Here is another dose of vitamins for a healthy soul, spirit and body. I believe that every body is very much concern about security of all sorts. Security in relationship, career, status and others. I, for one, have been occupied of worries about many aspects of my life such as those that I have just mentioned. Fortunately, I never stop searching and reading especially the books authored by Oswald Chambers and John Maxwell.
Something that I have taken into mind is the notes regarding security from yesterday. Every year-end, I do feel so excited about what God has in the store again for me this year. Of course, I expect blessing from blessing. However, I also feel anxious every time I remember my yesterday. My past sins and mistakes tend to lessen my enjoyment of living today. It is but a good thing to learn that God is God of yesterday where He simply let me be reminded of memories to make use of them as an instrument for my growth, particularly in the spiritual aspect, for the future.
Second note is the Security for Tomorrow. Another note about security is the fact that the Lord has promised that He will always go before me. What a great revelation for me to hold through the year! God will keep watch over me that I may not be tripped up with the same failures. God’s hands are also ready to reach back to my past to settle my claims against my conscience.
Last note is about the Security for Today wherein I am reminded not to go in haste in everything I do and want to do. Indeed, God is God of yesterday, today and tomorrow. I should not be confined to the pain and frustration of the past but I will surely let my past rest in the sweet embrace of Jesus Christ. I shall not also be in a hurry to get what I want today for I believe tha.
Some tips to have a healthy New Year:
1. Try to enjoy family meals together - Observe that dinner can be the time when every member of the family goes to the table and share an hour or two of good food and better conversation.
2. Get physical - Take a walk with your partner and kids and feel the freshness around while melting bad fats in you.
3. Get your fair share of vitamin D - the vitamin that keeps your bones strong and healthy and a booster of immunity to a number of disorders like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and gum health. So, do not miss to look up to the sun and try to revel in its amazing rejuvenating powers.
4. Sleep well - Recharge your body after tremendous activities of the day.
5. Stop smoking now - You will see that your blood pressure will return to normal and the risk of having a heart attack will decrease.
6. Drink lots of water - its importance can never be overemphasized. Your body is 75% water so there is a need for lots of water everyday.
7. Do not forget to relax - Take in your mind what is really more important than your career. Sometimes, you need to have a day-off from work to spend time with loved ones. So, try relaxing by simply listening to a music, playing with kids or even having a date with your partner.
8. Nourish your soul - a very important one because being healthy does not mean doing some exercise, having a right diet but also nourishing your heart and soul. An intrinsic force will lead to a sound decision and right action.
Alright, those tips are just some of a lot more tips around. Start doing it now and have fun ahead.
There are various ideas on worship that are available around the internet and book stores. One thing is very amazing where God Himself can give us a great idea on worship when we seek a wisdom about it. Another great important truth is that we are so grateful to have the gentle voice of God giving us the idea of worship, not just the idea on worship. We actually need to have the such idea that everyday we are going to worship our Creator and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We should learn that worship is giving God the best that He has given us. In this sense, we are required to give an extra care of everything that He has given us. We are also asked to give back to Him as a love-gift whatever blessing that He has bestowed upon us no matter how significant that blessing would be to you. We should never ever hoard anything that comes from Him for if we do, the blessing will just turn into a spiritual dry rot as the manna did in the Old Testament. Try to see in the book of Exodus chapter 16. Things we should take note from Genesis 12:8 such as the terms Bethel, Ai and pitching his tent can help us obtain more ideas on worship that will lead to a deeper sense of Worship. In this verse, Bethel is a the symbol of fellowship with God and Ai is the symbol of the world where Abram pitched his tent between the two places so that he would have a quiet time with the Lord. Quiet time is another term that we have to take note when we consider worshiping our God. We need to draw ourselves away from the noisy world. Indeed, the unfading value of our public service for God is measured by the intimacy of our private times of having a fellowship with our God. So, we really have to pitch our tents just like what Abram did to get near to God in quiet time. The last point that we should take note is the fact that the idea of worship takes discipline on our part. We need to keep practicing it everyday until it will become a system in our lives.
Catch the great idea of worshiping Jesus Christ and you will surely live life to the fullest. Only Christ can give us the peace that surpasses understanding so have time to worship Him and obtain this peace that the world can never offer.
I just remember the show in title “Bachelor” wherein I believe that all of the fans of the said show have been watching out who will be the next bachelorette that will catch the witty heart of the bachelor. Some fans would love Emily for Mr Brad Womack. Others would vote for Ashley. Well, I am not trying to share a story from that seemingly awful reality show but I am not also discouraging any fan to keep indulging into such show.
I am actually trying to tell a story about a couple who were once a bachelor and a bachelorette. They have been engaged for a year, not counting on the years where they have been in an on-and-off relationship. They used to be so sweet partners respecting and trusting each other. Love notes, calls and gifts have been made and they had really been so inspired with their exciting and unbeatable relation. It was just too good that they ended up in marriage so that their partnership as lovers would get more stable. Their steadfast love for each other had led them to conquer any odd that came into their way. They have been even inspired others because of their faithfulness to each other.
However, just like any other normal relationship, they also had been through a difficult crossroads. Sometimes, they had been both getting linked to another fellow which they used to experience when they are still a bachelor and a bachelorette. The bachelor is more prone to temptation but he is also expected to be stronger and wiser to overcome the temptation and keep the relationship or the marriage pure and intact. On the other hand, the bachelorette is also vulnerable when she gets hurt but still knows how to fear the Lord and stay closer to her partner.
The life of being a bachelor is full of carefree joys. It is great to be in this stage when it is being spent with the fear of the Lord. It will be fulfilling to pass through it when used wisely and godly then you will graduate from being a bachelor because you have found out the right bachelorette.
Time and again, we have reached another new year. A whole year to enjoy the gift of life wherein we do experience a variety of things such as exciting surprises, burdensome problems, laughter , sorrows, victories, frustrations and a lot lot more. As I met the year 2011, I asked the Lord to give me a message which I would carry within the whole year. It is about giving out my utmost for God’s highest. It is doing my best for His glory.
God had led me to the book of Philippians Chapter 1 verses 20 and 21. “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
I have learned that I have to really surrender to Jesus all areas that He has been asking me to yield to Him. In this way, there is nothing to be ashamed of. God is calling me to be determined to be at my utmost for His highest in all aspects of my life. Giving the best for His glory actually means surrendering the will and that I should obey Him not by reasoning but by will. Just like Paul in the New Testament who had been so determined that nothing would have stopped him from doing exactly what God wanted him to do. In the other hand, I was also awaken that sometimes I am putting myself into place that seemed to be a crisis in my life. By then, God is developing in me a deeper sense of Himself until I get more selfless so nothing and no one can hinder me to give my best for His glory alone. Finally, my eyes have been opened to the fact that whenever it is taking me so difficult to surrender my all in all to Him, I will just look at what God had done to me at the Cross. Then, I can do nothing but surrender all to Him.
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 no means to be able to give the best gift materially to my loved ones including my readers. All I have is the best gift that cannot be bought by any amount of money. It is something about the Lord Jesus Christ. Actually, it is Jesus Christ Himself that I really want to share to everyone. Something about Jesus Christ has to be learned by all human for He is the most controversial not only these days but even in the history. His birth was also a subject of controversy during that moment when He was born as we can read in the Bible that He was being spied by king Herod. His parents tried to keep their eyes and ears to listen to the voice of God who directly spoke to them for them to protect the child named Jesus Christ.
“Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, “God with us”, says at Matthew 1:23. His birth from a virgin was even an amazing miracle. Jesus Christ was born into this world but not from this world. Actually, Jesus Christ did not emerge out of history but He came into the history from the outside. He was not a man becoming God but God Incarnate or God coming into human flesh from outside it. Out Lord Jesus Christ’s birth was actually an advent which means the appearance of God in human form.
Jesus Christ was born for you and I and for the highest cause of His Father. As the world is now about to reminisce this birth which we used to do in Christmas, may the true faith in Jesus Christ will be created in everyone’s heart.
Something about the birth of Jesus Christ tells something about our salvation. Thus, Jesus Christ is worth our searching the truth about Him. He is our Savior and Lord. May everyone will accept this truth for as we keep on studying about Him, this fact will be reve
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.
Have you tried viewing the movie entitled “The Passion Of The Christ”. I had tried it many times and many times, I am touched by the great love of Christ towards the people. Jesus Christ, played by Mel Gibson, has been portrayed in the movie as human and at the same time as divine. Yes, the movie actually shows the humanity of Jesus as well as His being Divine.
The movie has been leading my mind to contemplate how great is the passion of Christ. His passion not only to save the world or the people like you and I, who had been put astray and are deserving to go to the place other than heaven but His passion to obey the will of His Father had actually captured my heart and led me to keep asking the Lord to help me obey His will, too.
The Passion Of The Christ Is not only an amazing movie but a very motivating instrument to cause all Christ-seekers and Truth-seekers to keep on searching the profound issues of life. There is really much more vital things to be considered in this life. It is not only riches or gold is to be sought in the land of the living. The Passion of Christ has to be known by everyone bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. Everyone includes me and you who have been making a lot of goals and dreams that are just temporal. The said movie also leads its viewer to take every pain, tear and fear into the altar and just live freely and filled with Christ’s passion.
As we offer the natural or I better to say, as we offer our individuality, God will be able to take full control over everything in our lives. The so-called natural or individuality of a person is the hard outer part that surrounds the inner life or the spiritual life. In this sense, the individuality is the shell which has been purposely created by God to protect the spiritual life which bears much more importance than anything else in a person.
As we offer the natural of our personhood, our independence and self-will will also be surrendered to the Living God. Yes, you have read it right. Independence and self-will actually play too much in one’s individuality so to speak they are the main characteristics of the natural. It is true then that God cannot and will not actively involve Himself in our natural lives if we continue to gratify its selfish desires. The natural may say, “no, I cannot do it”. but the spiritual cannot help it but to keep believing..
As we offer the natural, we actually surrender our rights of our lives unto the One Who ultimately owns us. As we offer the natural, we would learn to yield to God and experience more of His awesome work in us. Thus, let us wholly offer our natural lives to God so that the spiritual or even the super spiritual can take place.
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.
We know that tension can really spoil your life and shorten your days. Here are some right healthy food that can help tame your mindless cravings and better yet, lower anxiety. Most of these are actually in your list of favorite foods everyday.
SKIM MILK - I am sure that you have been informed that a glass of warm milk is really calming. Well, there was a study that women who drank four or more servings of skim milk every day were about half as likely to experience stressful PMS than those who drank less than one serving.
DARK CHOCOLATE - With its high amount of flavonoids, which are lauded for relaxing properties and phenethylamine, which is a chemical that enhances one’s mood, you will surely get more chances to fight stress. It is proven furthermore that the darker the the chocolate, the better benefits you can get in your diet. So, look for one that is at least 70 percent cacao or even higher.
SALMON - Fish like salmon has been known to be rich in omega-3 fatty acids which can help reverse stress by boosting serotonin levels and such diet can suppress the production of the anxiety hormones cortisol and adrenaline.
Those are just bits on the long list of foods that can help you fight stress. Keep on searching the internet to obtain more information on health matters.
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.
Time and again, I have to celebrate another year of festive and pain as well. Life is not a year round joy nor a year round sorrow. Just like anyone of you, I have my share of laughter and of sufferings, too. Every time my birthday comes, I use to look a year back and evaluate what had happened to my past 365 days. Every birthday is being spent in a special way. Sometimes with friends and family but most of the time with myself alone. It does not matter whether I spend it this way or that way as long as I do a single same thing on the said day. That is talking to God fervently and searching so deeply. My soul really is busy during this moment. One deep issue I used to raise to the courts of my Creator is something that relates to my way of serving Him. Am I serving Him pleasingly? Is He really taking pleasure in my way of offering my life to Him.
I have been reading the book entitled “My Utmost For His Highest” and it has been a daily question to me if I am really able to give everything for the sake of His glory. I believe that my life is not actually about me nor for me. My life must be all about Him and I am required by Him to absolutely give my utmost for His highest glory and highest purpose. I am definitely without the Lord Who has been loving me even if I am sinful. My special note on this day: My utmost for His highest alone!
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.