God gave us 5 senses:
1. sense of smell, 2. sense of hearing, 3. sense of touch, 4. sense of taste, 5. sense of sight.... sense of fear is not one of them.
2 Timothy 1:7
Monday, August 15, 2011
Monday, August 30, 2010
Hark!
Philipians 1:27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.
Your faith's harvest, which is to be "standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News", is heard of if you don't relent "living as citizens of heaven, conducting yourself in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ".
Your faith's harvest, which is to be "standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News", is heard of if you don't relent "living as citizens of heaven, conducting yourself in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ".
A matter of life and death
Philipians 1:23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
your life is the calling of God and to die is gain; life is not always to be smooth and death should be a gain not a fear; a gain because you will no longer be here... a troubled planet Earth, and most important you will forever be filled at the awesome glory of God before His presence.
your life is the calling of God and to die is gain; life is not always to be smooth and death should be a gain not a fear; a gain because you will no longer be here... a troubled planet Earth, and most important you will forever be filled at the awesome glory of God before His presence.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Believe in Him and believe Him and be blessed
Lately I have been in prayer for maturity; both physically and spiritually. I believe they go hand in hand because when you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, He does not leave you unchanged... He tells us that "being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philipians 1:6) and "14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder. 20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[d]? 21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"[e] and he was called God's friend. 24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. 25In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead" (James 2:14-26). *Ps: what is best, is that God is patient and good... He teaches you and guides you in His love to doing His will.
So lately I feel I cannot let go of certain things or people or even places... but God not only keeps reminding me not to fear but He continues to remind me that He is with me and is helping me and that all i have to do is trust Him.
God will one day reveal to us all; "10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears, 11b When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me, 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known"(1 Corinthians 13:10-12).
Verse 12 reminds us that we will know fully, but it also says NOW I KNOW in part... what is that which we know? "13 And NOW these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1Corinthians 13:13). God reminds us immediately that the Now is faith, hope and love, all which remain. May I add, I believe these will always remain. So I think that while Jesus is our only Savior, He is also our Lord, and when He reigns in us He, in His love, changes us... but we must act, like " 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:15-17) and " 1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:1-2). So while we are here on earth we do not know all, we should act though, in Christ, in the NOW known. For God calls us to the following: "22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does" (James 1:22-25). Did you catch it!? God tells us that we will forget if we do not act upon what we have heard from His word. What will we forget? I think what we already know NOW. So practice what you preach (*even if you are not a preacher, walk the talk, and if you are a mere listener/reader of the word of God... step it up... you are called to act upon what you know and have heard/read of God's word).
So as for me, I admit, I need to live more intently for God (whether this occurs at home, around my siblings, my co-workers, at school, the drivers around me, my enemies, and my parents, around those who yet do not believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, or even as the Scriptures say "If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord" (Romans 14:8)) and I am in prayer, in Him, trying to trust Him fully and in so doing, being blessed like He promises us.
So lately I feel I cannot let go of certain things or people or even places... but God not only keeps reminding me not to fear but He continues to remind me that He is with me and is helping me and that all i have to do is trust Him.
God will one day reveal to us all; "10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears, 11b When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me, 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known"(1 Corinthians 13:10-12).
Verse 12 reminds us that we will know fully, but it also says NOW I KNOW in part... what is that which we know? "13 And NOW these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1Corinthians 13:13). God reminds us immediately that the Now is faith, hope and love, all which remain. May I add, I believe these will always remain. So I think that while Jesus is our only Savior, He is also our Lord, and when He reigns in us He, in His love, changes us... but we must act, like " 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2:15-17) and " 1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:1-2). So while we are here on earth we do not know all, we should act though, in Christ, in the NOW known. For God calls us to the following: "22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it — he will be blessed in what he does" (James 1:22-25). Did you catch it!? God tells us that we will forget if we do not act upon what we have heard from His word. What will we forget? I think what we already know NOW. So practice what you preach (*even if you are not a preacher, walk the talk, and if you are a mere listener/reader of the word of God... step it up... you are called to act upon what you know and have heard/read of God's word).
So as for me, I admit, I need to live more intently for God (whether this occurs at home, around my siblings, my co-workers, at school, the drivers around me, my enemies, and my parents, around those who yet do not believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, or even as the Scriptures say "If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord" (Romans 14:8)) and I am in prayer, in Him, trying to trust Him fully and in so doing, being blessed like He promises us.
Friday, July 16, 2010
"the star Breather became the sin Bearer, the universe Maker became mankind's Savior"
PLEASE WATCH BOTH VIDEOS BACK TO BACK: BE BLESSED :)
I recommend you read completely all the chapter of each of the following references; the specific verses noted on the videos are here but you will benefit if you read all the chapter of each reference.
PSALM 33:13-15
PSALM 139:14
COLOSSIANS 1:17,19 & 20
ISAIAH 40:27-31
I recommend you read completely all the chapter of each of the following references; the specific verses noted on the videos are here but you will benefit if you read all the chapter of each reference.
PSALM 33:13-15
PSALM 139:14
COLOSSIANS 1:17,19 & 20
ISAIAH 40:27-31
Friday, July 9, 2010
the truth of the matter is... God knows
This morning I realized that God speaks to us truthfully not ideally. How many times did Jesus say: I tell you the truth... This realization is important for me to know because I realize that God knows the good, the bad and the ugly and still loves me. What do I mean? Well, never in the Bible does God hide the fact that we as human beings are sinners, that we follow our own ways, or that we simply don't make the cut. God knows who we are. God does not paint an Utopian scenery of life either. God knows what sin does to us and inevitably to our culture, environment, planet, society, government, and anything we pretty much take a hold of. Many wonder why God has allowed sin to even have power over us, why not make us and put us in heaven with Him from the very beginning? Why did He have to die? (they even mention the power of God to be able to do this). Well, I personally think it is because, it was His way of showing and teaching us His love, mercy, grace, personal care, and many other lessons. Its true, I guess, what they say if it wasn't for the bitter moments of life you would not be able to savor the sweet moments in life. Yes, God has the power to spare us from pain, but at times it is through pain that He teaches us the lessons we most treasure, life lessons that we would not change for anything. So this was very important for me to realize because I have heard my mother say before: God knows that we are mere dust and that we are going to fail Him. This has always been hard for me to swallow; but now this adds confirmation to my personal conviction that God has supreme-over-all control, meaning that while we do make decisions and we are called to make decisions, God will never be surprised. God knows we will sin, and yet, He loves us. This does not mean that we should decide to sin and say Oh well God will forgive me and lead me to His ways and eventually take me to heaven (Romans 6:1-2). Remember to love God for He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Remember to be thankful (Romans 12:1).
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
boundless LOVE
God takes me to my limits to reveal His love.
Have you ever felt so afraid, after doing something atrocious, that you feel that the person you have offended has all the right to never again speak to you or even forgive you? Have you been so afraid that this might happen, that you either pretend like it never happened, you avoid the person you have offended, or you simply do not bother speaking to them? Has your fear bound you and left you feeling isolated and hopeless? Have you ever felt this way when you sin against God?
I admit to this being my status many times before God many times. However, He, in His grace and mercy, has not only delt with me in love to change this status in my life to joy, peace, and growth, but has not smitten me. Remember, God is slow to anger. I recall the many times I have certainly gone mad and ended up reaching my limits... the ultimate sin, yet, God has always been there. He is always there, before I even get to that state. God tells us in *** that He is going to be there, yes, in our future, wherever we go. I can testify He is there, and He will change you in His love. God always speaks to me in His word, in His love, and He allows and makes my heart draw back to Him. I testify that God takes me to my limits to reveal His love to me. His unfailing, unconditional love. God also tells us in 1 John 4:18 that perfect love casts out all fear, because fear has to do with punishment. So this makes me consider, like I heard in a radio broadcast, I should not fear God to punish me, for God sent His only Son Jesus to die cruxified so that my punishment be upon Him and not me. God is not going to punish us, but God will discipline us. It is like God tells us in His word, in Hebrews 12:5, He disciplines who He loves and considers His son/daughter. So, go, go before the One who already took your punishment and confess your sin and allow Him to mold you in His love. Trust.
Have you ever felt so afraid, after doing something atrocious, that you feel that the person you have offended has all the right to never again speak to you or even forgive you? Have you been so afraid that this might happen, that you either pretend like it never happened, you avoid the person you have offended, or you simply do not bother speaking to them? Has your fear bound you and left you feeling isolated and hopeless? Have you ever felt this way when you sin against God?
I admit to this being my status many times before God many times. However, He, in His grace and mercy, has not only delt with me in love to change this status in my life to joy, peace, and growth, but has not smitten me. Remember, God is slow to anger. I recall the many times I have certainly gone mad and ended up reaching my limits... the ultimate sin, yet, God has always been there. He is always there, before I even get to that state. God tells us in *** that He is going to be there, yes, in our future, wherever we go. I can testify He is there, and He will change you in His love. God always speaks to me in His word, in His love, and He allows and makes my heart draw back to Him. I testify that God takes me to my limits to reveal His love to me. His unfailing, unconditional love. God also tells us in 1 John 4:18 that perfect love casts out all fear, because fear has to do with punishment. So this makes me consider, like I heard in a radio broadcast, I should not fear God to punish me, for God sent His only Son Jesus to die cruxified so that my punishment be upon Him and not me. God is not going to punish us, but God will discipline us. It is like God tells us in His word, in Hebrews 12:5, He disciplines who He loves and considers His son/daughter. So, go, go before the One who already took your punishment and confess your sin and allow Him to mold you in His love. Trust.
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