Father, I thank You for still loving me and continually working in my life eventhough You can see right through my masks - and I have so many of them - masks of religiosity, accomplishments, talents, personality and other things that really hide who I really am - masks that keep me from the truth - that keep me from having an unbroken relatioship with You.
I have no idea on how to be real, Lord. It's like everytime I try to take one off, another one pops up underneath the other one. Only You can really take these masks off, for good, Lord.
I am fully confident that You will be able to accomplish what You started in me. There are times whe I don't feel like anything is happening, but that's just because we are mostly clueless when it comes to spiritual things.
Thank You, Holy Spirit for being the one to quicken our senses to the things of the Kingdom that is already here.
Lord, even now that it seems like You have opened another door outside of the city into the world of the American Public School System, please help me and guide me to be true - to stand on the truth - and to walk in the Spirit. Please open my eyes to how You are at work, even there.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
BIRTHDAY SURPRISE
Father, I admit, no one can throw a party like You. You never fail to surprise me, Lord. Your ways are so awesome. When I survey the way You work I always see something new. I could never fully comprehend how wonderful You are.
Only You can rescue the way that You do - the way You affirmed yesterday at the lake that You care for every aspect of my life - how You are just waiting beyond the suffocating wildfires - even pulling me out from within the burning furnace.
In Jesus name, Amen.
Only You can rescue the way that You do - the way You affirmed yesterday at the lake that You care for every aspect of my life - how You are just waiting beyond the suffocating wildfires - even pulling me out from within the burning furnace.
In Jesus name, Amen.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
HAMMER TIME
When there's so much to do
And you don't know where to begin
That's when you really need to
Stop! Collaborate and listen
Stop! sit back and relax
And find that quiet place
Enter into the presence
Of God's Amaazing Grace
Collaborate - the mind in the groove
In tuned with the flow
Of God's mysterious ways
His voice, His sheeps shall know
Listen. Listen to God's Word
There's no better way to start
Than to hear Your Master's voice
And worship Him from the heart
And you don't know where to begin
That's when you really need to
Stop! Collaborate and listen
Stop! sit back and relax
And find that quiet place
Enter into the presence
Of God's Amaazing Grace
Collaborate - the mind in the groove
In tuned with the flow
Of God's mysterious ways
His voice, His sheeps shall know
Listen. Listen to God's Word
There's no better way to start
Than to hear Your Master's voice
And worship Him from the heart
Sunday, August 10, 2008
SAVED? FROM WHAT?
Father, thank you for giving us Jesus to save us from Your wrath. I was trying to use other words than wrath, but I other words will just soften the blow.
Jesus actually saved me from: (1) walking on this earth alone because one way or another other people will fail in being there with us; (2) dying alone - others might be there at our death bed, but that's as far as they go. When the lights go out, who's going to be there for me; (3)living eternity away from You and in hell.
Hell is like an incurable pain that will not go away - for eternity. It's really hard to understand how a good God like You would allow for such suffering - but it's a truth that we cannot deny. But in the same token, we also grapple with the idea that You gave Your only Son, Jesus, to suffer on our stead - Your Son who did no wrong. Thus, whoever believes in Him will not have to go through what I mentioned above but have life that does not end forever and ever.
In Your mercies, Oh God, give us the courage to tell everyone that the party we experience here on earth will eventually end, but there is one that will never end - with You.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Jesus actually saved me from: (1) walking on this earth alone because one way or another other people will fail in being there with us; (2) dying alone - others might be there at our death bed, but that's as far as they go. When the lights go out, who's going to be there for me; (3)living eternity away from You and in hell.
Hell is like an incurable pain that will not go away - for eternity. It's really hard to understand how a good God like You would allow for such suffering - but it's a truth that we cannot deny. But in the same token, we also grapple with the idea that You gave Your only Son, Jesus, to suffer on our stead - Your Son who did no wrong. Thus, whoever believes in Him will not have to go through what I mentioned above but have life that does not end forever and ever.
In Your mercies, Oh God, give us the courage to tell everyone that the party we experience here on earth will eventually end, but there is one that will never end - with You.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
GOD'S EQUATION
The Lord's equation is diametrically oppose to man's. In God's equation, the greatest of all is the one who is the servant of all. The last gets the gold medal, and the first gets consolation price.
Humility is prime in Gods' equation. The Son stripped Himself of all His glory to save us. He was born in a stable. He died the most humiliating death.
The Sum of all the glory only goes to GOD. The Father gave Him a name like no other, that every knee will bow down, and every tongue will confess that JESUS is LORD.
GOD AND GOD ALONE gets all the glory.
Humility is prime in Gods' equation. The Son stripped Himself of all His glory to save us. He was born in a stable. He died the most humiliating death.
The Sum of all the glory only goes to GOD. The Father gave Him a name like no other, that every knee will bow down, and every tongue will confess that JESUS is LORD.
GOD AND GOD ALONE gets all the glory.
Friday, August 8, 2008
IN GOOD HANDS
Father, the Spirit was given to us without limit. How come these can be used to describe me in one instance or another: hateful, sad, worried, impatient, unkind, bad, cynical, harsh, and impulsive?
Just last night I almost cursed the day he was born: the man who cut me off in traffic. I'm still reaping the consequences of my impulsiveness - monthly - with interest. I am sad at times, and it's not about the poverty and hunger in the world and lost souls - I drive a Cooper and not a Cooper S.
I worry about the future, which leads to decisions borne out of impatience, which makes me cranky and unkind to those who are close to me, which is really bad because by then I am living as if I have no faith in God. It is in those times that I usually say things that I regret saying.
How would it be like if I take hold of the unlimited gift Who is the Spirit - to follow His every command, to never quench Him, to never grieve Him? That's when I would be like a tree that is planted by the waters bearing fruit.
Lord, let me rest today in the truth that all things were lovingly placed in the hands of Jesus. The One who has been put in charged of me is more than able to accomplish infinitely more than we could ever dare to ask or hope.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Just last night I almost cursed the day he was born: the man who cut me off in traffic. I'm still reaping the consequences of my impulsiveness - monthly - with interest. I am sad at times, and it's not about the poverty and hunger in the world and lost souls - I drive a Cooper and not a Cooper S.
I worry about the future, which leads to decisions borne out of impatience, which makes me cranky and unkind to those who are close to me, which is really bad because by then I am living as if I have no faith in God. It is in those times that I usually say things that I regret saying.
How would it be like if I take hold of the unlimited gift Who is the Spirit - to follow His every command, to never quench Him, to never grieve Him? That's when I would be like a tree that is planted by the waters bearing fruit.
Lord, let me rest today in the truth that all things were lovingly placed in the hands of Jesus. The One who has been put in charged of me is more than able to accomplish infinitely more than we could ever dare to ask or hope.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
CHEAP TRICK
Father, thank You for CALLING us to these divine appointments, and forgive me for being discontent at times and wanting what others have. I sometimes look on with envy thinking how much better things would be for me if I had that position or that position - or if my status in life was like that or the other. In the process I sometimes neglect the joys of my appointment because my heart is somewhere else. A gift was given to me, and in ingratitude I compared what I got for what others got.
Lord, I would like to be like John, who found his joy complete in knowing that the opening act is almost done, and the MAIN EVENT has arrived. Lord, let it be that You are the MAIN EVENT in my life - that I will find my joy complete in knowing that you get all the glory, and that I get none.
Lord, thank You for giving complete joy. In a city where we drink from the glass of dissatisfaction as much as we overspend, we need this thing that is foreign to us - complete joy which can only come from JESUS.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
Lord, I would like to be like John, who found his joy complete in knowing that the opening act is almost done, and the MAIN EVENT has arrived. Lord, let it be that You are the MAIN EVENT in my life - that I will find my joy complete in knowing that you get all the glory, and that I get none.
Lord, thank You for giving complete joy. In a city where we drink from the glass of dissatisfaction as much as we overspend, we need this thing that is foreign to us - complete joy which can only come from JESUS.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
BREAKING UP THE PARTY
Lord, You sent Your Son to save and not to condemn The world that am in. I need tell my friends about this. They left too soon, and didn't get to hear the whole story.
The world that I am in, Lord, is a world where materialism is slowly numbing us. We want more and more of things that will be useless next season. More dangerously, we want these things to fill up our longings - and even Your children are led to believe that these will save us.
The world that I am in works hard and parties hard. We love to spend countless hours at work for months on end, at times nearing burn-out. Then to reward ourselves, or even to somehow self-medicate, we party - hard.
The world that I am in wants to get ahead in life. There's an obsession with excellence or highest standards. We would even do or give up anything for the sake of these. Excellence and high standards are great, but only if they are coming from the one who authored them, You. Apart from You, we destroy our own lives, the lives of those around us, we destroy Your creation.
The world that I am in is really in need of You, Lord. Blindly, we believe in substitutes because of this need - that's why we look to sex, and cars, and homes, and diplomas, and money, and food, and... The searching goes on and on and on - so does the striving.
This is the world I am in - the world for whom You sent Your Son to save and not to condemn. Help me, Lord, to tell my world about Your Son, because right now, they think that He has come to condemn them.
Now that I described my world, perhaps the reason why it thinks You've come to condemn is because it is so different from Yours. It is somehow afraid that You've come to call the cops on us, order everyone to clean up, and break up the party.
But we know what goes on in these parties - Solomon called vanity. Could this be what You're saving the world from?
The world that I am in, Lord, is a world where materialism is slowly numbing us. We want more and more of things that will be useless next season. More dangerously, we want these things to fill up our longings - and even Your children are led to believe that these will save us.
The world that I am in works hard and parties hard. We love to spend countless hours at work for months on end, at times nearing burn-out. Then to reward ourselves, or even to somehow self-medicate, we party - hard.
The world that I am in wants to get ahead in life. There's an obsession with excellence or highest standards. We would even do or give up anything for the sake of these. Excellence and high standards are great, but only if they are coming from the one who authored them, You. Apart from You, we destroy our own lives, the lives of those around us, we destroy Your creation.
The world that I am in is really in need of You, Lord. Blindly, we believe in substitutes because of this need - that's why we look to sex, and cars, and homes, and diplomas, and money, and food, and... The searching goes on and on and on - so does the striving.
This is the world I am in - the world for whom You sent Your Son to save and not to condemn. Help me, Lord, to tell my world about Your Son, because right now, they think that He has come to condemn them.
Now that I described my world, perhaps the reason why it thinks You've come to condemn is because it is so different from Yours. It is somehow afraid that You've come to call the cops on us, order everyone to clean up, and break up the party.
But we know what goes on in these parties - Solomon called vanity. Could this be what You're saving the world from?
Monday, August 4, 2008
ABOVE ALL
The one who comes from above is above all. He speaks as one from heaven. This speaks of God's omniscience. Human beings are very limited with our information. Even the smartest of us still have to go by presuppositions. God does not need that. He is above all. He is self-sustaining. He does not need anyone for his existence.
To know that God is above all things puts the child of God at rest. Unrest comes from his tendency to control the variables around him. There are times, however, when he is backed into a corner. It seems like there is no way out. God is above all. He is never backed into corners, and He cares for His children.
Will He then rescue the child? The life of Job tells us that the children of God are not exempt from the effects of evil in this world. God may chose to rescue him from certain perils like loss of a job, high interests on loans, etc., but if He doesn't, He is still above all things. All things work together - even these seemingly painful experiences.
Therefore, in the midst of unsettling situation, the child of God remains at rest. He may be running, lifting heavy loads, sweating, bleeding, hungry and yes, even exhausted, but God is still above all in his life. He is still the one who tells Satan, touch anything but his person.
It has been said before that even if God choses not to rescue the child from certain danger, that He will be there with him in danger. It is a known fact in the Scriptures that God is omnipresent (Psalm 139). This guarantees the child of God that God is there with him no matter what. So the child of God may say, "Be still, my soul, the Lord is in control."
To know that God is above all things puts the child of God at rest. Unrest comes from his tendency to control the variables around him. There are times, however, when he is backed into a corner. It seems like there is no way out. God is above all. He is never backed into corners, and He cares for His children.
Will He then rescue the child? The life of Job tells us that the children of God are not exempt from the effects of evil in this world. God may chose to rescue him from certain perils like loss of a job, high interests on loans, etc., but if He doesn't, He is still above all things. All things work together - even these seemingly painful experiences.
Therefore, in the midst of unsettling situation, the child of God remains at rest. He may be running, lifting heavy loads, sweating, bleeding, hungry and yes, even exhausted, but God is still above all in his life. He is still the one who tells Satan, touch anything but his person.
It has been said before that even if God choses not to rescue the child from certain danger, that He will be there with him in danger. It is a known fact in the Scriptures that God is omnipresent (Psalm 139). This guarantees the child of God that God is there with him no matter what. So the child of God may say, "Be still, my soul, the Lord is in control."
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
