accordance to His divine will. So God led me to pray for his father. The Spirit led me to say that we are specifically asking for his father's healing and that we know that God is all powerful and no one can stop him. And that we believe that he will do what we asked for, for we believe that this asking is in accordance to His divine will. The Lord did not let me utter that disclaimer, instead He's made me firm in my asking that we wanted healing for my trainees father.
Yesterday, whenever i remember them, i utter a prayer for him and his family. And yesterday afternoon, on our way to church, I got a message from my trainee. He said that his father is finally awake!!!
God is truly amazing! As the song says: He is mighty to save. The message in the churhc is also very timely - resurrection!
I praise God for His mighty display of power, let it be known that my God is a truly awesome God!
Sunday, February 8, 2009
God’s Provision
Philippians 4:19 (King James Version)
19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
We only have P1500 for the rest of the week, add to that the $20 that was sent to me by my aunt in the US. God blessed us over the weekend and provided us with P1000 for market money and P800 for groceries. The P1500 and the $20 were also blessings given to us over the weekend. Our budget got skewed big time because hubby lost his teeth jacket the time we went snorkeling. He tried to go deeper into the water and thus, sea water went into the mouth piece where he’s supposed to breathe. Thus, he took off the equipment and spew out the water and out came the denture. We had to go directly to the dentist the time we got back to Manila. Thus aside from expenses we had for the very short vacation that we had, we had to pay for that.
Prior to writing this entry, the devil was trying to make me decide not to write an entry altogether, making me think it’s shameful that we don’t have extra money, or making me think of posting my entry on my secret blog. Now I have to admit that I did think about that for a while. But then again what good would that do, when no one can read about how God saves us from our troubles and how God faithfully carries out His promises into our lives? Therefore, I’m thrashing my pride and sneering at the enemy for writing this entry. Above all I want to proclaim God’s faithfulness.
Given the circumstances I mentioned above, we are off to a difficult week if you look at it from the human stand point. With 5 days before pay day, expenses for the gas, my fare to and from the office, trip to the airport on Thursday to pick up my cousin and a lot of other things, how will one budget P1500? But I know my God will provide.
Our household helpers took a rest day today. Hubby and I could barely keep up with my son. Apparently, I no longer have the energy to cook dinner. I managed to cook rice though. But I forgot to thaw the meat in the fridge, besides, the meat we have was for tomorrow’s viand. I don’t want to open canned meat since those have lots of preservatives, besides I miss eating vegetables. So I asked hubby to walk with me and bring along our kid. We went to my aunt (dad’s half sister) who happens to live on the next street. We asked them if we could possibly get some camote tops (sweet potato leaves). Hubby who doesn’t eat veggies, was resigned to having canned meat for dinner. But the great thing about it was that my aunt aside from telling us we can go ahead and get some camote tops from their yard, gave us a large roll of chicken embutido (home made luncheon meat with raisins and quail eggs). It made me smile that God doesn’t want my hubby to have canned meat again. But other than that it made me praise Him for his miraculous provision for us. Yes, God still makes miracles.
19But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
We only have P1500 for the rest of the week, add to that the $20 that was sent to me by my aunt in the US. God blessed us over the weekend and provided us with P1000 for market money and P800 for groceries. The P1500 and the $20 were also blessings given to us over the weekend. Our budget got skewed big time because hubby lost his teeth jacket the time we went snorkeling. He tried to go deeper into the water and thus, sea water went into the mouth piece where he’s supposed to breathe. Thus, he took off the equipment and spew out the water and out came the denture. We had to go directly to the dentist the time we got back to Manila. Thus aside from expenses we had for the very short vacation that we had, we had to pay for that.
Prior to writing this entry, the devil was trying to make me decide not to write an entry altogether, making me think it’s shameful that we don’t have extra money, or making me think of posting my entry on my secret blog. Now I have to admit that I did think about that for a while. But then again what good would that do, when no one can read about how God saves us from our troubles and how God faithfully carries out His promises into our lives? Therefore, I’m thrashing my pride and sneering at the enemy for writing this entry. Above all I want to proclaim God’s faithfulness.
Given the circumstances I mentioned above, we are off to a difficult week if you look at it from the human stand point. With 5 days before pay day, expenses for the gas, my fare to and from the office, trip to the airport on Thursday to pick up my cousin and a lot of other things, how will one budget P1500? But I know my God will provide.
Our household helpers took a rest day today. Hubby and I could barely keep up with my son. Apparently, I no longer have the energy to cook dinner. I managed to cook rice though. But I forgot to thaw the meat in the fridge, besides, the meat we have was for tomorrow’s viand. I don’t want to open canned meat since those have lots of preservatives, besides I miss eating vegetables. So I asked hubby to walk with me and bring along our kid. We went to my aunt (dad’s half sister) who happens to live on the next street. We asked them if we could possibly get some camote tops (sweet potato leaves). Hubby who doesn’t eat veggies, was resigned to having canned meat for dinner. But the great thing about it was that my aunt aside from telling us we can go ahead and get some camote tops from their yard, gave us a large roll of chicken embutido (home made luncheon meat with raisins and quail eggs). It made me smile that God doesn’t want my hubby to have canned meat again. But other than that it made me praise Him for his miraculous provision for us. Yes, God still makes miracles.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Realizations during the Horrific Boat ride on the way to Puerto G
We were originally scheduled to leave Manila at around 2am. That way, we’d be on board the bus to Batangas Pier before 3am and some time before 4am we’d leave the Buendia Bus station. With that, we estimated that we’d arrive in Batangas Pier around 6am and then be on board the boat and sailing towards Galera by 7am. That was the plan. I’ve been to the place twice and I know that mornings are the best times to have a boat ride. Worst times would be late afternoon since the waves are really big already by that time.
Unfortunately, due to a meeting that hubby needed to attend at 4am that morning, add to that the fact that we had to wait for the broker to drop by our place and give her part of her commission for the sale of one of the properties of my uncle, we weren’t able to follow the schedule that we originally mapped out for the trip. Apparently we left the house at around 10am and finally arrived in Batangas Pier at 1:30ish. We were told at the ticketing booth that the next boat is supposed to leave by 2pm, only to be told by the pier guards that the boat we picked will leave by 3pm. But as fate would have it, we were even more annoyed that the boat didn’t leave as scheduled. They opted to wait for more passengers and so we were able to finally sail to Galera by 4pm. I knew right away it won’t be a smooth ride!
Hubby finally agreed that I was right in telling him all along that we need to make sure we get the earliest boat trip. There were so many times when the “captain” of the boat (75 seater boat) had to turn off the engine of the boat while we get face to face with big waves! I was clutching my husband’s arm real tight while praying for dear life. The waves becomes were bigger at the time when we had to pass by two islands fronting each other. And then finally it subsided when we were back at open sea. I asked hubby about it and he explained it to me. He said that if there’s no land at all, then the water will just be still. But since there’s land, the water splashes back after it reaches the shore, thus creating waves. Then he mentioned that the waves are much bigger and stronger at the time when we’re closer to land.
Thinking about it while praying earnestly during the ride, the Lord gave that to me as an analogy. During the situations in our lives wherein our faith is being tested, and at the time when we think it’s already the breaking point, that’s the time when we’re really close to deliverance. It’s the stage prior to a breakthrough, all we need to do is to hang in there and wait for the Lord to take us out of that situation. Looking back now, there were a lot of times when I chickened out when already faced with that kind of situation, and looking back now, I feel bad knowing that I could have received more blessings (in all aspects – primarily spiritually) had I opted to hold on and wait for the Lord. And now that I am writing this entry, I am reminded of a book of Joyce Meyer that I bought before. The title of the book is DO IT AFRAID! There are times when all that God is asking of us is to wait patiently for him.
Psalm 37:7a
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
I am writing this to remind myself that at times when it seems the toughest, I’m at the verge of being delivered from that trial, and that all I need to do is to wait on Him.
Unfortunately, due to a meeting that hubby needed to attend at 4am that morning, add to that the fact that we had to wait for the broker to drop by our place and give her part of her commission for the sale of one of the properties of my uncle, we weren’t able to follow the schedule that we originally mapped out for the trip. Apparently we left the house at around 10am and finally arrived in Batangas Pier at 1:30ish. We were told at the ticketing booth that the next boat is supposed to leave by 2pm, only to be told by the pier guards that the boat we picked will leave by 3pm. But as fate would have it, we were even more annoyed that the boat didn’t leave as scheduled. They opted to wait for more passengers and so we were able to finally sail to Galera by 4pm. I knew right away it won’t be a smooth ride!
Hubby finally agreed that I was right in telling him all along that we need to make sure we get the earliest boat trip. There were so many times when the “captain” of the boat (75 seater boat) had to turn off the engine of the boat while we get face to face with big waves! I was clutching my husband’s arm real tight while praying for dear life. The waves becomes were bigger at the time when we had to pass by two islands fronting each other. And then finally it subsided when we were back at open sea. I asked hubby about it and he explained it to me. He said that if there’s no land at all, then the water will just be still. But since there’s land, the water splashes back after it reaches the shore, thus creating waves. Then he mentioned that the waves are much bigger and stronger at the time when we’re closer to land.
Thinking about it while praying earnestly during the ride, the Lord gave that to me as an analogy. During the situations in our lives wherein our faith is being tested, and at the time when we think it’s already the breaking point, that’s the time when we’re really close to deliverance. It’s the stage prior to a breakthrough, all we need to do is to hang in there and wait for the Lord to take us out of that situation. Looking back now, there were a lot of times when I chickened out when already faced with that kind of situation, and looking back now, I feel bad knowing that I could have received more blessings (in all aspects – primarily spiritually) had I opted to hold on and wait for the Lord. And now that I am writing this entry, I am reminded of a book of Joyce Meyer that I bought before. The title of the book is DO IT AFRAID! There are times when all that God is asking of us is to wait patiently for him.
Psalm 37:7a
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
I am writing this to remind myself that at times when it seems the toughest, I’m at the verge of being delivered from that trial, and that all I need to do is to wait on Him.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
I will hope in the Lord
Habakkuk 3:17-19
17
Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines,
The produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food,
And the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold
And there be no herd in the stalls,
18
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19
God, the Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s;
He makes me tread on my high places.
A colleague, who recently renewed her commitment to the Lord, is receiving and outpouring of blessings. God used me as a vessel to witness to her and one thing led to another and she finally decided to draw near to God again. As we were talking earlier about the recent turn of events in her life, I remember what my dad told me that if you’re being used to bless a person, your blessing is higher and greater than the blessing of that person.
There goes the battle in my mind again. The enemy reminded me of our current situation and was gearing towards making me doubt the word that the Lord gave me. But the Holy Spirit led me into remembering that passage in the Bible. I am likewise reminded of a passage somewhere in either the Psalms or Proverbs that states that you have to be happy for your brother when God lifts him up, because when your time comes, they will be happy for you as well.
17
Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines,
The produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food,
And the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold
And there be no herd in the stalls,
18
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
19
God, the Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s;
He makes me tread on my high places.
A colleague, who recently renewed her commitment to the Lord, is receiving and outpouring of blessings. God used me as a vessel to witness to her and one thing led to another and she finally decided to draw near to God again. As we were talking earlier about the recent turn of events in her life, I remember what my dad told me that if you’re being used to bless a person, your blessing is higher and greater than the blessing of that person.
There goes the battle in my mind again. The enemy reminded me of our current situation and was gearing towards making me doubt the word that the Lord gave me. But the Holy Spirit led me into remembering that passage in the Bible. I am likewise reminded of a passage somewhere in either the Psalms or Proverbs that states that you have to be happy for your brother when God lifts him up, because when your time comes, they will be happy for you as well.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
on restlessness...
Over the last few days, I found myself clinging into the ever thin thread of happiness that life has dealt me with as the year draws to a close. As I find our finances dropping, in the same way, I felt slowly leaning towards depression.
But God will not let that happen. His Faithfulness lifted me back. Amidst all the worries, what-ifs and what-might-have-beens, God made a way to make me understand.
I was going over the book that my father gave me and this is what the Lord has to say to me when my heart is cluttered with earthly worries:
I have seen people who are so wrapped up in their own self-efforts that they never have peace. They remain frustrated. They are trying to work to please God. However, the thing about working to please God is that you never know when you have done enough or performed well enough to meet His requirements. The devil will tell you, “You could have prayed longer. You could have gone to one more church service. God is not pleased with you.” This will always leave you frustrated and without peace.
But when you understand His grace, when you understand that God has already done the work, then all you need to do is receive His gifts of grace. All the pressure is off, and peace is the result.
God spoke directly to me with what the author wrote. And I am reminded of a verse in Matthew that tells us to live one day at a time.
But God will not let that happen. His Faithfulness lifted me back. Amidst all the worries, what-ifs and what-might-have-beens, God made a way to make me understand.
I was going over the book that my father gave me and this is what the Lord has to say to me when my heart is cluttered with earthly worries:
I have seen people who are so wrapped up in their own self-efforts that they never have peace. They remain frustrated. They are trying to work to please God. However, the thing about working to please God is that you never know when you have done enough or performed well enough to meet His requirements. The devil will tell you, “You could have prayed longer. You could have gone to one more church service. God is not pleased with you.” This will always leave you frustrated and without peace.
But when you understand His grace, when you understand that God has already done the work, then all you need to do is receive His gifts of grace. All the pressure is off, and peace is the result.
God spoke directly to me with what the author wrote. And I am reminded of a verse in Matthew that tells us to live one day at a time.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
delighted =)
hubby downloaded the old tv series (i mean old, like i remember watching before reaching the age of 10!) that kuya randy and i used to watch before. if im not mistaken its in channel 4 that its being shown before. the series is titled - Beauty and the Beast, and the theme song of the said show is "The first time i loved forever", which i absolutely love.
anyway while we were watching the start of the series and i was telling hubby that that is the reason why i love the said song, he just blurted it out all of a sudden. he said why dont we get married next year, well in the vernacular of course. and all of a sudden i find myself out of words.
yeah im truly excited. and then he had a disclaimer saying that it's not the actual proposal. hehehe so i guess there's more to come.
anyway while we were watching the start of the series and i was telling hubby that that is the reason why i love the said song, he just blurted it out all of a sudden. he said why dont we get married next year, well in the vernacular of course. and all of a sudden i find myself out of words.
yeah im truly excited. and then he had a disclaimer saying that it's not the actual proposal. hehehe so i guess there's more to come.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Encouragement
yesterday i came to work and there seems to be a lot of things happening. a colleague of mine cant finish her load for the day and somehow i feel partly responsible. although in weighing things, i could say that i'm not even at fault. but then again, i feel bad that i couldn't help.
basically i was tasked to update the calendar that we have - training calendar that is. that includes the class roster and the officer's certification and re-certification dates if applicable. i am religiously updating that. on the other hand i dont go along well with MS Excel so i have difficulty updating the snapshot or the passing rate per class (i hope they can come up with a way to automate that in the future). now she is looking for the percentage rate and at the same time she needs the total number and percentage of officers who certified out of the old module and i dont have that data since i came on board only july of this year while she's been the trainer for 2yrs now. likewise, i was never told how to do it. although it seems sophomoric, i never really had a sit down session when i was told that this is what im suppose to do and how im suppose to do it. its not that im defensive (well it certainly sounds like, i know), its just that when i consider all those things i think that i really have no fault in that. she's not blaming me, in fact she remained nice. i guess im just guilty and paranoid.
when i got home yesterday, hubby felt my sadness. i was just too tired to tell him all about what happened that i said im just thinking of a lot of things. made me smile though that my husband is so attuned to my emotions that he could tell right away without me verbalizing it, which reminds me i need to post something else in regard to that.
this morning, when i came to the office i was given a little down time by God that the trainee i'm supposed to certify at 4am did not show up. i decided to open my personal email and this is what i found courtesy of my good friend Theyie.
Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing,
In everything give thanks, for this is the will
of God in Christ Jesus concerning you
1 Thes. 5: 16
Dear God:
> The lady reading this is beautiful, classy and strong, and
> I love her.
> Help her live her life to the fullest. Please promote her
> and cause her
> to excel above her expectations. Help her shine in the
> darkest places
> where it is impossible to love. Protect her at all times,
> lift her up
> when she needs you the most, and let her know when she
> walks with you,
> she will always be safe.
> Love you Sis!!!!
God is indeed speaking, u just need to be attuned to what he has to say.
basically i was tasked to update the calendar that we have - training calendar that is. that includes the class roster and the officer's certification and re-certification dates if applicable. i am religiously updating that. on the other hand i dont go along well with MS Excel so i have difficulty updating the snapshot or the passing rate per class (i hope they can come up with a way to automate that in the future). now she is looking for the percentage rate and at the same time she needs the total number and percentage of officers who certified out of the old module and i dont have that data since i came on board only july of this year while she's been the trainer for 2yrs now. likewise, i was never told how to do it. although it seems sophomoric, i never really had a sit down session when i was told that this is what im suppose to do and how im suppose to do it. its not that im defensive (well it certainly sounds like, i know), its just that when i consider all those things i think that i really have no fault in that. she's not blaming me, in fact she remained nice. i guess im just guilty and paranoid.
when i got home yesterday, hubby felt my sadness. i was just too tired to tell him all about what happened that i said im just thinking of a lot of things. made me smile though that my husband is so attuned to my emotions that he could tell right away without me verbalizing it, which reminds me i need to post something else in regard to that.
this morning, when i came to the office i was given a little down time by God that the trainee i'm supposed to certify at 4am did not show up. i decided to open my personal email and this is what i found courtesy of my good friend Theyie.
Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing,
In everything give thanks, for this is the will
of God in Christ Jesus concerning you
1 Thes. 5: 16
Dear God:
> The lady reading this is beautiful, classy and strong, and
> I love her.
> Help her live her life to the fullest. Please promote her
> and cause her
> to excel above her expectations. Help her shine in the
> darkest places
> where it is impossible to love. Protect her at all times,
> lift her up
> when she needs you the most, and let her know when she
> walks with you,
> she will always be safe.
> Love you Sis!!!!
God is indeed speaking, u just need to be attuned to what he has to say.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
restless
i know i prayed for this job a couple of months back. and here i am plagued with dreams of having another life, another job outside of the call center industry. will it ever end?
oh Lord please calm my restless soul and grant me contentment.
oh Lord please calm my restless soul and grant me contentment.
Monday, November 17, 2008
txt message from God
it was a slow part of the day of a particular work day in the office. i suddenly thought of browsing through ipams. then i found this really enticing job post. its for an executive secretary in the UAE and the pay is minimum of USD $2000 to a max of USD $2500. i got so excited that i decided to apply right then and there trying to justify whatever inner ramblings my heart is giving me at that time.
i went ahead and clicked on the buttons and filled out the information requested piece by piece and then the laptop froze. so there i wasnt able to apply.
when i got home i tried it again. and then when i was just about to finish it, the pc went kaput!
i called my dad to be my sounding board. apparently he doesnt agree with it. posing questions like to whom will i leave my son to and other things.
and as if i could not take a clue, i still went ahead and applied. despite all those things. then i went to bed. after probably a few hours, i woke up to the vibrating of my cellphone. and then i found this txt message from ate amee - kuya randy's wife.
Often, we get impatient and take things into our own hands but God said, "Be quiet, trust me. I know your needs better than you do. Just wait and give me a chance to work."
i was really stunned. God really speaks to us now in plain language. no more signs and enigmas. just that!
so there i took that plain and simple!
I'm glad i do have an awesome God!
i went ahead and clicked on the buttons and filled out the information requested piece by piece and then the laptop froze. so there i wasnt able to apply.
when i got home i tried it again. and then when i was just about to finish it, the pc went kaput!
i called my dad to be my sounding board. apparently he doesnt agree with it. posing questions like to whom will i leave my son to and other things.
and as if i could not take a clue, i still went ahead and applied. despite all those things. then i went to bed. after probably a few hours, i woke up to the vibrating of my cellphone. and then i found this txt message from ate amee - kuya randy's wife.
Often, we get impatient and take things into our own hands but God said, "Be quiet, trust me. I know your needs better than you do. Just wait and give me a chance to work."
i was really stunned. God really speaks to us now in plain language. no more signs and enigmas. just that!
so there i took that plain and simple!
I'm glad i do have an awesome God!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
TGI Friday!
Well there goes, first and foremost I'm grateful that its Friday once again. Which means i'll be able to spend time again with my boys - my son and hubby.
Had a great time today. Went to kuya Randy's house in the morning to bring the little things i bought as pasalubong for ate Enang and Tyong Cesar. We had a sumptuous lunch - kare kare, pansit canton (too full to try it out), lechon manok and lechong liempo. had a great time catching up with my cuzin, ate Enang via skype. They were all in awe of my Nathan, said he's so pogi. Ate Amee - Kuya Randy's wifey, said Nathan looked like he's a three year old kiddo when they saw him.
This evening we had another hearty meal at Sisdang in Dampa at Macapagal Ave. Kuya Randy and Ate Amee had the following dishes cooked for us (after they bought all of it from the wet market outside): sinigang sa misong Maya-maya, Tempura, Shrimp in sweet chili sauce, Crab in Sweet Chili sauce, baked Mussels, Sweet and sour Maya maya and Green Mango ensalada! We're filled to the brim! hehehe and then had a singing session with the rest of the gang.
Oh and wait, the other day, the Lord cleared off my debt at Standard chartered bank! I paid it in full, best of all the money used to pay off the debt is also a blessing. Plus there's an amnesty program that when you pay then, you could pay it 50% off. Great!
I pray that we get to clear off these loans real fast. =)
Had a great time today. Went to kuya Randy's house in the morning to bring the little things i bought as pasalubong for ate Enang and Tyong Cesar. We had a sumptuous lunch - kare kare, pansit canton (too full to try it out), lechon manok and lechong liempo. had a great time catching up with my cuzin, ate Enang via skype. They were all in awe of my Nathan, said he's so pogi. Ate Amee - Kuya Randy's wifey, said Nathan looked like he's a three year old kiddo when they saw him.
This evening we had another hearty meal at Sisdang in Dampa at Macapagal Ave. Kuya Randy and Ate Amee had the following dishes cooked for us (after they bought all of it from the wet market outside): sinigang sa misong Maya-maya, Tempura, Shrimp in sweet chili sauce, Crab in Sweet Chili sauce, baked Mussels, Sweet and sour Maya maya and Green Mango ensalada! We're filled to the brim! hehehe and then had a singing session with the rest of the gang.
Oh and wait, the other day, the Lord cleared off my debt at Standard chartered bank! I paid it in full, best of all the money used to pay off the debt is also a blessing. Plus there's an amnesty program that when you pay then, you could pay it 50% off. Great!
I pray that we get to clear off these loans real fast. =)
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
gratitude post
i know i said ill be consistent. but well, laziness gets the better of me every time. i have a list on my actual planner though on what are the things that i do thank God for. i'll blog about the other things listed there next time.
anyways in as far as i could remember these are some of the things that i really do thank God for.
oct 21
picked up hubby from work and greeted him happy bday. was really happy that he had a happy bday. turns out his new team - management that is, came up with a surprise for his bday. they bought him a yummy red ribbon cake and they announced his bday to the entire floor. he's very happy and contented now with his new program.
one of the days in between (forgot what date hehe)
my mom went home from her home town and gave me this fab charm bracelet watch from my aunt (her elder sister). and that's just the watch that i wanted. im not specific about the brand nonetheless i always find myself looking a such type of watch whenever we pass by a watch store. and i didnt even pray about is so imagine my delight upon seeing what i got. on top of that i got a victoria's secret body lotion and a simple top for a casual day. ^_^
yesterday upon going home, i dropped by meralco to pay our electricity bill. then before boarding a jeep going home, i saw a watch repair booth. since i have the watch that carmi sent me some months ago that needs adjusting, i asked the elderly man manning the booth how much it will cost. he said P20. so i did not hesitate anymore and gave him the watch so he can measure it and adjust. after the procedure, while he was fixing the part he took off on the bracelet, i saw this dark blue oblong shaped stone. i then asked him what is that. he told me its a semi precious stone. then he said since i like stones, he will give me one. he then took one small round container, its the one that comes with camera films. he took out a rectangle shaped stone that is really beautiful. he said he'll just give it to me. so i was shocked. i asked him if he's sure. and he said he is! he explained that when he sells gold he normally takes off the stones. and wow he just felt like giving me one that day! he is a very ordinary man - well with that i meant that he doesnt make fabulous money with what he does. on top of that he is disabled. im not sure what happened but he's sitting on a wheel chair. so i was humbled with how big his heart is. and so i thank God for people like him, who despite the difficulties they encounter in life, are still capable of giving to others.
when we got home yesterday, we we're half step in closing the deal of selling tito tony's house. =) which means i can now buy a simple car for myself. yey!
then last night im grateful that hubby drove me to work and before going to work we had a date. we hanged out at starbucks in corithian hills and tried to catch up with each other. we hardly get to do that anymore and going out with him provided the much needed lift i needed that night. (dunno but for some unknown reasons while we were driving from the house i was so sad that i did cry. good thing he didnt see it but well i told him anyway.) after having coffee we checked in a hotel and made passionate love to each other. thank God for
anyways in as far as i could remember these are some of the things that i really do thank God for.
oct 21
picked up hubby from work and greeted him happy bday. was really happy that he had a happy bday. turns out his new team - management that is, came up with a surprise for his bday. they bought him a yummy red ribbon cake and they announced his bday to the entire floor. he's very happy and contented now with his new program.
one of the days in between (forgot what date hehe)
my mom went home from her home town and gave me this fab charm bracelet watch from my aunt (her elder sister). and that's just the watch that i wanted. im not specific about the brand nonetheless i always find myself looking a such type of watch whenever we pass by a watch store. and i didnt even pray about is so imagine my delight upon seeing what i got. on top of that i got a victoria's secret body lotion and a simple top for a casual day. ^_^
yesterday upon going home, i dropped by meralco to pay our electricity bill. then before boarding a jeep going home, i saw a watch repair booth. since i have the watch that carmi sent me some months ago that needs adjusting, i asked the elderly man manning the booth how much it will cost. he said P20. so i did not hesitate anymore and gave him the watch so he can measure it and adjust. after the procedure, while he was fixing the part he took off on the bracelet, i saw this dark blue oblong shaped stone. i then asked him what is that. he told me its a semi precious stone. then he said since i like stones, he will give me one. he then took one small round container, its the one that comes with camera films. he took out a rectangle shaped stone that is really beautiful. he said he'll just give it to me. so i was shocked. i asked him if he's sure. and he said he is! he explained that when he sells gold he normally takes off the stones. and wow he just felt like giving me one that day! he is a very ordinary man - well with that i meant that he doesnt make fabulous money with what he does. on top of that he is disabled. im not sure what happened but he's sitting on a wheel chair. so i was humbled with how big his heart is. and so i thank God for people like him, who despite the difficulties they encounter in life, are still capable of giving to others.
when we got home yesterday, we we're half step in closing the deal of selling tito tony's house. =) which means i can now buy a simple car for myself. yey!
then last night im grateful that hubby drove me to work and before going to work we had a date. we hanged out at starbucks in corithian hills and tried to catch up with each other. we hardly get to do that anymore and going out with him provided the much needed lift i needed that night. (dunno but for some unknown reasons while we were driving from the house i was so sad that i did cry. good thing he didnt see it but well i told him anyway.) after having coffee we checked in a hotel and made passionate love to each other. thank God for
Friday, October 24, 2008
the things im grateful for day to day
oct 21
this is my hubby's 28th birthday. i actually was not able to get him any gift nonetheless, i was grateful for the fact that the Lord moved his new colleagues to buy him a cake for a present. Hubby was also very happy coz he overheard one of their TLs (team leader) whisper to her agent saying these exact words: "He's the best STL (senior TL) that i ever had." I'm really happy that he likes his team now.
oct 22
was able to spend time reading the scripture and studying the Word. Had a lot of Bible verses written that day taken from the book Im currently reading - The Fight, which was a gift from my dad.
i also found my copy of the first album of ACAPELLA Praise CD. Yey! I have been looking for this album for the longest time and even the trusty internet could not lead me to any answers as to where i could possibly get a replacement copy. apparently the album is no longer in production. so imagine my delight in finding the said CD. Thank God!
I also found my SSS voucher! I've been looking for it for ages and i actually thought i lost it. i need to give it to hr so they can deduct my loan pyts from my monthly salary. otherwise i have to go to sss to file a form.
this is my hubby's 28th birthday. i actually was not able to get him any gift nonetheless, i was grateful for the fact that the Lord moved his new colleagues to buy him a cake for a present. Hubby was also very happy coz he overheard one of their TLs (team leader) whisper to her agent saying these exact words: "He's the best STL (senior TL) that i ever had." I'm really happy that he likes his team now.
oct 22
was able to spend time reading the scripture and studying the Word. Had a lot of Bible verses written that day taken from the book Im currently reading - The Fight, which was a gift from my dad.
i also found my copy of the first album of ACAPELLA Praise CD. Yey! I have been looking for this album for the longest time and even the trusty internet could not lead me to any answers as to where i could possibly get a replacement copy. apparently the album is no longer in production. so imagine my delight in finding the said CD. Thank God!
I also found my SSS voucher! I've been looking for it for ages and i actually thought i lost it. i need to give it to hr so they can deduct my loan pyts from my monthly salary. otherwise i have to go to sss to file a form.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Gratitude Journal
Over the past few days the Lord has been showering me with lots of blessings. Well let me change that up. It has always been that way, what would be more apt to say is that the Lord has opened my spiritual eyes to let me witness his display of loving kindness.
Yesterday was my birthday! Yes I celebrated 28 blessed years of existence.
I woke up to the sound of my son contentedly sleeping beside me, his face is filled with peace. My little man, my beautiful son!
I checked out my mobile phone and I saw several messages coming from my husband. It made me smile that after all these years my husband is still very patient and loving. I have challenged his love so many times and yet he's still there patiently putting up with me and loving me the same way he's loved me before and even more.
When he got home he greeted me with a kiss with a card and a Red Ribbon cake in hand. How sweet! He knows that the only thing I will always look forward on special occasions would be a card. I'm a sucker for romance. At the end of the day, the gifts will wear and tear but words of love will linger till the light in me goes out.
Then the Lord gifted me with a beautiful summer dress, perhaps to encourage me to press on with dieting so as i could go back to my pre-pregnancy weight. At the same time, last Saturday after celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles, hubby and I went to SM Marikina. I saw this bottle of lotion in Zen Zest. I was thinking of buying it as a gift for myself. But then considering the things we have to pay for and the number of days before the next payday, I decided against it. But lo and behold! The Lord indeed knows the desires of my heart. He gave me something much much better. He gave me a Bath and Body Lotion in tube, that has an even better scent than the lotion I've tried on last Saturday.
Another wonderful thing that happened was that the food for my birthday was a blessing as well. Ace and his current girlfriend - Jho, came over to wish me happy birthday. And they bought ingredients from the nearby groceries to make a sumptuous Carbonara meal. It was heartwarming and the food was sensational!
This afternoon when I decided to browse thru the book authored by Joel Osteen - Your Best Life Now, the Lord led me to read thru the passage that has a title that says: Joy Is Your Strength. That would be page 132 of the said book.
At the same time here are the Bible verses that The Lord gave me today:
1 Corinthians 10:23-24 = concerning younger Christians who are still inclined to keeping traditions.
Numbers 6:22-27 = The Aaronic Blessing
22 -23 God spoke to Moses: "Tell Aaron and his sons, This is how you are to bless the People of Israel. Say to them,
24 God bless you and keep you,
25 God smile on you and gift you,
26 God look you full in the face
and make you prosper. 27 In so doing, they will place my name on the People of Israel—
I will confirm it by blessing them."
James 3:4-6 = The Power of the Tongue
3 -5A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!
5 -6It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.
James 4:2
2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.
=====
I used to blog about a whole bunch of miserable things in the past. But that has ended. A new season has began. I will rejoice for Jesus' made me glad.
Yesterday was my birthday! Yes I celebrated 28 blessed years of existence.
I woke up to the sound of my son contentedly sleeping beside me, his face is filled with peace. My little man, my beautiful son!
I checked out my mobile phone and I saw several messages coming from my husband. It made me smile that after all these years my husband is still very patient and loving. I have challenged his love so many times and yet he's still there patiently putting up with me and loving me the same way he's loved me before and even more.
When he got home he greeted me with a kiss with a card and a Red Ribbon cake in hand. How sweet! He knows that the only thing I will always look forward on special occasions would be a card. I'm a sucker for romance. At the end of the day, the gifts will wear and tear but words of love will linger till the light in me goes out.
Then the Lord gifted me with a beautiful summer dress, perhaps to encourage me to press on with dieting so as i could go back to my pre-pregnancy weight. At the same time, last Saturday after celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles, hubby and I went to SM Marikina. I saw this bottle of lotion in Zen Zest. I was thinking of buying it as a gift for myself. But then considering the things we have to pay for and the number of days before the next payday, I decided against it. But lo and behold! The Lord indeed knows the desires of my heart. He gave me something much much better. He gave me a Bath and Body Lotion in tube, that has an even better scent than the lotion I've tried on last Saturday.
Another wonderful thing that happened was that the food for my birthday was a blessing as well. Ace and his current girlfriend - Jho, came over to wish me happy birthday. And they bought ingredients from the nearby groceries to make a sumptuous Carbonara meal. It was heartwarming and the food was sensational!
This afternoon when I decided to browse thru the book authored by Joel Osteen - Your Best Life Now, the Lord led me to read thru the passage that has a title that says: Joy Is Your Strength. That would be page 132 of the said book.
At the same time here are the Bible verses that The Lord gave me today:
1 Corinthians 10:23-24 = concerning younger Christians who are still inclined to keeping traditions.
Numbers 6:22-27 = The Aaronic Blessing
22 -23 God spoke to Moses: "Tell Aaron and his sons, This is how you are to bless the People of Israel. Say to them,
24 God bless you and keep you,
25 God smile on you and gift you,
26 God look you full in the face
and make you prosper. 27 In so doing, they will place my name on the People of Israel—
I will confirm it by blessing them."
James 3:4-6 = The Power of the Tongue
3 -5A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse. A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds. A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it!
5 -6It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.
James 4:2
2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.
I used to blog about a whole bunch of miserable things in the past. But that has ended. A new season has began. I will rejoice for Jesus' made me glad.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
renewal of acceptance
it has been more than a year from the time i last logged a blog entry. a lot of things has happened. we have been blessed. my son and my husband has been blessed as well. i just wish i had been more consistent with blogging. nonetheless, its never too late.
this morning, my husband and i made love. i was afraid of getting pregnant with our financial status still not in a good shape. but then again, i went over the readings my dad gave me, and the first thing that appeared to me is the title in huge and bold letters:
THE ALL SUFFICIENT FATHER
and there in it were all the promises that the Lord gave us about HIS faithfulness, HIS grace and HIS power.
and when I glanced outside at 11:29am, it started to rain, which is a sign of blessing. It is the Lord telling me that He will not leave me or abandon me. I could celebrate the coming of a new child if the Lord blesses us with another baby.
and right before my father left, he prayed for us. and we renewed our acceptance to God. We are now turning a new leaf as children of God and ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ.
this morning, my husband and i made love. i was afraid of getting pregnant with our financial status still not in a good shape. but then again, i went over the readings my dad gave me, and the first thing that appeared to me is the title in huge and bold letters:
and there in it were all the promises that the Lord gave us about HIS faithfulness, HIS grace and HIS power.
and when I glanced outside at 11:29am, it started to rain, which is a sign of blessing. It is the Lord telling me that He will not leave me or abandon me. I could celebrate the coming of a new child if the Lord blesses us with another baby.
and right before my father left, he prayed for us. and we renewed our acceptance to God. We are now turning a new leaf as children of God and ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Isaiah 61
Early this morning around 4:40am, the Lord roused me from sleep, well make that half asleep. I was trying to fall asleep and was actually half asleep already after changing my son's diaper when the Lord compelled me to open my Bible. I was first negotiating with God, telling Him to wait for a few more hours, but then again, I thought that was quite absurd and ungrateful, so I got up and got my Bible. Then the Spirit lead my fingers to this passage in the scripture.
I have been distressed over our financial situation over some time and last night I felt my heart break when I saw my husband slipping to depression. There is that sadness in his eyes as he looked at me and my son for a few lingering moments before he got up to eat dinner.
Thus, this is the Lord's message to me this morning - the entire chapter of Isaiah 61.
Isaiah 61 - Good News for the Oppressed
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.
2 He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord's favor has come and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies.
3 To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness , they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.
5 Foreigner will be your servants. They will feed your flocks and plow your fields and tend your vineyards.
6 You will be called priests of the Lord, ministers of our God. You will feed on the treasures of the nations and boast in their riches.
7 Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.
8 "For I, the Lord, love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their descendants will be recognized and honored among the nations. Everyone will realize that they are a people the Lord has blessed."
10 I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels.
11 The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere.
---o0o---
Then I think about 2 days ago, I read another message of the Holy Spirit through Rev. Wilkerson about why our prayers are not being answered. He gave 6 possible reasons, I will be copying the said article again when I have the time. Mean while let me share with you some of the truths revealed in the said message that struck me the most.
-->But of this you can be sure - the longer the prayer is delayed, the more perfect it will come forth at last. Also, the deeper the silence, the louder the answer.
-->Faith should have a good memory. Our rash and hasty words are results of our forgetting His past benefits.
-->Our prayers are aborted when we ourselves attempt to prescribe how God should answer.
That would be all for now, I have some praying to do. =)
I have been distressed over our financial situation over some time and last night I felt my heart break when I saw my husband slipping to depression. There is that sadness in his eyes as he looked at me and my son for a few lingering moments before he got up to eat dinner.
Thus, this is the Lord's message to me this morning - the entire chapter of Isaiah 61.
Isaiah 61 - Good News for the Oppressed
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.
2 He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord's favor has come and with it, the day of God's anger against their enemies.
3 To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness , they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.
5 Foreigner will be your servants. They will feed your flocks and plow your fields and tend your vineyards.
6 You will be called priests of the Lord, ministers of our God. You will feed on the treasures of the nations and boast in their riches.
7 Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.
8 "For I, the Lord, love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9 Their descendants will be recognized and honored among the nations. Everyone will realize that they are a people the Lord has blessed."
10 I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels.
11 The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere.
Then I think about 2 days ago, I read another message of the Holy Spirit through Rev. Wilkerson about why our prayers are not being answered. He gave 6 possible reasons, I will be copying the said article again when I have the time. Mean while let me share with you some of the truths revealed in the said message that struck me the most.
-->But of this you can be sure - the longer the prayer is delayed, the more perfect it will come forth at last. Also, the deeper the silence, the louder the answer.
-->Faith should have a good memory. Our rash and hasty words are results of our forgetting His past benefits.
-->Our prayers are aborted when we ourselves attempt to prescribe how God should answer.
That would be all for now, I have some praying to do. =)
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
God's Reassurance
We have been experiencing a financial difficulty as of late. And recently we were at the such a low point since I just gave birth, was on leave for almost two months already (one month prior to the time i gave birth) and I have not received the maternity benefits that was due me from the social security system all because my current employer is also on a major financial hurdle.
everytime i'd think about our current situation, i'd pray to ask for God's provision, remembering His promise in Philippians 4:19 - But my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. - but then after praying, I'd immediately thing about ways on how to solve our money crisis, including persistently asking our company finance director when I'll get my maternity benefits or thinking of asking my dad for money and sometimes even asking for help from our relatives residing in the United States. Yeah, i am such a worry wart that it completely makes no sense that I prayed. But today I came across this article in the Victory Miracle Living magazine that was given to me by my dad. God sure knows me and He wanted to teach me to rely on Him solely. I must admit I'm very lazy when it comes to nourishing my soul and I only pray when the need arises. I keep on reminding myself that I need to work on my prayer life, perhaps God is helping me with that commitment I have with myself and He is telling me to press on with prayer.
I want to share with you this article so that you may feel God's reassurance in case you find yourself in the same or similar situation that I am at.
Accusing God of Child Neglect
by: David Wilkerson
God has a way of dealing with His children by asking them questions. And He poses these questions in such a way as to expose our very thoughts. For example:
When Elijah was hiding in the cave, the Lord asked: "Elijah, what are you doing there?"
When Peter began walking on the water toward Christ, and doubt caused him to sink in the waves, Jesus asked: "Why did you not believe?"
When Saul, soon to be named Paul, was on the Damascus road, Christ asked him: "Why do you persecute Me?"
These questions were penetrating. They were designed to make the people think, to look deep within their hearts. And today, God still uses questions to get right to the heart of matters with His children.
The Lord ofent speaks to me with a question. In fat, not long ago, I shared with our church a question God had posed to me: "David, is your God and idol?". I wondered what the Lord was asking. And I had to search my heart deeply to find out what He was getting at.
I soon realized the question had to do with whether I pictured the Lord as alive – as truly hearing and answering prayer – or as one who doesn’t see or hear. Was He to me no more than wood or stone, like other dead idol? Or did I really trust Him to hear and answer my prayers, as a living caring Father?
In recent weeks, as I sought the Lord for this message, another question popped into my heart. The Lord asked me this:
“David, do you accuse Me of child neglect?”
I was astounded at the very thought! Then the Spirit whispered to my soul: “You are My child – I am your Father. Yet do you doubt Me? Do you accuse Me in your mind of neglecting you, of not hearing your sincere cries?”
Again I had to search my heart before answering. And the Lord quickly brought up a number of other questions – all of them dealing with accusing God of neglect!
Now, we Christians rarely verbalize our doubts and unbelief. We never say to others that the Lord has neglected us – that He has been silent to our cries, He has not heard our prayers, He has not been working in our behalf.
But the fact remains – we do think such thoughts! These questions and doubts exist deep within us. They are things we feel when God seems to be absent from our lives.
I believe God gave me this message because the Spirit wants to deal with each of us about trusting Him fully. Our glorious worship in church, our heartfelt praise, our daily Christian walk – all are in vain if we think for a moment that God has neglected us in any area of our lives!
Let me share with you some of the questions the Lord has put to me recently. If you can settle these three questions in your soul, you will be quickened in your faith and confidence in the Lord:
1. Does God Have the Answer to Every Question and Every Need in My Life?
Any believer who wishes to please God with his prayer life must first settle this question : “Does God have all I need? Or do I need to go elsewhere for my answer?”
This appears to be a simple question – one that shouldn’t even need to be asked. And most Christians would immediately answer, “Yes, of course I believe God has all I need.” But the simple fact is, many are not fully convinced!
We say we believe it. We sing hymns and preach about it. But when a crisis hits and God doesn’t seem to answer, we don’t really believe He has what we need!
Paul states: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). The Lord has a storehouse of abundance with which to meet our every need!
Why did the troubled woman in Jesus’ parable keep bothering the unjust judge, saying “Give me justice!”. It was because she knew that he alone had the power and authority to solve her problem. She could go to no one else!
Oh, if we only had such an inner knowledge that God alone has all we need! We would never turn in vain to any other source. The Lord is a just and holy Judge – and He has all the wisdom, power and authority to solve any problem we face.
God spent forty years trying to convince Israel they would never lack anything – that He would be their constant source and supply: “For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the Lord thy God had been with thee; thou has lacked nothing” (Deuteronomy 2:7).
God was saying, “There is no scarceness, no shortage with Me. I have all you will ever need.”
“For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land… a land wherein… thou shalt not lack any thing in it… When thou hast eaten (thou shalt be full)” (8:7-10)
Today the Lord has brought us into our Promised Land – Christ! Jesus is to us an abiding place where there is never any lack. He represents the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
Now, if you do not believe that, then you are saying that the Old Testament provided something better than we have now in Christ. You are saying that under the law people had a bounty and a fullness – but in Christ we have less!
Indeed, Old Testament believers had the shekinah glory of the Lord. But God says He has provided something even better for us – and that is the very presence of Jesus Himself. He is constantly present in us!
The Bible says of Moses’ time: Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not….(They) delighted themselves in thy great goodness” (Nehemiah 9:21,25).
I ask you – do you delight in the Lord’s goodness to you? Or do you whisper within your heart, “God hasn’t been good to me. My prayers aren’t being answered. So many things have been left hanging…”
Dear saint, if God could take 3 million Jews through the wilderness, don’t you think He can take care of you? Or do you think He is more faithful to the law than He is to grace? Do you marvel at the way He took care of Israel, and yet you look at yourself and say, “Poor me!”. That is accusing God of child neglect!
Israel never was convinced they would have all their supply if only they would trust God completely. These were not a holy people. They were impudent, disobedient, and idolatrous. Moses told them, “Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve been bent on backsliding!”.
Yet when they called out, God came and answered their cry! He had mercy on them! I ask you – will He not all the more hear the cries of those who have left their idolatry and love Him passionately?
You have to be convinced – your answer is all in Him! It is not in something you can do, or in some friend or support group. It is beyond all you know of things on this earth! Scripture says we are to be “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
If you don’t believe that – if you are not convinced the Lord has everything you need – then you charge Him with being an unfit Father! You are saying He has no right to raise a child. You accuse Him of having all power and authority to provide for you – and hiding it all from you!
No matter what your problem is, no matter what your confusing maze may be – if you will simply wait on Jesus humbly, He will speak. He will give you all wisdom and knowledge sufficient for your trial. He has always made a way through for those who trust in Him fully And He will do it for you!
2. Does My Father See What I Am Going Through – and Does He Care?
This is another simple question – yet I believe it is not being answered honestly by most Christians.
God is asking, “Do you truly believe I see exactly what you are enduring right now?” . Perhaps as you read this message, you are going through something that calls for Him to act on your behalf. The very nature of your problem demands an answer.
Beloved – do you believe God monitors your every move, as a father does his infant child? Do you know in your heart He is interpreting every thought you think? Do you believe He is at work – bottling every tear, hearing every sigh, hovering over you as a loving, caring Father?
This is exactly the way the Bible describes Him! “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry… The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:15,17)
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7)
Do you believe that God is absolutely, totally ware of your every thought, grief and pain, trial, financial burden, family problem – and that He wants to se you through them all?”
The psalmist tells us, “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him” (Psalm 103:13)
The Hebrew word for “pity” here means “to fondle, cuddle, love, be compassionate.” Scripture is saying the Lord cuddles in His arms those who fear Him!
God puts His arms around you, He strokes your cheeks, He holds you to his breast. He says, “I know your thoughts, your concerns, every battle you must face. And I care!”
David said: “O Lord… Thou hast known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it all together. Thou has beset me behind and before… How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake. I am still with thee” (Psalm 139:1-5, 17-18).
David is saying, “God knows all about me. He sees my every move, even my thoughts. Everywhere I turn, there He is!”
Think of it. No matter what you are going through, no matter how you feel, the Lord sees it all! He feels the very feelings of your infirmities. He knows every move you make – all you say and do.
And yet all the time He thinks precious thoughts about you! He says, “My thoughts of you are so powerful and so many, they are more than the sands in the sea!”.
Many Christians go through life thinking God is angry with them. They think they can never please Him. How wrong they are! David was not a perfect man, and yet he was able to say, “How precious are they thoughts unto me, O God!”.
Dear saint, God is not mad at you right now. No – He is thinking precious, cuddly, loving thoughts about you. He knows the way you feel – and He cares!
He is saying, “Yes you’re going through a great trial – you’re being tempted and tossed. But you’re My child I wil never allow the enemy to ensnare you I’m going to bring you through!”.
Now there is a third question you have to answer:
3. Is God Willing to Come Forth to My Help?
Do you believe God is willing to come quickly to solve your problem?
Here is where many Christians fail. They know god has all they need – they admit He cares. But they are not convinced He is willing to come quickly to help them.
When God does not answer their cry right away, they imagine hindrances and inner blockages in themselves. They think of all kinds of reasons why the Lord must not be willing to come to their aid.
No – that is accusing God of neglecting His child!
On Mount Carmel, Elijah accused the pagan god Baal of child neglect:
”And they… called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice nor any that answered…”
“And it came to pass at noon that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awakened.”
“And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner till the blood gushed out upon them…. [But] there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regardeth” (1 Kings 18:26-29).
Hear these words again: “There was no voice… no answer… no one to pay attention or regard…”
This is exactly how we accuse God of child neglect! We pray, we cry aloud to God – but we go our way not believing He has heard us! We walk away from the Lord’s presence – away from church, away from the secret closet – wondering if He has even paid attention!
No! The Lord is always ready to hear and answer our cry for help. I love what David said of Him:
”For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee… In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee; for thou will answer me” (Psalm 56:5,7)
David said, “My God is ready and willing to answer me in the very moment I cry out to Him! I don’t stop and contemplate my trouble. I don’t grieve over it or try to figure it out. I go to my Lord and cry. Help!”
That is all God is waiting for – your heartbroken cry, uttered in child-like faith!
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man thinks that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” (James 1:6-7)
The Bible says that under bondage in Egypt, “Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God… And God heard their groaning, and God remembered. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God took notice of them.” (Exodus 2:23-25).
God did not answer Israel because they were worthy. On the contrary, the Lord had much to teach them. No – He heard them because they earnestly cried – and He took notice and heard their cry!
Just before Moses died, he reminded the people of God’s faithfulness to come forth at their cry:
“And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage; and when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression:
“And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs and with wonders” (Deuteronomy 26:6-8)
The Israelites as backslidden and idolatrous as they were, simply cried out to the Lord. And God is saying to His beloved children today, “You can call upon Me, you can cry out to Me – and I will hear!”
Are you afflicted? Bound? Troubled? Needing deliverance? Cry aloud – with faith! God is ready to deliver you with wonders by His mighty arm!
You can sum up the history of Israel in these few verses:
”And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgot the Lord their God… (But)when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer…” (Judges 3:7,9).
God’s people repeatedly forgot Him. But when they cried out He came!
Indeed Samuel chided Israel by reminding them of how their fathers had cried out to the Lord:
“And they cried unto the Lord and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord… but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies… And the Lord sent Jerub-baal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe” (1 Samuel 12:10-11).
God always sent deliverance! No matter how badly the people had sinned against the Lord, no matter how terribly they forsook Him – in the very moment they cried out to Him, God went to work to save and deliver them!
Dear saint, do you believe God has turned a deaf ear to your cries? Do you believe He was willing to hear the cries of a stubborn, backslidden Israel who hardly ever trusted Him fully – and yet He will not hear the sincere cry of a blood-bathed, believing child?
Never! No matter what you are facing, He will not allow Satan to overcome you! He has put a wall of fire around you. He is ready to come to your aid at a moment’s notice.
David Cried to the Lord Often – and He Was Delivered Out of ALL His Troubles and Every Snare of the Enemy!
David tells us why God answered him: “he brought me forth also into a large place: He delivered me, because he delighted in me” (Psalm 18:19)
“Delight” here means “to take pleasure or joy.” David was saying, “I bring pleasure to God. He delivered me simply because He takes pleasure in me!”
Yes – and beloved, He takes pleasure in you and me as well!
You see, we who trust in the Lord are His holy Zion, His holy remnant. Remnant means, simply, “those who call on the Lord from a pure heart,” They are those who have been called out of a lazy Christendom and are totally devoted to Jesus.
To the chosen of Zion, God says:
Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shalt thy land any more be termed Desolate; but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighted in thee” (Isaiah 62:3-4).
Why does God come to my rescue so willing to deliver me? It is because he delights in me! I am a pleasure to Him. He enjoys my friendship!
A precious young man told me: “ I have never been convinced that I have truly been accepted by the Lord. I seldom feel good enough for God – like I just don’t measure up. I keep trying to appease Him by doing something good for others.
So many Christians feel this way. Over the years I have known many old-time Pentecostal people who have never had the assurance in the Lord. They felt unworthy, unclean and unloved. They never believed they were a delight to the heart of God.
So they were always trying to work something in their lives to please Him. If they failed in one area, they did three things in another area to try to make God happy.
Beloved, this can never be! When you come to Jesus, you can’t come make up anything to Him. No – He makes it all up to you. That is who He is! He says, “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you” (Joel 2:@5)
No matter what your failure or shortcoming – God makes it all up to you!
God’s children Are Tattooed Into the Very Palm of His Hand!
This is one of my favorite scriptures:
“Sing, O heavens; be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, o mountains; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.
“Can a woman forget her suckling child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” (Isaiah 49: 13-16)
God says I am engraved in the very palm of His hand! The Hebrew word for “graven” means “tattooed” – that is indelible, unerasable. He cannot stretch out his hand without being reminded of me!
Dear saint, I want to assure you: You may go through trials and sufferings. You may be far from what you wish to be in the Lord. But you can know one thing more than anything else: You are a delight to Him!
I write to you now with a confidence and knowledge in my heart that, although I have not arrived, He has made me a part of His remnant. I believe with all my heart, I am a royal crown, a diadem in His hand, a delight to his soul. He is not mad at me – He delights in me!
Listen to this wonderful promise:
”I will be glad and rejoice in they mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known soul in adversities; and thou hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; thou has set my feet in a large room…
“Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” (Psalm 31: 7-8, 19)
Can you call that child neglect? Never!
God has given you all you need to be free and victorious. He sees your condition – and He cares. He cuddles you as you call on Him. And He is ready to come forth to help you I the moment you call on Him.
Rejoice in the Lord – for you are a delight to His soul! Hallelujah!
everytime i'd think about our current situation, i'd pray to ask for God's provision, remembering His promise in Philippians 4:19 - But my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. - but then after praying, I'd immediately thing about ways on how to solve our money crisis, including persistently asking our company finance director when I'll get my maternity benefits or thinking of asking my dad for money and sometimes even asking for help from our relatives residing in the United States. Yeah, i am such a worry wart that it completely makes no sense that I prayed. But today I came across this article in the Victory Miracle Living magazine that was given to me by my dad. God sure knows me and He wanted to teach me to rely on Him solely. I must admit I'm very lazy when it comes to nourishing my soul and I only pray when the need arises. I keep on reminding myself that I need to work on my prayer life, perhaps God is helping me with that commitment I have with myself and He is telling me to press on with prayer.
I want to share with you this article so that you may feel God's reassurance in case you find yourself in the same or similar situation that I am at.
God has a way of dealing with His children by asking them questions. And He poses these questions in such a way as to expose our very thoughts. For example:
When Elijah was hiding in the cave, the Lord asked: "Elijah, what are you doing there?"
When Peter began walking on the water toward Christ, and doubt caused him to sink in the waves, Jesus asked: "Why did you not believe?"
When Saul, soon to be named Paul, was on the Damascus road, Christ asked him: "Why do you persecute Me?"
These questions were penetrating. They were designed to make the people think, to look deep within their hearts. And today, God still uses questions to get right to the heart of matters with His children.
The Lord ofent speaks to me with a question. In fat, not long ago, I shared with our church a question God had posed to me: "David, is your God and idol?". I wondered what the Lord was asking. And I had to search my heart deeply to find out what He was getting at.
I soon realized the question had to do with whether I pictured the Lord as alive – as truly hearing and answering prayer – or as one who doesn’t see or hear. Was He to me no more than wood or stone, like other dead idol? Or did I really trust Him to hear and answer my prayers, as a living caring Father?
In recent weeks, as I sought the Lord for this message, another question popped into my heart. The Lord asked me this:
I was astounded at the very thought! Then the Spirit whispered to my soul: “You are My child – I am your Father. Yet do you doubt Me? Do you accuse Me in your mind of neglecting you, of not hearing your sincere cries?”
Again I had to search my heart before answering. And the Lord quickly brought up a number of other questions – all of them dealing with accusing God of neglect!
Now, we Christians rarely verbalize our doubts and unbelief. We never say to others that the Lord has neglected us – that He has been silent to our cries, He has not heard our prayers, He has not been working in our behalf.
But the fact remains – we do think such thoughts! These questions and doubts exist deep within us. They are things we feel when God seems to be absent from our lives.
I believe God gave me this message because the Spirit wants to deal with each of us about trusting Him fully. Our glorious worship in church, our heartfelt praise, our daily Christian walk – all are in vain if we think for a moment that God has neglected us in any area of our lives!
Let me share with you some of the questions the Lord has put to me recently. If you can settle these three questions in your soul, you will be quickened in your faith and confidence in the Lord:
1. Does God Have the Answer to Every Question and Every Need in My Life?
Any believer who wishes to please God with his prayer life must first settle this question : “Does God have all I need? Or do I need to go elsewhere for my answer?”
This appears to be a simple question – one that shouldn’t even need to be asked. And most Christians would immediately answer, “Yes, of course I believe God has all I need.” But the simple fact is, many are not fully convinced!
We say we believe it. We sing hymns and preach about it. But when a crisis hits and God doesn’t seem to answer, we don’t really believe He has what we need!
Paul states: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). The Lord has a storehouse of abundance with which to meet our every need!
Why did the troubled woman in Jesus’ parable keep bothering the unjust judge, saying “Give me justice!”. It was because she knew that he alone had the power and authority to solve her problem. She could go to no one else!
Oh, if we only had such an inner knowledge that God alone has all we need! We would never turn in vain to any other source. The Lord is a just and holy Judge – and He has all the wisdom, power and authority to solve any problem we face.
God spent forty years trying to convince Israel they would never lack anything – that He would be their constant source and supply: “For the Lord thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the Lord thy God had been with thee; thou has lacked nothing” (Deuteronomy 2:7).
God was saying, “There is no scarceness, no shortage with Me. I have all you will ever need.”
“For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land… a land wherein… thou shalt not lack any thing in it… When thou hast eaten (thou shalt be full)” (8:7-10)
Today the Lord has brought us into our Promised Land – Christ! Jesus is to us an abiding place where there is never any lack. He represents the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
Now, if you do not believe that, then you are saying that the Old Testament provided something better than we have now in Christ. You are saying that under the law people had a bounty and a fullness – but in Christ we have less!
Indeed, Old Testament believers had the shekinah glory of the Lord. But God says He has provided something even better for us – and that is the very presence of Jesus Himself. He is constantly present in us!
The Bible says of Moses’ time: Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not….(They) delighted themselves in thy great goodness” (Nehemiah 9:21,25).
I ask you – do you delight in the Lord’s goodness to you? Or do you whisper within your heart, “God hasn’t been good to me. My prayers aren’t being answered. So many things have been left hanging…”
Dear saint, if God could take 3 million Jews through the wilderness, don’t you think He can take care of you? Or do you think He is more faithful to the law than He is to grace? Do you marvel at the way He took care of Israel, and yet you look at yourself and say, “Poor me!”. That is accusing God of child neglect!
Israel never was convinced they would have all their supply if only they would trust God completely. These were not a holy people. They were impudent, disobedient, and idolatrous. Moses told them, “Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve been bent on backsliding!”.
Yet when they called out, God came and answered their cry! He had mercy on them! I ask you – will He not all the more hear the cries of those who have left their idolatry and love Him passionately?
You have to be convinced – your answer is all in Him! It is not in something you can do, or in some friend or support group. It is beyond all you know of things on this earth! Scripture says we are to be “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
If you don’t believe that – if you are not convinced the Lord has everything you need – then you charge Him with being an unfit Father! You are saying He has no right to raise a child. You accuse Him of having all power and authority to provide for you – and hiding it all from you!
No matter what your problem is, no matter what your confusing maze may be – if you will simply wait on Jesus humbly, He will speak. He will give you all wisdom and knowledge sufficient for your trial. He has always made a way through for those who trust in Him fully And He will do it for you!
2. Does My Father See What I Am Going Through – and Does He Care?
This is another simple question – yet I believe it is not being answered honestly by most Christians.
God is asking, “Do you truly believe I see exactly what you are enduring right now?” . Perhaps as you read this message, you are going through something that calls for Him to act on your behalf. The very nature of your problem demands an answer.
Beloved – do you believe God monitors your every move, as a father does his infant child? Do you know in your heart He is interpreting every thought you think? Do you believe He is at work – bottling every tear, hearing every sigh, hovering over you as a loving, caring Father?
This is exactly the way the Bible describes Him! “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry… The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:15,17)
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7)
Do you believe that God is absolutely, totally ware of your every thought, grief and pain, trial, financial burden, family problem – and that He wants to se you through them all?”
The psalmist tells us, “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him” (Psalm 103:13)
The Hebrew word for “pity” here means “to fondle, cuddle, love, be compassionate.” Scripture is saying the Lord cuddles in His arms those who fear Him!
God puts His arms around you, He strokes your cheeks, He holds you to his breast. He says, “I know your thoughts, your concerns, every battle you must face. And I care!”
David said: “O Lord… Thou hast known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it all together. Thou has beset me behind and before… How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake. I am still with thee” (Psalm 139:1-5, 17-18).
David is saying, “God knows all about me. He sees my every move, even my thoughts. Everywhere I turn, there He is!”
Think of it. No matter what you are going through, no matter how you feel, the Lord sees it all! He feels the very feelings of your infirmities. He knows every move you make – all you say and do.
And yet all the time He thinks precious thoughts about you! He says, “My thoughts of you are so powerful and so many, they are more than the sands in the sea!”.
Many Christians go through life thinking God is angry with them. They think they can never please Him. How wrong they are! David was not a perfect man, and yet he was able to say, “How precious are they thoughts unto me, O God!”.
Dear saint, God is not mad at you right now. No – He is thinking precious, cuddly, loving thoughts about you. He knows the way you feel – and He cares!
He is saying, “Yes you’re going through a great trial – you’re being tempted and tossed. But you’re My child I wil never allow the enemy to ensnare you I’m going to bring you through!”.
Now there is a third question you have to answer:
3. Is God Willing to Come Forth to My Help?
Do you believe God is willing to come quickly to solve your problem?
Here is where many Christians fail. They know god has all they need – they admit He cares. But they are not convinced He is willing to come quickly to help them.
When God does not answer their cry right away, they imagine hindrances and inner blockages in themselves. They think of all kinds of reasons why the Lord must not be willing to come to their aid.
No – that is accusing God of neglecting His child!
On Mount Carmel, Elijah accused the pagan god Baal of child neglect:
”And they… called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice nor any that answered…”
“And it came to pass at noon that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awakened.”
“And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner till the blood gushed out upon them…. [But] there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regardeth” (1 Kings 18:26-29).
Hear these words again: “There was no voice… no answer… no one to pay attention or regard…”
This is exactly how we accuse God of child neglect! We pray, we cry aloud to God – but we go our way not believing He has heard us! We walk away from the Lord’s presence – away from church, away from the secret closet – wondering if He has even paid attention!
No! The Lord is always ready to hear and answer our cry for help. I love what David said of Him:
”For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee… In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee; for thou will answer me” (Psalm 56:5,7)
David said, “My God is ready and willing to answer me in the very moment I cry out to Him! I don’t stop and contemplate my trouble. I don’t grieve over it or try to figure it out. I go to my Lord and cry. Help!”
That is all God is waiting for – your heartbroken cry, uttered in child-like faith!
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man thinks that he shall receive any thing of the Lord” (James 1:6-7)
The Bible says that under bondage in Egypt, “Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God… And God heard their groaning, and God remembered. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God took notice of them.” (Exodus 2:23-25).
God did not answer Israel because they were worthy. On the contrary, the Lord had much to teach them. No – He heard them because they earnestly cried – and He took notice and heard their cry!
Just before Moses died, he reminded the people of God’s faithfulness to come forth at their cry:
“And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage; and when we cried unto the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression:
“And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs and with wonders” (Deuteronomy 26:6-8)
The Israelites as backslidden and idolatrous as they were, simply cried out to the Lord. And God is saying to His beloved children today, “You can call upon Me, you can cry out to Me – and I will hear!”
Are you afflicted? Bound? Troubled? Needing deliverance? Cry aloud – with faith! God is ready to deliver you with wonders by His mighty arm!
You can sum up the history of Israel in these few verses:
”And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgot the Lord their God… (But)when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer…” (Judges 3:7,9).
God’s people repeatedly forgot Him. But when they cried out He came!
Indeed Samuel chided Israel by reminding them of how their fathers had cried out to the Lord:
“And they cried unto the Lord and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord… but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies… And the Lord sent Jerub-baal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe” (1 Samuel 12:10-11).
God always sent deliverance! No matter how badly the people had sinned against the Lord, no matter how terribly they forsook Him – in the very moment they cried out to Him, God went to work to save and deliver them!
Dear saint, do you believe God has turned a deaf ear to your cries? Do you believe He was willing to hear the cries of a stubborn, backslidden Israel who hardly ever trusted Him fully – and yet He will not hear the sincere cry of a blood-bathed, believing child?
Never! No matter what you are facing, He will not allow Satan to overcome you! He has put a wall of fire around you. He is ready to come to your aid at a moment’s notice.
David Cried to the Lord Often – and He Was Delivered Out of ALL His Troubles and Every Snare of the Enemy!
David tells us why God answered him: “he brought me forth also into a large place: He delivered me, because he delighted in me” (Psalm 18:19)
“Delight” here means “to take pleasure or joy.” David was saying, “I bring pleasure to God. He delivered me simply because He takes pleasure in me!”
Yes – and beloved, He takes pleasure in you and me as well!
You see, we who trust in the Lord are His holy Zion, His holy remnant. Remnant means, simply, “those who call on the Lord from a pure heart,” They are those who have been called out of a lazy Christendom and are totally devoted to Jesus.
To the chosen of Zion, God says:
Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shalt thy land any more be termed Desolate; but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighted in thee” (Isaiah 62:3-4).
Why does God come to my rescue so willing to deliver me? It is because he delights in me! I am a pleasure to Him. He enjoys my friendship!
A precious young man told me: “ I have never been convinced that I have truly been accepted by the Lord. I seldom feel good enough for God – like I just don’t measure up. I keep trying to appease Him by doing something good for others.
So many Christians feel this way. Over the years I have known many old-time Pentecostal people who have never had the assurance in the Lord. They felt unworthy, unclean and unloved. They never believed they were a delight to the heart of God.
So they were always trying to work something in their lives to please Him. If they failed in one area, they did three things in another area to try to make God happy.
Beloved, this can never be! When you come to Jesus, you can’t come make up anything to Him. No – He makes it all up to you. That is who He is! He says, “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you” (Joel 2:@5)
No matter what your failure or shortcoming – God makes it all up to you!
God’s children Are Tattooed Into the Very Palm of His Hand!
This is one of my favorite scriptures:
“Sing, O heavens; be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, o mountains; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.
“Can a woman forget her suckling child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” (Isaiah 49: 13-16)
God says I am engraved in the very palm of His hand! The Hebrew word for “graven” means “tattooed” – that is indelible, unerasable. He cannot stretch out his hand without being reminded of me!
Dear saint, I want to assure you: You may go through trials and sufferings. You may be far from what you wish to be in the Lord. But you can know one thing more than anything else: You are a delight to Him!
I write to you now with a confidence and knowledge in my heart that, although I have not arrived, He has made me a part of His remnant. I believe with all my heart, I am a royal crown, a diadem in His hand, a delight to his soul. He is not mad at me – He delights in me!
Listen to this wonderful promise:
”I will be glad and rejoice in they mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known soul in adversities; and thou hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; thou has set my feet in a large room…
“Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” (Psalm 31: 7-8, 19)
Can you call that child neglect? Never!
God has given you all you need to be free and victorious. He sees your condition – and He cares. He cuddles you as you call on Him. And He is ready to come forth to help you I the moment you call on Him.
Rejoice in the Lord – for you are a delight to His soul! Hallelujah!
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