Starting today, I choose...

I CHOOSE LOVE…
No occasion justifies hatred;
No injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love.
Today I will love God and what God loves.

I CHOOSE JOY…
I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance.
I will refuse the temptation to be cynical…the tool of the lazy thinker.
I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God.
I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I CHOOSE PEACE…
I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I CHOOSE PATIENCE…
I will overlook the inconveniences of this world.
Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so.
Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray.
Instead of clenching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I CHOOSE KINDNESS…
I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone.
Kind to the rich, for they are afraid.
And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I CHOOSE GOODNESS…
I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one.
I will be overlooked before I will boast.
I will confess before I will accuse.
I choose goodness.

I CHOOSE FAITHFULNESS…
Today I will keep my promises.
My debtors will not regret their trust.
My associates will not question my word.
My wife will not question my love.
And my children will never fear that their father will not come home.

I CHOOSE GENTLENESS…
Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle.
If I raise my voice may it be only in praise.
If I clench my fist, may it be only in prayer.
If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

I CHOOSE SELF-CONTROL…
I am a spiritual being
After this body is dead, my spirit will soar.
I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal.
I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy.
I will be impassioned only by my faith.
I will be influenced only by God.
I will be taught only by Christ.
I choose self-control.

LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS and SELF-CONTROL
To these I commit my day.
If I succeed, I will give thanks.
If I fail, I will seek His grace.
And then, when this day is done,
I will place my head on my pillow and rest.

From the book Grace For The Moment by Max Lucado

Making a Big Deal Out of God

We are called to give glory to God, to make a big deal out of God. Not only during Sunday service but anytime and anywhere…but most especially at the workplace because it is here we spend majority of our time.

He calls us to elevate our work…transforming the mundane tasks into opportunities to do great things for God. Opportunities at the work place can include ensuring our work reflects quality, lending a helping hand to people needing our advice, respecting our superiors…there are so many other ways to put our faith into action. And yes, we can do this…because God is working in us and empowering us and he has left us with His word to meditate on day and night.

By placing our faith into action we become shining beacons of righteousness in a confused and tumultuous world…The challenge, really, is to be light bearers as a “lifestyle” and not just as a “fad”…a match stick gives a sudden burst of light but in a matter of seconds, it flickers and chokes out the last of its sparks…it is engulfed by the darkness and becomes one with the darkness. We are called to be perpetual light bearers, constantly aflame and able to share the light to others and eventually, they too will be ready to reveal their own lamps with fuel to the brim which we helped fill. And it will just be a matter of time when the Spirit sets ablaze that wick. And when that lamp starts to burn, something cataclysmic happens, we will see God’s face shine with joy.

Divine Secrets of the "Yahweh Sisterhood"

Have you ever had a friend that looked and acted just like you?

I did, during my college days. We used to call ourselves "Twinies". She has remained a close friend of mine, even if we seldom talked to each other...it even reached to a point that there was entirely no communication at all...but deep in our hearts, we knew we were there for each other...

It wasn't until recently that we got to email each other...

As most of you already know, I have been sending out inspirational texts and emails to people I know...She is one of them...and one day she emailed me that she has been starting her journey as well to know Jesus more...Imagine that, in my college barkada, two of my closest friends (she one of them) are on the road to knowing Jesus more! Praise God!

Then we lost touch again...

Tonight, while watching the news with my husband, my "Twiny" emailed my office email, which I got to read thru my mobile phone...She was asking me if I believed in the gift of speaking in tongues...I immediately got off the sofa and ran upstairs to give her a call.

I was honest with my friend, I have never heard anyone speak in tongues nor have I seen anyone interpret the message of anyone speaking in tongues, but I do believe in the gift. It is Bible-based, a gift that though not the greatest among the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but remains to be a supernatural and precious gift that deserves respect and careful examination and interpretation.

Then came the greatest suprise...

She tells me that she has the gift of speaking in tongues!

It was just such a surprise to know that God is moving in mysterious ways in our group...God is calling people to know Him and people are responding! Praise God!
First it was my friend, MT (not her real name) and then now its my Twiny! And the more surprising thing is, all 3 of us are taking classes/seminars to help us understand the Bible more! This is not coincidence...

Twiny and I had a long chatter of sorts, sharing our experiences, our beliefs...

We have agreed to meet up soonest so that we may really share our experiences face to face. I am in charge of setting this "date" and tomorrow I will give MT a call and share the good news and invite her.

I believe that God has a great purpose that Twiny, MT and myself are somewhat on the same "Yellow Brick Road" towards knowing and experiencing not the Wizard of Oz but our great and indescribable GOD. I have yet to pray about what this purpose is but somehow I know it has something to do with our commonalities and our individual strengths --- we think alike, we love to talk, we love to share, we are passionate about our beliefs and convictions in life and now, we have been touched by the Holy Spirit and share a common passion for God.

I've always seen MT and Twiny more than friends...they are my "sisters"...and it excites me to just relish the thought that this sisterhood has evolved into a sisterhood after Yahweh's own heart.

I can't wait to give MT a call tomorrow...I pray that she will be available to meet up with me and Twiny.

And I push my prayers further --- I pray that if it be God's will, that we three form a small group that meet up at least every two weeks to just share about our journey, encourage each other, talk about God's Word together and lift our prayers as a group.

Whew! It's 12:47am...time to rest...til tomorrow!

No longer just a job that pays the bills

Today, my boss and I resumed praying together. It feels good to pray with people especially with people who influence your daily life more significantly and directly.

The past few days, Max Lucado's podcast talked about "elevating your work" and then it dawned upon me that I must not work just for "money that pays the rent" but I must see my job as a blessing because it allows me to share God's love in the corporate world. I spend so many hours here, I literally spend my waking hours in the four corners of this building...I might as well make the most out of it.

Max Lucado was spot on when he said that people have a tendency to create a "dichotomy between clergy and laity". We think that when we work, we are doing nothing that concerns the glorification of God. Nothing could be farther from the truth!

Another way of seeing it would be to examine God himself. God worked for 6 days and rested on the 7th. And His work brought Him glory. When we work, we can bring Him glory too.

Now, let me get this straight...Workaholism is not what I am espousing...workaholism is an addiction to busyness that is a result of covering up our hurts. We are called to work. We are called to use the talents He gave us.

Going back to my boss, it was from her that I heard that "Work is my prayer to God"...at first I never understood it...

But now I do...

I see my work in a different light...knowing that I not only report to my boss but to the inventor of work itself, God, I am fully inspired to do what I can with my talents. My desk is no longer just a table with four legs but it is a place where I accomplish noble and holy things for God's greater glory.

Called to be holy

It's 8:04pm and I'm at my office desk...I've reread the book of Romans in a matter of 2 hours...but it was when I was reading 1 Corinthians, a single line hit me...

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. (1 Corinthians 1: 25)

The words rang in my ears like Mufasa's earth-shaking rumbling voice when he reminded Simba, "Remember who you are."

I am called to remember who I was before I was called to be part of God's family.

Little by little, the "old" me took shape...formed a single word that described me as accruate as a mirror reflects an undeniable exactness of its subject ...

SINNER

I'd have a failing grade if the 10 Commandments were my score card.

And when I was in sin, life was full of hate, regret, deception, anger, lies...and it is not a good feeling...at the end of my day, when i go to sleep, there was an emptiness i felt...an emptiness I could not fill...

And as I remember who I was then...I remember as well who I am now...

SAVED

And life became fuller, it gained meaning...I was loved, I was forgiven, I was called for a greater purpose...to live my life reflecting God's glory. What a noble task.

And I accept.

Dinner & Fellowship with the Yaps Part 2

I just had to write it separately so I wouldn't muddle the messages....

Tonight, I learned a lot...

THE ONLY MEDIATOR
First, that it truly is in the Bible that we need no other way to reach our Father God...Jesus is the only way.

I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except thru Me. (John 14:6)

We know this verse but some may ask, like I used to, "Truly, is it just thru Jesus that we reach the Father? What about thru Mary his mother or the saints like Peter? Is there no value added when we ask for their help?"

Then we read thru this verse in the Bible and there it was...it made me blurt out, "It's all here! So, why do people still seek mediation from other people? It's here, as clear as black and white!"

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5)

That is what the Book of Truth, the Book of Life clearly states...I'm not inventing this. Check it out yourself. This verse erased all my doubts...and I hope it does yours, dear reader.

Don't get me wrong, I do respect Mary and the lovers of God in the Bible. In fact, I admire Paul very much...his story and his letters have inspired me a lot. But, I do not pray to him. I do not ask him to intercede to the Father for me. He has the faith and passion worthy to be admired but he is not my God who I must devote prayer to. He is but a man with an undeniable passion for God. And I pray to God, exclusively to my Yahweh, the only Yahweh-Elohim in my life.

TEST GOD ON THIS
God asks us to tithe a designated amount...a tenth of our earnings...

People fear tithing, even if they know that the money is placed into good use like financing missions, supporting evangelic projects and the like.

Why do people fear? They don't believe that God will bless us abundantly in spite of the rather steep requirement from us to support His cause.

But here is the biggest surprise...

The Lord tells us not to test Him...I mean how can you subject the creator of the universe to a gamble? But it is only on the topic of tithing that God openly tells us to test His faithfulness.

In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse--the whole nation of you---because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me on this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. (Malachi 3:8-10)

Yup, there it is...he says TEST ME ON THIS. Do we dare test our God who has proven to be faithful to us in spite of our unfaithfulness? Do we date to test a God who does majestic and indescribable things? Do we doubt that he can do something as "easy" as make us recipients of his blessings?

Quite hard to tithe but we have a very strong promise to hold on to...the key here is to trust and have faith on the God who never fails us...and if we claim to be Christians, it shouldn't be a problem to do this.

I believe...I believe...therefore I give...

Dinner & Fellowship with the Yaps Part 1

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
(Hebrews 10:25)

Saul and I have just gotten back from our small group fellowship held at the home of James and Marissa Yap. Our hosts prepared a sumptuous meal of pasta and finger foods.

It has been such a long time since we last had a small group fellowship together. But tonight felt like we've never really stopped meeting...so much to talk about, so much to laugh about, so much to share...

I, for one, was blessed by this evening's gathering. I have been wanting to be part of a couple's small group for some time now...I have been enjoying a very passionate relationship with the Lord and my heart has been aching to share this passion with my husband. Saul has been a Christian for years now, even before I finally accepted Christ as my Lord and Saviour. But I couldn't help but actually desire to see him really accept God thru declaring it via prayer. Not in private, mind you, I wanted to see it and hear it in the flesh. I just felt that need to see it.

And tonight, the Almighty answered my prayer.

James and Marissa led us back to the basics of our Christian faith : God desires that we spend eternity with him and that we enjoy an abundant life, that man has a sin problem that separates us from that desire of God, that we should confess our sins with our hearts and repent and finally that we should accept Jesus, if we haven't.

And as James led us in the prayer, I prayed...but i couldn't help but sneak a peek at my loving husband to see if he was praying, if he was accepting Jesus once again in his life...

And he did...I saw his eyes closed and deep in prayer...I don't see him like this at church...at church he seems always distracted (but I know he is listening---he just has this uncanny ability to listen without needing to look like it). But tonight, with the company of people of great faith in the Almighty, my husband was still, his body relaxed and there he was, praying to God.

I knew that God heard my prayer...

Thanks God for putting up with my pettiness...

Thanks Max!

I just had to say thank you to Max Lucado for helping me build my relationship with Jesus thru your spectacular books and your invigorating podcasts. You've helped me see Jesus through the eyes of a "Christ-lover" and no longer thru the telescope of a "Pharisee".

I am grateful.

Waiting

How many of us have ever experienced disappointment?
Have people disappointed us?
Have the people closest to our hearts disappointed us?
Has God disappointed us?

The story of Lazarus not only teaches us that Jesus is God…It teaches us as well about the concept of IN HIS TIME. It’s not a new concept, we hear it all the time…but do we truly understand what it means and do we, as Christians, truly accept the message and live it?

Jesus was told that “Lord, the one you love is sick.” (John 11:3). And the Bible goes on saying “Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus.” (John 11:5). We would expect that Jesus would just rush and leave all behind for Lazarus and heal him. Lazarus was not just anybody. Jesus loved Lazarus. If Jesus could heal the lepers immediately, if only by His word the Centurion’s servant was healed long distance, when he healed Peter’s mother of a simple fever---why did He not come with urgency to the one he loved? The Bible says, “When he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.” (John 11:6).

Did we read that correctly, 2 more days?

Yes we did, Jesus waited for 2 more days.

No one loves to wait…we want everything NOW. But Jesus teaches us that WAITING IS NECESSARY, WAITING CANNOT BE SHORTENED, WAITING CANNOT BE BY-PASSED.

TIME, in Greek, can be identified in two ways:
When used as CHRONOS, it means it is time that is “literal”, “can be measured” --- in other words, it’s OUR TIME. KAIROS, on the other hand is used to describe “appointed time” and is used to describe God’s Time or HIS TIME.

There was a reason why Jesus waited….God had a purpose and when Jesus said “Let us go back to Judea.” (John 11:7), he intended not only to bring healing to Lazarus who was in Bethany, but also to the entire of Judea. And Jesus’ glory had to be seen…it was necessary for Lazarus to die for God’s glory to shine in Judea. In the same way, God is not only interested in you or me, he is interested in reaching others, reaching everyone as well…so he waited.

And when Martha and Mary waited, Jesus did not bring healing to Lazarus…he gave something more magnificent and more precious…Jesus resurrected Lazarus! Jesus was never late, not a second too early nor a split second too late….He arrived at the right time…IN GOD’s PERFECT TIME.

When Jesus arrived at Bethany, did Mary and Martha turn their backs to Jesus when he was “TOO LATE”? A resounding NO! They ran to him and met him even if he was far off.

Again I pose the questions:
How many of us have ever experienced disappointment?
Have people disappointed us?
Have the people closest to us disappointed us?
Has God disappointed us?

And I add another question:
When people and God disappoint us, do we run AWAY from Him or do we run TOWARD HIM?

We will continue to experience disappointments in life, more are yet to come. Let’s deal with it. Get over it. Forgive. Let’s move on.

And as we do so, let us turn to our Jesus and meet Him rather than run away from Him. Allow him to do greater miracles in our lives in ways we never thought he could do. Open our hearts to the Jesus who loves us and who will arrive at our rescue at the right time…in His time.

God bless and have a blessed Sunday!