Everyone wants victory in evey endeavor. Success is the objective of everything we do. Sarisfaction is brought by the success that we achieve. Every contestant wishes to get the first place of victory. Well, that is just fine but it is not fine to keep maneuvering on our own without asking the blessing and direction from the One who holds the result of the contest.
Remembering the victory of David when he fought with Goliath and his succeeding fights including the one with King Saul. David actually used to ask God first before making his first move and any other moves. The Philistines were attacking. David wanted to know how to respond. He confidently inquired God on how he would get victory in fighting against the Philistines. David followed God’s instruction and gained victory. He acknowledged that God knows best and everything that would make him win the battle. In every attack made by the enemies, David would inquire God about what he would do next.
So he just kept on asking and in this way, he was bringing Gos’ presence in his battle. “So David inquired of God again, and God answered him, ‘Do not go straight up, but circle around them and attack them in front of the balsam trees’ ” (1 Chron. 14:14)
David was a well-trained warrior and an excellent strategist. Yet, we find that David’s dependence on God to direct his efforts was very great. This is the most important lesson we can learn from this story. God told David to attack, but only after he heard the marching in the balsam trees as God told him to.
How many times have you operated in the workplace based only on your skill and ability, without seeking to know the details of God’s will in the matter? David could have simply assumed that since he had won the last battle, surely God would give him victory the same way. However, David had learned that communicating with the living God is the only sure way of victory. The truth is our skill is not enough. We always need to have God’s blessing in every matter. How many times have you worked in your work life the same way each time only because it was the way we did it last time? What if God has a better way? What if God has a different plan than ours? “So David inquired of God…” These are the important words that we are to learn from. We must be constantly inquiring of His mind on every decision we make and action we take. When we do this, we can expect the same results that David achieved-success in our endeavor and recognition by God.
The sure way to victory is constant communication with God and obeying His instruction. Practically, victory is the reward of obedience to God. He wants to make victorious those servants who are willing to obey Him at all costs.
There are times that I I felt that the more obedient I am to following God, the more adversity there is around my life. A lot of questions entered into my mind and at times, I saw myself losing faith. Things seemed to flow not the way I wanted to see them flow. I wanted to do all my tasks just as perfectly as I am expected to. But my body is not that strong enough to do so. I wanted to help but unable to. Those things and other more that I really would be doing if only I could but only God can. There are prayers that are unanswered until now. I am also taking part in the ministry of God. I do tithe and give gifts. There are many things I am doing and being which I know are in line in the will of God. However, my life still seemed to be not that successful in every aspect. Spiritual life is not that well nourished. Marital relationship is not really that sweetly unique, career is just in average, parenting is not really that ideal. That is just to name some vital parts of my life where I need to work on and out.
God spoke to me on matters of obedience to His will. My thought is so far from His. I may be thinking that I am already obeying Him but I am not, at His sight. I might be following Him in some area but in other things, I do fail to obey. I recall the story of Moses and the Israelites.
Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all. - Exodus 5:23
Moses had been instructed to go to Pharaoh and tell him to release the people of Israel. God said that He would deliver the people through Moses. However, God did not tell Moses at what point they actually would be freed. Then Moses complained to God and the Lord told Moses that He had to harden Pharaoh’s heart in order to perform greater miracles. Yes, God was actually behind hardening Pharaoh’s heart. The king’s heart is in God’s hand. Now I had learned that God had a specific reason for each plague and each delay in the answer of my prayers. God has a reason for everything He does in my life.. in all aspects. Everything was designed to bring greater glory to God and intended to be a lasting legacy of God’s miracle-working power for generations to come, not only for the present one.
Moving on with the story of Moses where the people were freed but God again hardened Pharaoh’s heart to go after them. This action of God to harden Pharaoh’s heart was to set the stage for an even greater miracle — the parting of the Red Sea. The people were angry with Moses for bringing them to the desert “to die.” But God said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on” (Ex. 14:15b). There was only one place to go by this time — the Red Sea. God parted the Red Sea, and another greater miracle took place. Awesome God!
Just like Moses, I have learned a number of lessons. When obeying God seems foolish and too hard, then I will just remember that His promises are true, but His timing is not the same as ours. God always wants greater glory than what we might be willing to give Him. God puts obstacles and adversity into our lives in order to build perseverance and faith. I should not worry when God put a mountain in my life. If it is to demonstrate His power through me, then I let God to just move. I let go of anything that brings trouble in my mind and heart in order to show His glory. I will simply obey even when obedience to God seems too hard.
The truth is there are basic facts that we need to know about God and ourselves before we can have an encounter with our Creator, our God Almighty.
Firstly, we have to know that God Loves Us. God actually created a good world of peace and wholesome life for everyone of us. God really loves us and He wants us to have a life of peace, joy and hope.(John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”)
Secondly, it is true that humanity has a problem. Every human being is separated from God because of sin. We choose to disobey God and go our own way. This attitude set us apart from God and created a gap between the Creator and us. The separation is actually called Sin. Thus, we are not able of getting to God by ourselves. We must be informed that our efforts of good thoughts and good deeds fail to bridge the said gap. ( Romans 3:23 ” For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”).
But do not be dismayed because God had made a remedy and He has been offering this remedy to you and me. Next fact is that God had offered a way for us to get back to God. As He sees our distress, He sent His only begotten Son to be the bridge that can cross the gap of separation. That is no other than our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ took our sins on Himself, shed His blood, and died in our place. This bridge of life is rooted on both side of the gap, Jesus Christ is both God and man. Thus, He actually provides the way of access between God and man. (John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.”).
Now, you can invite Jesus Christ into your life. This invitation will surelyi lead you to have encounter with Him. You must receive Christ into your heart and life by faith to cross the bridge to God’s Family and to a new life when you prayerfully ask Christ to come in to your life. (John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on His Name”)
Climate change is a serious business of everyone from anywhere around the world. It is actually a global concern to talk about this phenomenon. Climate change is actually referred to major changes in temperature, rainfall or wind patterns lasting for decades or it may even take longer. It may be caused by natural factors and processes or by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, cutting down forests and building developments in major areas of every nation.
Do we know that our planet has been getting warmer? Global warming has been a serious problem that we cannot avoid to associate with climate change. Sea levels are rising worldwide and typhoon-prone areas are likely to experience more rainfalls which may increase the risk of getting flooded. Floods and drought can increase the rick of extinction of some plants and animals. Our ecosystem has been getting very much affected. US Environmental Protection Agency never stops working on everything that will help save the mother nature. In fact, it has been trying to disseminate basic and necessary information about taking the initiative to save our mother earth - our very own land. Our land is a very special gift of our Creator and it is major part of His creation. Let us cooperate to save our dwelling place.
Here are some simple things the agency recommend to everyone.
* Change your lights to lights that are energy-efficient and go for light fixtures with the energy star logo.
* Clean air filters regularly and have your cooling equipments tuned every year by a licensed technician. This will help us save power and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
* Of course, we will never ignore to employ the three R’s in preserving our nature. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. We should bring containers, papers and other goods to the recycling shops. Let us also opt for products with recyclable packaging and materials.
* Composting our food and yard waste can reduce the amount of garbage that we send to landfills and it can reduce greenhouse effect. Thus, let us go for the green in everything.
* Drive wisely. Let us avoid hard accelerations and do not take it so hard on the brakes of your ride.
* Consume water with a highest level of efficiency and let us just walk towards our destination when we can.
* Maybe the last but not the least thing that you can do is disseminate these tips to your loved ones and friends. Climate Change: A Serious Business Of Everyone
* Remember that we can thank God for the things He gives us in a way we do take good care of His creation.
Have you ever tried getting alone with your Creator? Can you figure out what is going to happen to you when you are alone with God? Everything that will happen to you when you are with God alone will be greatly amazing. If you have not yet set yourself being with God alone, I would encourage you to try it and you will surprisingly amazed at what God will pour out upon you.
Being alone with God is the most wonderful moment that will ever happen in your life. It is the time when God speaks to you audibly and show you visions vividly as you sincerely get yourself in His presence alone. When you are alone with God, you will be able to look inwardly without any shame because you will also feel God’s tight embrace then. It is true that God will lead you to deeper searching of your heart and He will lead you to encounter Him in the most intimate way as well.
When you are alone with God, you will be able to dig to your innermost and you might even see that there are some elements that you could hardly recognize like conceit, laziness, envy and other more negative emotions that for you are simply trivial but to God are significant. In the place where you are with God alone, you will have a glimpse of what you are like in His sight and you will realize how great is His loving arms to keep holding you through days. You might feel some agony of seeing yourself keeping some misplaced desires but still at peace to lay them down before God and have your heart filled with new desires that are aligned to His purpose.
When you are alone with God, every matter in all areas of your life will be clear. Just a final note to this topic: God can use you well only after we allow Him to show us the deep areas of our character.
The first blessing that the soul receives from the practice of the presence of God is that its faith is livelier and more active everywhere every time. Even in times of difficulty, the soul rejoices because he has the grace of God. The person who practices the presence of god actually sees and knows that God is still with him even in times of temptation and trouble. The faith becomes more penetrating as it advances through practice.
The second blessing is that the practice of the presence of God strengthens us in hope. Our hopes increases as our faith penetrates God’s secrets through practice of our holy exercise. The soul definitely discovers in God a beauty infinitely surpassing not only that of bodies that we see on earth, but even that of the angels. Our hope increases and grows stronger.
Next blessing is that this practice causes the will to rejoice at being set apart from the world, setting it aglow with the fire of holy love because the soul is always with God.
Finally, by practicing God’s presence and continuously looking at Him, the soul familiarizes itself with Him to the extent that it passes almost its whole life in continual acts of love, praise, confidence offering, thanksgiving and petition. In this way, the soul is always in the ceaseless exercise of God’s Divine presence.
I have been traveling miles away in this life and I had a number of things I counted important. I thought I already have been dealing with the most important when I was trying so hard to finish my education. But after graduating from a prominent university in my country, I found another thing to consider as the most important and that was the socially known employment wherein I had to be employed to step on a higher status of life in the society and to show that the sacrifices of my parents to finance my education did not go to waste. Then I got employed in a white collar job but a lot of important things were still trying to enter into my mind like marriage, family-building, traveling to other nations and a lot lot more.
Almost all of the things that people deem most important have already been passed and still I feel that I have not yet dealt with the most important. Good thing that I have come to know the one most important thing I have to deal with in my lifetime. It is my salvation. Yes, you have read it right. The most important thing that we have to deal with is our salvation, the spiritual salvation. Furthermore, we have to deal with the issue on where are we going to spend our life after this life.
Salvation is the most important thing that you and me have to deal with everyday for we cannot afford to simply enjoy life on earth but suffer after such life. Our future address depends on our decision in the present. Let us be reminded that our soul will either spend eternity in heaven or in hell. Thus, we got to decide where will our souls be when God takes our lives back. If we are saved, surely our souls will be embraced by our Lord Jesus in heaven. On the other hand, if we are not saved, our souls will definitely go to hell. The decision is to be made here on earth as we live. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but has an eternal life (John 3:16). Let us then believe and accept our Lord Jesus, the Son of God, as Lord and Savior and claim our salvation in Him. Deal with the most important issue of life now.
It is worth it to wake up early in the morning in a very contemplative moment when I find a devotional literature from the timeless devotional book authored by Mr. Oswald Chambers. It is even more worthy to share some notes to every guest of this lovely website.
“Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” Galatians 5:24
According to this day note, the natural life itself is not sinful. But we must abandon sin, having nothing to do with it in any way whatsoever. Sin belongs to hell and to the devil. I, as a child of God, belong to heaven and to God. It is not a question of giving up sin, but of giving up my right to myself, my natural independence, and my self-will. This is where the battle has to be fought. The things that are right, noble and good from the natural standpoint are the very things that keep us from being God’s best. …
The cost to your natural life is not just one or two things, but everything. Jesus said, ” If anyone desires to come after Mu, let him deny himself..(Matthew 16:24). That is he must deny deny his rihgt to himself, and he must realize who Jesus Christ is before he will bring himself to do it..
These are just some of the red letter notes from the devotion for today taken from the book of Mr. Chambers. Try to get a copy of it and you will find more wisdom in knowing the Lord Himself and you will likewise obtain strength in living up His word in your daily life.
Just some notes from my devotional book authored by Mr. Oswald Chambers:
A Christian worker has to learn how to be God’s man or woman of great worth and excellence in the midst of a multitude of meager and worthless things. Never protest by saying, “If only I were somewhere else!”. All of God’s people are ordinary people who have been made extraordinary by the purpose He has given them. Unless we have the right purpose intellectually in our minds and lovingly in our hearts,we will very quickly be diverted from being useful to God.
Chambers had mentioned Paul as a n example of this message wherein Paul’s heart, mind and soul were consumed with the great purpose of what Jesus Christ came to do and he never lost sight of that one thing. Thus, we must continually confront ourselves with one central fact -..Jesus Christ and Him crucified, if we are really determined to submit to God’s purpose which is the highest calling of our lives. God is always willing to fulfill His purpose in our lives but it is up to us whether we submit to His way of breaking , molding and doing exactly as He chooses to do in us.
Woe to me if I am going to turn aside when He is calling me to do His will. When He calls me then may I let Him have His way in me. Oh, there is really no higher calling than to stay tuned in God’s will and no greater challenge than to let myself submit to His Purpose.
When our Lord Jesus Christ went to His Father in heaven, He had said that we will do even greater works. You might get surprise to learn that the greater work is prayer. We know that it is hard to maintain a consistent time of prayer. I was surprised to learn in my devotion this morning by reading the book of Oswald Chambers that prayer is not actually the way to see the greater work but it is prayer itself that can be considered as the greater work.It is a new knowledge for me to embrace and that will really inspire me to keep defending my prayer time and place.
It has been my habit to say a prayer upon waking up and before bed time. When my life changed because of my new status now from working woman to hands-on Mom, it became difficult for me to maintain my usual prayer time. However, I am determined to redeem my time for prayer consistently and constantly because this is the only work I can do that only God can watch. This is the simplest habit that I know I can please God yet filled with various struggle. I always wish to do more and do greater but I always end up working for nothing. Now that I have learned this truth, then I am glad that I can do a greater work everyday by simply Praying.
Have you ever asked such questions as why am I here on earth or what am I here on earth for? Queries like these are just some of the questions that every man has in mind. It is not such a fool to ask such things because this is just an indication that a man is interested to know the purpose of his life here on earth. It is but a wise thing to make such query as it will actually lead a person to some sort of searching for the reason why he is breathing and having everything that he has and seeing everything he sees not only in his own life but also in his environment.
I myself had been asking about the purpose of my life. I have once read the book authored by Rick Warren entitled The Purpose Driven Life. In the said book, I have learned that the purpose of life is to bring honor to God or to worship Him. From since, I tried to offer everything I do as a worship to Him. However, the search does not end by reading the said book. Instead, it led me to keep on searching by simply asking the Lord personally during my quiet time and I really do whisper a question to Him no matter what I am doing every second.
Have you ever posted such question? If you did, have you obtained a clear answer? Know the purpose of your life and be led towards fulfilling it and you will find yourself living with peace, joy and love.
The Practice of the Presence of God is the title of the pocket book that I have started reading few days ago. It is a a literature that is helping me getting into more profound knowledge about having the presence of God within me everyday. Well, this fact is actually a necessity to every human being who sees life not only while living in the land but even after living. Hmmm..it is quite serious issue to talk about this topic but it is kinda great to obtain knowledge about the most important thing in life. The practice of the presence of God comes not so easily. It has to be an act of will. An act where a full surrender must be exhibited. The said surrender is an absolute entrusting of every concern to the Lord who knows everything. Keeping His presence in my life while doing daily tasks keeps me stronger, happier, more peaceful and hope-filled. Most importantly, my sense of His presence in my life everyday sustains me in the midst of a lot of confusion of every sort.
The Practice Of The Presence Of God is a simple book that can simplify everyone’s life. It is a principle that can even simplify your life wherein you can make choices that will really lead to simple yet significant way of living. The said Presence of the Holy One is the force that keeps me alive and kicking.
Hunger for God? What a nice and truly intelligent title of a sermon I ever had heard! It has been shared that the level of your experience of God depends on the level of your hunger. Actually, I also have heard a lot of other sermons about being hungry for God and some songs that are leading me to get hungry of Him. But there is a struggle that is putting my mind into confusion now. I feel like I want to be hungry of God specifically, of His glorious presence these days. However, it is just so easy to let this feeling slip away because I can find no way of meeting this glorious presence that I have been looking for. I have been demoralized of some church goers and laborers here and abroad that I am questioning the authenticity of their preaching. Well, I cannot deny that I can also sense the anointing every time they share the Word?! It is just hard to feel the hunger without seeing a place where to get filled.
Hunger for God? I feel it but I just cannot cling into this hunger when I am seeing myself into a place full of things that bring me more hardship in dealing with this hunger. What I mean is that I should be in a place where people are also hungry for God.
Here is an article that I received from my family TGIF or Today God Is First. It is entitled Our Work Versus Our Value by Os Hillman, an author whose book are really quality and worth-reading for and are available online. Learn something from this piece and value your work differently from this moment.
Man was created to have seven basic needs. Each of us has a need for dignity, authority, blessing and provision, security, purpose and meaning, freedom and boundary, intimate love and companionship. When we go outside God’s provision to meet these needs, we get into trouble.
Every man has a need to work and gain satisfaction in caring and seeing something come from his efforts. Many of our basic needs are derived from our work; it was one of the first acts God did for man in the Garden of Eden. He gave him responsibility to care for and work the Garden. God knew man needed to be productive. He needed to gain satisfaction from his work.
The danger of this is when we allow our work to be our complete source of purpose and meaning in life. This leads to a performance-based life. A performance-based life says, “As long as I perform in my work, I am acceptable to myself and others.” This is a subtle trap for all of us. It can lead us to become workaholics if we are seeking acceptance through what we do. Sometimes this can be on a subconscious basis.
Our value must be centered in Christ, not in what we do. If we lose our job or our business, this should not devastate us if we are centered in Him. It will certainly create difficulties, but God is the orchestrator of all the events in our lives for His purposes. Even difficult times have purposes.
Today, ask the Lord if you have a proper balance in your work life. Is Christ the central focus? If you work long hours, ask yourself why. You might discover that God may not be the central focus.
The Word of God or the so-called Bible says in Proverbs 19:14 “House and riches are the inheritance of fathers and a prudent wife is from the Lord.” This note is a very challenging to every woman who has a husband and better yet a woman who has a husband and kid or kids. Her prudence can be tested through the presence of these two parties in the family- the husband and kid/kids. Wife is considered as a blessing or a gift from the Lord. In other verse, wife is even valued much more like a favor from the Lord.
The Bible says it also in Proverbs 18:22″whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing and obtained favour of the Lord” Wow! Does every husband realize the fact of this matter? It is very real. Who can imagine a home without a wife or a mother? What will the house look like without this woman in it? Well, I find myself doing something I never did when I was still in the roof of my parent’s house. Being a wife is not simple. It is very complicated. Since the time I stay as a full-time wife and mother, I feel like I am in a hotel and restaurant, learning center, bank and internet cafe everyday at the same time. It is then an inspiration for me to learn that being a wife is actually a blessing from the Lord. In this sense, God is the source of strength of every wife. More Bible teaching you can obtain online. Keep searching the truth about this life and world through the internet. Free teaching and preaching notes about spiritual matters are made available through out the online portals.
