New Year, New Hope

Awake until the wee hours of the morning today making posts for the Facebook page I am managing. But I know that I cannot just post a #VOTD for the sake of posting -- that needs a Word meditation, it needs spending time with God's presence. So while meditating, many Bible verses struck me -- God's Words that I know my heart needs at that moment. I am immediately comforted. I felt peace.

But just before I went to bed, one verse caught my attention. I know it's the Lord speaking to me and I just found myself crying in the dark.

Isaiah 45:5 (NIV)

 I am the Lord, and there is no other, apart from Me there is no other God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged Me.

Then, I broke down. The Lord still cares for me because He gently rebukes the coldness of my heart. I have not been spending time with Him before 2018 ends. I have been spending it through the worldly and temporary satisfactions of this world. I've mentioned in my previous entry that I've made wrong and unwise decisions during the last quarter of 2018. The challenges I've experienced made my heart to be distant from the Lord instead of abiding in Him during those challenging times. I did not sought His will. I have pursued my own ways and desires. I seldom pray, and that made my heart dry.

Praise God for He still speaks to me through His Word, though I have ignored Him many times these past few days. Truly the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

Oh how I am sorry Lord. Forgive me Lord, please give me another chance to correct the mistakes I've done in the past. Thank You Father for humbling me through those challenges. I miss You, God. I miss hanging out with You. I miss our talks. I miss our "we time". I love You, God. I love You, Lord.

Isaiah 45:3-4 (NIV) 

3 I will give you hidden treasures, riches store in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. 

4 For the sake of Jacob, my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge Me.

Thank You, God. I praise and thank you. Please lead me to spend time more with You in the secret place. May this failing heart of mine acknowledge Your marvelous doings in my life, all of my waking time. I want to know You more, I want to grow deeper with You. May I not forget all Your benefits. May I proclaim Your saving acts in the presence of the great assembly. In Jesus' mighty Name, Amen!

Uncharted Territory

An uncharted territory. It's already been weeks [and counting] since I got in this foreign land. Terror creeps in and doubt starts lurking as I explore the unfamiliar terrain I am into where different breed of lions are. A character that is definitely not possessed by the Joshua Generation.

I have had bad decisions in my career life for the past months. Bad, as in foolish and unwise acts. Disciplining process was very painful, and consequences of my disobedience were felt by my whole household which made it even more agonizing. It was definitely one of those humbling periods in my life. I've had many crying nights -- a cry for help, a shout for rescue.

Jesus, I need You. Every bit of my body, heart, soul, spirit needs You. Every area of my life is useless and cannot accomplish anything without You. Help me go through this Lord for Your Name's sake. 

And the Lord heard my plea! My heart leaped for joy because specific prayers were finally answered. God responded to my desperate prayers and I landed a job. But as I delve into this unexplored, undiscovered ground (well, at least for me), my heart started to doubt again. Fear is making its way into my mind...again.

Am I too old for this? I am competing with these young ones whose work experiences are something that this company is looking for. I'm having a hard time catching up with the lingo, culture, jargon, and process flow of this industry. Felt that my 10-year professional experience is nothing compared to theirs.

Jesus, You are the source of everything. Equip me with Your divine wisdom and courageous character. Help me not to be drowned in the sea of doubt. I am reaching my hand to You, take the wheel, my Lord and take full control of my life. Help me conquer this land and conquer my fear, to be excellent in this field and to bloom where You've planted me for Your glory alone! 

Yeah! Talking about insecurities. I may not share with  you all the details YET, but I thank the Lord for this time. It's not every day that I get to write an entry and I wanted to thank the Lord and the sweet Holy Spirit for this moment. But for those who are experiencing or have experienced the same, this song from Don Moen is definitely on point. May our heart sing praises to God in every seasons of our life.

Uncharted Territory

Verse 1
I find myself in uncharted territory
Never felt so lost never felt so lonely
Where are You Lord

I'm so afraid I can feel the fear inside me
Can't control the chaos all around me
Where are You Lord
How can I sing the Lord's song in a foreign land

Chorus 1
(But) How can I forget
All You've done for me
Everything You've done Lord
Just to set me free
Teach me how to pray
Teach me how to praise
Even in the darkness
Teach me how to sing Your song
(Your song gonna sing Your song)

Verse 2
How can I sing when my heart is broken
When every prayer is just a token
Where are You Lord

Sometimes our pain can tell a tragic story
Still I will praise You and give You glory
Where are You Lord
Help me to sing the Lord's song in this foreign land

Chorus 2
(But) How can I forget
All You've done for me
You have been so faithful
Meeting every need
Teach me how to pray
Teach me how to praise
Even in the darkness
Teach me how to sing Your song
Your song gonna sing Your song

Feel free to share anything about the unwise decisions you've had in your career life and how Jesus helped you go through it.

God bless your good heart! :)

Rainy Days and Long Walks

It's been a while since my last blog entry. Writer's block, as they say. But I think, being unable to write or proceed with the blog is not the real problem. As I try to attempt confessing a part of me, I hope and pray that this will be God's instrument to restore what the enemy has destroyed in you.

Today, almost every road and streets in the Metro felt the afternoon drizzle. Rush hour and Christmas season adds to the horrifying traffic in Manila. Despite of the rainy weather today, my heart remained so dry. I was like this for a couple of days, maybe weeks I think.

My heart knew that it must be soaked in God's Words, that it must be sprinkled with the Living Water, and must be planted by the streams to grow and be alive. But.. but.. even if the mind is willing, the flesh is so weak.

Not until today..

I was conversing with the Lord on my way home while traversing Makati Avenue from Ayala Avenue. Reason why I liked long walks because I enjoy talking to the Lord. But that moment, I don't know what to pray. All I know is I want to pray, but I have no idea on what to say to the Lord.

So, I asked the Holy Spirit (the Advocate) with all of my heart to guide me on what I need to pray (Romans 8:26, John 14:26, Luke 12:12). And suddenly I started to speak in tongues. Revelations came through like a gush of wind. Worship songs came out of my heart and mouth. The Lord has just impressed in my heart that I am designed to worship Him. That every time I wake up in the morning, my top priority is to worship Him -- nothing more, nothing less.

Worshiping God is my top priority. As I keep on repeating those words over my head, while walking over Makati-Mandaluyong bridge, under the starless sky, tears came rolling down my cheeks very quickly. Teleserye feels. Hehe :)

God proved [again] that He can immediately restore our fellowship with Him if we humble ourselves before Him, admit our sins, and acknowledge our great need of Him. Immediate restoration is just an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord. Yes! You've read it right. But there has to be a genuine repentance. We have to humble our hearts and admit our sins. We must come nearer to God, and He will draw Himself nearer to us (James 4:8).


Remembering King Manasseh on this scenarios (2 Chronicles 33:12-13)..

DESIRE

2 Chronicles 33:12 

"In his distress he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors."

You may want to back read on the life of King Manasseh on the detestable things he did in the eyes of the Lord from verses 1-9. The Lord spoke to him and his people but they paid no attention. So God allowed the king to be captured. King Manasseh's distressful moment was used by God so that the proud and stubborn king would be humbled causing him to call upon the name of the Lord.

Is your spiritual life dry, lifeless, no fresh and new revelations, has lack of excitement to pray or read the Word of God? Does social media excites you more rather than spending time with the Lord? If yes, you are one-inch close in dying spiritually. Zombified -- alive but not alive. Walking dead in other words.

If that's the case, desire to have spiritual revival and restoration. Pray that your heart will want to experience new things from the Lord and that you want to hear Him again. Crave and be hungry for God. Aspire to experience His nearness. Be fascinated in who He is. Seek, dwell, and gaze upon His beauty once more.

DECIDE

2 Chronicles 33:13 

"And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God."

Your desire must not remain as a desire. There has to be an immediate action. Pray that your heart will start to delight and meditate again on His laws day and night (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2). Go to your secret place and start talking to God through prayers. Although He knew every thoughts of men and nothing is hidden from Him, God still wants us to call unto Him (Jeremiah 33:3). Be around with fellow believers. Feed the soul with God's Words by attending midweeks and Sunday services.

As well all know, the Lord is so gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and His love is abounding (Psalm 103:8). Enjoy the presence of the Lord and all the benefits of the Cross of Calvary when we have a renewed, restored fellowship with God.

Worried by long months of drought? Worry no more!

The most wonderful time of the year is here! Everyone is really merry & excited during this season of gift-giving, buying presents and toys for loved ones, reunions left and right, all the glitz and glamour brought by Christmas parties. But aside from that, I know you would agree with me, it's also the most awaited season for the corporate workers -- Bonus time!

It is this benefit that makes an employee and their families very happy. It's an employer's retention strategy and it's really working, (not for me I guess).

But is the bonus season really the reason of happiness for most of us? Yes that will make a lot of food on the table, a lot of gifts for loved ones, that would mean a lot of savings in the bank, but will 'bonus' define our happiness and contentment?

Prophet Jeremiah says on Chapter 17, verses 7 to 8:

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit."

• The term blessed is used often in Psalms and Deuteronomy to describe the benefits that accrue to a person who is devoted to the Lord and His Word. 
• The imagery of a fruitful tree derives directly from Psalm 1:3. This verse teaches that a person who trust in the Lord will not be free from trials and adversity; rather God will bring fruit and blessing in and through those difficulties (Jeremiah 14:1-9, 15:19-21).
• Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought! Whoah! What a confidence! Those who trust in the Lord will not be bothered whether they receive a bonus or not. Worry has no room in their minds even if with season of long droughts.

I don't know what you are going through, but believe me I have experienced extreme heat brought by the long months of drought. Yes. That season made our food, water, and financial supply to really shrunk. But we survived by the grace of God!

I have to admit that this wasn't a good testimony. It's when I've made one of the worst decisions in my career. I left my job of more than 2 years without any back up plans, and I left during this bonus season. Can you imagine that? With the little savings I have, on I went to leave the company without thinking its consequences. And although I know this theoretically, that you should've at least 6 months of savings when you resigned just to survive for at least 2 months, I wasn't able to apply it. As a result of my disobedience, my whole household experienced the heat, contrary to the abundance brought by the 'ber' months. 

I've learned my lessons and was disciplined by God, the hard way. But it was worth it, because He disciplines those He loves. I believe that breaking seasons are preparations for breakthrough (Ptr. Alex Garcia). I hold on to His promises. I clung and continuously cling to the Lord. I enjoyed the moment of brokenness before Him. 

So if you feel like the rain of blessing isn't pouring on you right now, do not panic, do not be afraid. But put your hope and confidence in the Lord, the Owner of everything. He can provide you and your family not just 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th month pay, but instead, we can plunge and swim in the unlimited supply of His riches. Hallelujah!

PRAYER:

Dear Lord, help us to put our trust in You and not on the wealth of this world. Remind us Lord that is You who gave us the ability to produce wealth. Holy Spirit help us to be good stewards of everything God has entrusted to us. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Lead the Flock

1 Peter 5:2-4 (NIV)
"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, watching over them - not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve, not lording it over those entrusted to you, by being examples to the flock."

You're a leader. You're now leading the pack of believers and directing them to be more intimate with the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ. But how will you, as a shepherd, lead the flock entrusted by God if you're suddenly lost of the way? How will you get back on track? Allow me to share with you these sweet revelations from the Holy Spirit.

The shepherd's primary responsibility is the safety and welfare of the flock. They guard the flock from predators. In Biblical times, the Middle Eastern shepherd's job was dangerous and dirty. Many times they had to fight wild animals and their lives were really put on the line. At night, the shepherd would put up a makeshift pen with one way in and out. The sheep, on the other hand, would only follow and listen to the voice of their shepherd. 

So let's go back now to our question. What happens if the shepherd who's supposedly leading the flock suddenly gets lost? Same as a writer, who unexpectedly, is unable to think what to write or how to proceed with his/her writing a.k.a writer's block. Or a dancer who suddenly couldn't choreographed a single routine. HOW WILL YOU PROCEED?

Few things:

1. You can't live a life of purpose if you're living a sinful life.
Ouch but true. A leader gets lost in his/her Christian journey because of sins. Sin MUST NOT be your master (Romans 6:14). As a leader, you shall not be 'displaying' a holy life, but you must live it out as well and be a great example to the flock. You must be able to determine who is your master in your private & public lives and live in a way that pleases God.

2. God cannot work in a dirty vessel -- so repent.
Repentance before restoration. True repentance happens when we see sin as God sees sin. Let those who love the Lord hate evil (Psalm 97:10). Repentance is an honest, regretful acknowledgement of sin with commitment to change.

Charles Spurgeon

Repentance is a discovery of the evil of sin, a mourning that we have committed it, a resolution to forsake it. It is, in fact, a change of mind of a very deep and practical character, which makes the man love what once he hated, and hate what once he loved.

3. Focus on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith
Hebrews 12:2 says "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God". Fixing our eyes on Jesus will block out all distractions in life. God knows the very condition of our hearts. Be humble and honest to God and acknowledge that we need His help on this area, actually in all areas of our lives. Joshua won all his battles because the Lord was with him. His obedience to God was exemplary.

Remember that no matter, how anointed, how talented, and how able we are, apart from the Lord, we are nothing. After all, this is His ministry, they are His flock, not ours.

Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for Your forgiveness. Thank You for not abandoning us, but for reaching out instead to bring us home. Help us Lord to live a life that is pleasing in Your sight. Help us to lead Your flock with integrity, faithfulness, and excellence. In Jesus' Name, Amen.