God Is My Share

Back in 1993, I went with my pastor to Calgary in Alberta, Canada to participate in a conference of Filipino pastors serving in North America.

I was especially drawn to how these faithful men of God would stand up in a snap, almost like soldiers at attention, whenever a hymn was introduced in the program. Standing like that, I was impressed by how many of them were there at the time.

I thought, how could there be so many of these men who all left their homes thousands of miles away to live as complete strangers in a foreign land with nothing but their faith and trust in God's promise to bless those that serve Him.

I said to myself, God must really take care of His servants! What a truly faithful God we serve.

Scripture:
"The Lord said to Aaron, 'You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.'" (Numbers 18:20)

Observation:
God chose Aaron and his family to be His true priests of holy worship. In God's grace, it was a merciful act because it was the people's only hope for deliverance from judgment. It was a huge burden placed upon the shoulders of Aaron and his family. For it, God personally took care of their needs.

Application:
When God calls, He provides the means bountifully to accomplish the calling. What an awesome privilege to have God Himself as one's portion.

Prayer:
Father, I surrender myself to Your call. May everything in my life be just as You would have it. Although it may not seem apparent to people, You have made me unspeakably rich since You have made Yourself my portion. I am humbled by the extravagant privilege! To You alone be all glory! In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

February 25, 2007 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.

Faithfulness To God's Call

There is this couple that come to the small group I facilitate at East Hill Church. They have always been there since the group was formed. They are not very young anymore but they inspire me with their dedication. They are not in the best state of health yet they are always there at every meeting. They are always involved in projects, contributing not only their presence but in kind and even financially.

They are active in the church's children's ministry. On top of it all, they are always taking in foster kids. They seem to have a knack for ending up taking care of the more challenging kids. You know, the ones who have been through trauma or an abusive set of parents.

And they are so humble that when I acknowledge them before the group, they would take me aside and politely ask me not to "embarrass" them like that anymore.

The Christian church has countless numbers of faithful servants such as these. The ones that bring flowers for the altar, mop the floor, wash dishes in the kitchen, keep the grounds, fix the plumbing, the roof, the electrical and lighting system.

The pastor preaching the message is a most admirable, respected, well-loved and known minister of God.

In God's eyes, the contribution of the person that brings flowers, mops the floor, takes care of the kitchen, the grounds, the plumbing, the roof, or the lights, is no less important than the office of the man He has ordained to preach His message.

Scripture:
"There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem." (Luke 2:36-38)

Observation:
Anna was called a prophetess, one who hears and speaks of the Lord. Worshiping night and day at the temple after being widowed, fasting and praying, seemed to indicate her great love for the Lord and her single-mindedness about her calling. She was prepared, groomed to testify to the coming of the Redeemer, to the fulfillment of the promise.

Application:
Faithful pursuit of a calling may at times seem tedious and lonely. Its final fulfillment may even seem just a tiny window in time, a fraction of an event in history. Yet in God's perspective, it is a momentous process from beginning till end. I must cling to what is promised to me. I must be faithful to what is required. I must count on the enabling grace and sustaining strength of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer:
Father God, I want to be faithful to my calling. Please fill me with the enabling power of the Holy Spirit and sustain me with the might of Your grace. In Jesus' sweet Name I pray. Amen.

January 2, 2007 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.

"Artwork by John Bell copyright 1998-2007 (http://www.jrbell.com/index.html) used with permission".

This Is Good

Today's way of thinking makes the meaning of good hard to pin down.

"What is good for you may not be good for me," say those that follow this manner of thought. They believe themselves to be smart to think like this.

Well, there is this thing that is good that is absolutely so, no if's, no but's.

It is good because God's Word says so. And that settles that.

Read on.

Scripture:
"It is good to praise the LORD and make music
to your name, O Most High,
to proclaim your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night"
(Psalm 92:1-2)

Observation:
This is what is good: To praise God and make music to Him, to rise in the morning declaring His love and to rest at night extolling His faithfulness.

Application:
I will sing to the LORD. I will play music in worship of Him. I will greet Him 'Good morning,' when I rise and thank Him for the day that He has made so I may rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24). I will praise God for His love and compassions that are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-24). And at night, His faithfulness will be the last thing on my mind, thanking Him as I say, 'Good night, LORD,' to sleep.

Prayer:
Praise be to the Name of God! Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah! Holy Spirit fill me. Let my thoughts all day through and even in my dreams at night be only about the exceeding goodness of God to me. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

July 27, 2007 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.

"Artwork by John Bell copyright 1998-2007 (http://www.jrbell.com/index.html) used with permission".

Faith And Reward In Mistreatment

Many are the ambitious causes that have spawned staunch but unknown advocates who endured much suffering, even death, in pursuit of an end they deemed worth losing their lives for. Many are the unsung heroes of wars and ideologies that were the true cogs and wheels of victories---and sacrificial retreats---that have gone on to live invisible lives devoid of recognition or acknowledgment.

God alone promises sure commendation to the believer that bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. (1 Peter 2:19)

God blesses the man who perseveres under trial. When he has stood the test, God will give him the crown of life He promised to those who love Him. (James 1:2-4, 12)

From long ago, God has ordained that His righteous ones will live by faith. (Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38)

Truly, it is faith that makes it possible to please God. How far away can blessings be when God is pleased?

Scripture:
"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward." (Hebrews 11:24-26)

Observation:
Great was the faith exemplified by Moses. He refused to live a lie and suffered because he did. He was mistreated but regarded it more important than Egypt's riches because he trusted in God and that it was for Him that he was suffering. He trusted that in the future, God will richly reward him.

Application:
I need to live by faith just as Moses did. Doing so may invite ridicule, misunderstanding, even outright persecution. I can look ahead to my reward, like Moses did, which makes fleshly treasures less valuable than disgrace suffered for the sake of Christ.

Prayer:
Father God, please fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Enable me to endure and to joyfully persevere. I look forward to my reward, not just for my comfort and pride but because I see in it greater glory being attributed to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For it is in His Name that I pray. Amen.

December 13, 2006 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.

God's Loving Rebuke And Discipline

Love and discipline. To the one going through the rigours of the latter, the love part of it seems very hard to see. It's all one can do just to endure the hardship, sometimes even pain. Where does love fit in all that?

Yet, ask people who have been trained by it, and they will tell you that they owe the strength and wisdom that they have from having faced discipline.

Take those that respond to adversities as their calling in life: emergency workers, rescue crews in calamities, firefighters. Like soldiers that go to war, they go through rigorous training where discipline is emphasized. And those that become successful at it---and for that matter, at life---have come to terms with the absolute necessity of discipline in ensuring that they can at least deliver a decent job at it.

Guess who invented all that? God loves us so much He will just never allow us to get spoiled rotten.

Scripture:
"Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on earth.

" I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes so you can see.

"Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:10, 18-21)

Observation:
Great rewards await those that endure patiently. God's instruction is to purchase wealth from Him, true riches purified through trial and testing. From Him comes holiness that covers sins, and His truth, the only medication to soothe spiritual blindness. God loves us so much that He disciplines us. When we are earnest and repent, our fellowship with Him is made full.

Application:
In my humble state, I am being still before my Father in heaven. Knowing that He is God, I endure His loving discipline. I expect that He will bring me through the pain and suffering. He will enable me to emerge from it all far richer in everything and far more whole in spirit and in my relationship with Him.

Prayer:
Father God, thank You for Your love. Thank You for Your desire to enrich my relationship with You. Thank You for Your rebuke and discipline. Holy Spirit, please enable me to endure and be steadfast before God. I repent and am being earnest in correcting my heart and my behavior, renewing my mind about sin. Fill me, sweet Holy Spirit. Let all glory be to Jesus. In Christ's Name I pray. Amen.

December 27, 2006 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.

God's Presence Is The Place To Be

How would you like to be guided in the wilderness by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night?

It must have been quite a spectacle for the Israelites in those days. God was in the cloud leading them in the daytime. And at night, he was in the fire so that they could see their way. (Exodus 13:21)

Day or night they could travel.

It must have been so comforting!

In our days, the LORD is never far away either. To the believer, He has promised, "...surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)

Here's one more outrageous tip: God seeks to have an intimate relationship with those that believe in the Name of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Scripture:
"Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out." (Numbers 9:22)

Observation:
God's chosen people obediently followed His direction through His presence symbolized by the cloud over the tabernacle.

Application:
God's presence in the life of the believer is paramount. As God seeks intimacy in relationship with His children, so must the child of God seek the same in Him. This relationship is never strained so long as the believer is obedient. What father-child relationship after all is troubled when the child is compliant? There is no fear over loss of direction either when God is near. In His presence is the place to be.

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, please guide me in all truth and enable me to be obedient. Fill me and spur me on so I may follow God's direction; whether He stays over me, the one in whom He tabernacles, or lifts. Please help me cultivate intimacy with my Father in heaven. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

February 21, 2007 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.

Walking On Water

Often, the first image that comes to mind when the Apostle Peter is mentioned is that impetuous disciple who tended to put his shoe in his mouth a lot.

He was the one that asked to walk with Jesus on the water and sank half-way when he took his eyes off Him and became afraid of the wind and the waves.

Bumbling? Perhaps. But not quite infrequently, we miss the fact that among Christ's disciples, Peter was the only one that actually walked on water!

The act was childlike---a quality so endearing to God---as Peter asked to come to the LORD on the water. And the request was bold, an attribute also encouraged by God. So Jesus said, "Come."

Scripture:
"And Peter answered Him and said, LORD, if it is You, tell me to come to You on the water. And He said, Come. And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus." (Matthew 14:28-29)

Observation:
In faith, boldly ask and trust that it will be given.

Application:
Trust in the LORD. What God wills will be done. For as long as I ask what is in his will, I can trust that it will be given. If I ask God for it to happen, it will take place.

Prayer:
God, I know that Peter proved his faith little in this instance when he took his focus off Jesus and was overcome with fear. I do not pretend to be of greater faith although I like to think so. But what I desire more, Father, is to bless my Savior, Jesus Christ. Knowing that the Holy Spirit's will is to honor God the Son, and that He dwells in me, let me ask for the miraculous. Let the supernatural happen, dear LORD, so that I may point to You as the One who caused it. I will be careful to give You all the glory. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

April 27, 2007 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.

Praying God's Way

I have had wonderful times spent in prayer with some of God's most faithful. I remember many years that we woke up at dawn, when most of the city was still asleep. We gathered together and prayed about the church, the state of the nation, world affairs, our neighborhood, loved ones. We prayed for one another.

We praised God for His blessings. We wept before Him on matters that troubled our hearts. We spent entire dawns on worship and thanksgiving.

There is nothing like soaking in the presence of God. And prayer, offered in worship and praise, is one of those things that God inhabits.

Is there a right or wrong way to pray? I don't know. Is there a right or wrong way to speak to your father?

Scripture:
"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." (Matthew 6:7-8)

Observation:
Quantity of words in prayer does not matter. God already knows what we need before we even utter one word about them.

Application:
Flowery, fancy, long-winded prayer does not make it any more effective than concise, informed sentences offered sincerely to God. I should speak to God in prayer in brief but honest statements that echo what is truly in my heart. I should speak with respect but intimately, as though to a friend.

Prayer:
Father, please enable me with Your Holy Spirit to focus on You and on connecting my heart to Yours when praying. Let me not cause others to shy away from praying boldly because of the manner that I pray. May my prayer seek instead to bring honor and glory to Your Name. In Jesus, I pray. Amen.

April 19, 2007 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.


"Artwork by John Bell copyright 1998-2007 (http://www.jrbell.com/index.html) used with permission".

The Fateful Lightning Of His Terrible Swift Sword

"Amazing grace," so goes a very popular Christian song. God is love. God is extremely patient.

God is more than able to forgive. He is mighty to save. He is Father to the fatherless, friend to the friendless.

What wonderful attributes of God! So kindly. So full of mercy.

But a discussion of the character of God would not be complete without speaking of God's justice. Without God's rebuke and discipline. Without the idea that to God, the wages of sin is and will always be death.

Oh, yes, God is slow to anger but He does get angry.

Scripture:
"There he broke the flashing arrows, the shields and the swords, the weapons of war. ...Valiant men lie plundered, they sleep their last sleep; not one of the warriors can lift his hands. At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both horse and chariot lie still. You alone are to be feared. Who can stand against you when you are angry? From heaven you pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet---when you, O God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land. ...Make vows to the LORD your God and fulfill them; let all the neighboring lands bring gifts to the One to be feared. He breaks the spirit of rulers; he is feared by the kings of the earth." (Psalm 76:3, 5-9, 11-12)

Observation:
The troubles of the afflicted trouble the heart of God. His patience is without equal but no one can stand against Him when He gets angry. One angel of His slays an entire army (2 Kings 19:35). He rebukes oppressors and the unjust. Kings of the earth fear God. With a sweep of His mighty hand, He breaks their spirit.

Application:
I fear God with a respectful fear. I trust that He will not forget me in times of oppression and injustice. I trust that He will save me in times of affliction. I will be faithful to fulfill my vows before God. I will not fret when the wicked seem to have their way. I will pray for leaders of homes as well as nations. I will pray that none may fall into the hands of God when His patience runs out.

Prayer:
Yes, Father. Please, extend your grace and mercy to Your servant. Holy Spirit, please enable me to be true to my vows. I pray in behalf of those that lead people, whether in homes or country clubs or nations. I pray that You grant them Your wisdom and salvation. I pray that You honor Your Name through their accomplishments. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

Yesterday's entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.

Eyes That See, Ears That Hear From God

Neons, lasers, giant video billboards. The world has all sorts of ways of calling attention to the eyes to sell products and ideas. They invade our living rooms through cable, satellite, DVD and HDTV.

Radio talk shows, high- pressure sales people, teachers and preachers of all possible persuasion constantly try to push their stuff into our ears.

It's not hard to be swayed from one point of view, from one direction, to the next.

It is said that if you don't stand up for something, you will fall for anything.

How blessed is the man whose eyes see, and whose ears hear, from God. What he stands for will never be in vain.

Scripture:
"But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears for they hear. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear what you hear, and have not heard them." (Matthew 13:16-17)

Observation:
Glad is the believer whose eyes see as God would have him see, and whose ears hear as God would have him hear. He is more blessed than prophets and righteous men who did not see nor hear the same.

Application:
I seek eyes that see what God would have me see, and ears that hear what God would have me hear.

Prayer:
Praise You, God! Thank you for these eyes and ears. If You are willing, always have them perceive as You would have them perceive. Holy Spirit, please keep me from being full of myself but of You. Fill me, sweet Holy Spirit, and enable me to share what I see and hear from God. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

April 26, 2007 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.

Strength Through Prayer

I have never had need yet to dial 911. But I know that when I need it, it is always there. I could count on help coming within minutes so long as I could call that number.

In the spiritual realm, there is also an emergency line to God that assures immediate connection 24/7/365. It is called prayer.

What's so cool about God is that He is not only available through the prayer line in an emergency. You could talk to Him on just about anything. He is that eager to hear from You.

Here's a radical tip, too. When you've been talking to God long enough, you'll learn to hear him talk to you also.

Scripture:
"On reaching the place, He said to them, 'Pray that you will not fall into temptation.'...When He rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 'Why are you sleeping?' He asked them. 'Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.'" (Luke 22:40, 45-46)

Observation:
Jesus draws strength from communing with the Father through prayer. He sees temptation as a grave threat and prayer a weapon against it. Rather than sleep, which is a natural response to exhaustion, Jesus instructs the disciples to pray.

Application:
I must draw strength from God through prayer. Contending for God's promise, being still before Him knowing He is God, in the midst of trials, can be exhausting. Nevertheless, I may yet be made strong through prayer, to weather testing. In time, when the season is ripe, the promised harvest will come.

Prayer:
God grant me Your supernatural strength that I may not fall into temptation. Let me be proven worthy of Your blessings and to honor Your Name. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

January 22, 2007 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.

Faith That's Alive

Put your money where your mouth is, we often hear it said. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. The best plans remain only as they are---plans---until they are carried out.

You get the idea.

Top dollars are paid to those whose concepts end up in blueprints. But until the building is built, the blueprints really only amount to nothing more than dust bait.

Faith challenges the common notion of reality. Faith is being sure of things we hope for and being certain of things we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). Even then, only knowing this, even loudly proclaiming this, does not make faith complete. 'Action speaks louder than words' never rang more true.

Scripture:
"Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called God's friend." (James 2:21-23)

Observation:
God called Abraham friend. He passed God's test. He was obedient and trusting. He proved his faith by what he did, offering his son Isaac on the altar as God told him to do. God demonstrated through Abraham how faith is made complete by proving in action what the mouth declares.

Application:
I will be obedient and trusting in God. My faith will be seen in what I do according to what I say. I want to be proven true when God puts me to the test. I want to be called God's friend.

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, I turn to You for strength. I yield my will to You because on my own I do not know how much I can take. But Your Word promises that "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13) That is my confidence in knowing that I can become God's friend. Father, please consider Your servant. Enable me to bring glory to my LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. In His precious Name I pray. Amen.

July 18, 2007 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.

God Is My Healer

I am the LORD, who heals you, God said in Exodus 15:26.

The same God who spoke all creation to existence is saying it is He who heals those that would believe, trust and obey. The One that says to the storm and the violent waves, "Quiet! Be still!" and the wind dies down and the waters become completely calm. (Mark 4:39)

God needs only say the word, and healing takes place.

Scripture:
"The centurion replied, 'Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word and my servant will be healed.'" (Matthew 8:8)

Observation:
Humility and faith is vital in God's supernatural healing.

Application:
I will humble myself before God and seek in faith His healing touch to rid me of disease and infirmities. He is mighty to heal. He needs but say the word and I am healed.

Prayer:
Father God, I do not deserve Your mercy but Your grace is bountiful. Say the word, Father, and I am whole once more. I will be careful to give You all the glory. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

April 21, 2007 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.

God's Goodness To Me For All To See

Knowing how I was and where I have been before Christ invaded my life, it would seem as though that former me died and my present me has just been born. God so turned my life around I am just not the same person.

That alone is wealth with no measure. But I bet that people who know me can see the change that has taken place. To those that would believe, God does love to show up and show off!

I have not even begun to speak of the countless blessings He has caused to rain in my life ever since.

Scripture:
"How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you." (Psalm 31:19)

Observation:
God prefers to lavish His goodness in plain view of others on those who run to Him to seek shelter and sustenance. His goodness for this occasion has already been set aside for the believer.

Application:
I will be strong and take heart (Psalm 31:24) because "The Lord preserves the faithful but the proud he pays back in full." (Psalm 31:23)

Prayer:
Father, I lift my praises and thanks to You for the abundant goodness that You have set aside for me. I need only look to You and You are ever prepared to shower me with Your supply for others to see. Holy Spirit, please cause me to be faithful to bring glory to my LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. For it is in His Name that I pray. Amen.

April 20, 2007 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.

God's Word Guides And Guards

I remember taking my pastor and his wife once on a long ride to the coast for a breather. My wife and I took them to a lighthouse built high atop a cliff. The lighthouse was not immediately visible from where we parked. But as soon as we got past the trees and bushes along the trail to it, the view of the sea, the shore below fading into the distance, and the forest beyond so startled them that they gasped. The beauty of even but this slice of God's creation was more than enough to recharge the couple.

Deep within me, though, I was also thinking that the presence of the lighthouse in the face of such overwhelming beauty seemed ironic. And I realized that beneath and around the shining blue waters are strong currents, wicked bars and jagged rocks that in the dark of night lie unseen like deadly snares ready to snap at even the most seasoned sailors and snatch them from life to death.

I thought, what a vivid example of the misleading allure this fallen world has to the unknowing. And how gracious God is to provide His Bible to serve as lighthouse to guide us through the dark into His marvelous light!

Scripture:
"The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end." (Psalm 119:110-112)

Observation:
God's Word not only guides us. God's Word guards us.

Application:
I must keep to the ways of God as instructed by His Word. Its discipline actually liberates, rather than limits. Its wisdom really frees me from the many traps of sin. It allows me to see my way through the ambushes set before me by this world and the enemy.

Prayer:
Father God, thank You for Your love. Thank You for caring so much to give us Your wisdom through Your Word. Let me honor You, LORD, by adhering faithfully to Your teachings. Enable me, Holy Spirit, to be so disciplined that I may bring glory to my LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. For it is in His sweet Name that I ask it. Amen.

December 26, 2006 entry to the personal handwritten journal I use in my quiet time with God.

God Delivers Me From All Troubles

Just as the gospel does not promise perfection in this life, salvation does not insulate the believer from troubles.

God, however, has a great promise. He said He delivers the righteous from all their troubles.

This is my entry to my handwritten journal last April 18th:

Scripture:
"A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all." (Psalm 34:19)

Observation:
Righteousness, salvation, does not exempt the believer from troubles. However, the Christian has God that delivers him from all of them.

Application:
I will regard troubles as opportunities to watch God assert His Lordship over my life, His loving protection and provisions as One who protects and provides for His own child, and the spectacle of His mighty and wonder-working powers.

Prayer:
Father, I thank and praise You for You are faithful and loving. I thank You that nothing escapes You, even my troubles; that they do not become wasted but instead are turned around into tools that bless me. Thank You for the peace and confidence You bring to my heart because You are my God and Father in heaven. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.

I Am God's Temple

I still fondly recall the lyrics of a great hymn:

You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart!

How much more clearly can that be stated?

The believer knows this not only from singing the hymn or similar Christian songs. The Holy Spirit's indwelling presence is a daily experience to those that follow Christ.

That rush of freshness and energy in times of dryness and fatigue, that burst of wisdom in critical times that were never rehearsed nor scripted, that knot in the tummy when tempted to succumb to wrongdoing, that boldness when the natural inclination would be to fear, that stark contrast as though day from night in the transformation of character from crooked to good---and many more that the believer knows only too intimately but often is unable to adequately put into words---are but a few of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit living in the heart of those that believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and God.


From my handwritten journal, my entry for March 27th of this year titled I Am God's Temple:

Scripture:
"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple." (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17)

Observation:
God's Spirit lives in the believer. The believer is God's temple. When the believer is careless about his body and his testimony, or when another person is harmful to him, God's wrath is stirred.

Application:
I am to walk and maintain a wholeness that honors God in my body and my lifestyle. Others may try to harm me. I can be confident of God's justice as my Defender and Avenger.

Prayer:
Dear God, please enable me with Your Holy Spirit to walk a blameless life. Convict me when I drift from You and Your teachings. Steady me when I stumble. Catch me when I fall. Restore me to the sweetness of Your fellowship. Strengthen my will to resist and flee from temptation. Let me honor You with my thoughts, my words, my decisions, my behavior. Make of my existence an offering that brings honor and glory to my LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. In His Name I pray. Amen.

The Cleansing Power Of The Blood Of The Lamb

I was witnessing to a friend who was arguing that no one has seen heaven and described it so he does not believe in it. He was stunned when I told him that the Bible gives a very good description of heaven.

Last December 28, 2006, the passage that struck me the most in my journal's reading plan was from the book of Revelation. The central idea was about the power of the blood of Jesus Christ to wash away the sins of mankind. Still, one catches a pretty good glimpse of heaven in the verses:

Scripture:
"I answered, 'Sir, you know.'
"And he said, 'These are they who has come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'" (Revelation 7:14-17)

Observation:
A future under the personal care of Jesus Christ in heaven awaits those who believe and persevere in the power of the blood of God's sacrificial Lamb to atone for the sins of mankind once for all.

Application:
I believe and will hold fast to the finished work of my Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross of Calvary where His body was broken and His blood spilled to pay for the sins of the world and save all who would believe. The precious blood of Jesus covers me. He will lead me home to be with Him in heaven when I leave this fallen world.

Prayer:
Holy Spirit fill me and enable me to be faithful even unto death so that I may be useful to the glory of my personal LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. For it is in His mighty Name that I pray. Amen.

Streams Of Living Water

As our body thirsts for water, our spirit also needs refreshing by the Holy Spirit of God. As our physical thirst is quenched by drinking water, our spiritual being is recharged by the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Here's one more post looking back at an earlier entry in my quiet-time journal. I wrote this one in on December 20, 2006 and titled it Streams of Living Water:

Scripture:
"...If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from him." (John 7:37b-38)

Observation:
Jesus invites anyone who is spiritually thirsty to come to Him and drink. Those that believe in Him "drinks" in Him His Spirit. They will be filled to overflowing.

Application:
When this world wearies me, I may come anytime to Jesus and ask for the Living Water of the Holy Spirit to soothe me, restore me, and enable me to keep on going. I will have more than enough for my needs. He will enable me to share Him in the Spirit.

Prayer:
Father God, please help me to remember to come to be filled by the Holy Spirit every time my leaky earthen vessel, my body and its spirit, drains empty. Thank You that You are able to forgive sins so that the Holy Spirit is not hindered from filling me. Enable me, God, to freely confess my sins and, please, do forgive me. Holy Spirit please fill me again. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

God Lifts Me Up

Here's another post that looks back at an earlier entry in my quiet-time journal. This one was written in on December 15, 2006 and titled, In My Humble State, God Lifts Me Up.

What always astounds me about the passage that caught my eye that day is that it declares that it is in the believer to cause the devil to flee. And it is an act of submission---to God---that makes the believer's act of resistance to the devil effective:

Scripture:
"But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the LORD, and he will lift you up." (James 4:6-10)

Observation:
God is against the proud. He is very generous to the humble. In humility, we submit ourselves to God. Submitted to God, we resist the devil and the devil flees. When we draw near to God, He draws near to us. In grief, in humility before God, He lifts us up.

Application:
I will humble myself before the LORD. I will allow myself to grieve the errors of my ways, mistreatment by those who misunderstand the hope that I place in God, and the malice and insidious oppression of the enemy. I choose to come near to God. I expect that my Father in heaven will lift me up.

Prayer:
Father God, consider my humble state. I surrender completely at your mercy. Dear Jesus, intercede in my behalf. Redeem Your servant's honor that he may not disgrace Your Name. Holy Spirit fill me, war in my behalf against all evil. Guide my path that I may be useful in Your ministry to glorify my personal LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. For it is in His precious Name that I pray. Amen.

Father God Trains Us As Sons

It's fun to leaf through past entries in the quiet-time journal. It is said that faith is always 20-20 at hindsight. Journaling provides a record which allows me to peer into what my Father in heaven has been up to in my life.

My journal entry for December 14, 2006 titled Father God Trains Us As Sons Through Discipline In Hardship is one among many that help me find perspective in adversities that I face:

Scripture:
"Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?...Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." (Hebrews 12:7, 10-11)

Observation:
In hardship, we find God disciplining us as His children. This is so that we may share in His holiness. Discipline is unpleasant, painful, while under it. But when trained by it, it produces later in the saint the benefits of peace and righteousness.

Application:
In this present time, when the light at the end of the tunnel seems but the size of a pin hole, I must keep moving forward, prodded by the loving discipline of my Father in heaven. Previous episodes of hardship and discipline have already produced today an uncanny peace and assurance within and a familiarity with righteous steps as the only means to most quickly advance to the light and emerge at the other end. What pleasure, joy, increased steadfastness, and fresh righteous ways await there! Oh, what harvest of authority for the glory of Jesus Christ!

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, fill me. Encourage me. Enable me every step of the way. Because I desire the anointing. I so want to bless my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is in His precious Name that I pray. Amen.

God Fights---And Wins---For The Believer

With the fireworks displays and loud firecracker pops of yesterday's Independence Day celebration still very fresh in my memory, I thought that this post might just be appropriate today.

I wrote this entry in my personal journal last March 26th. In that handwritten quiet-time tool, I titled it, God Is My Champion.

It brings to mind the song, The Battle Belongs To The Lord by Jamie Owens-Collins. It is true. God champions the righteous cause of Christ's followers. And He always wins:

Scripture:
"You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes. I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever." (Psalm 44:4-8)

Observation:
It is God that fights the believer's battle and it is God that wins it. Man's best weapons of warfare will not matter if God is not for him. The believer ought to put all his confidence in God and praise His Name continually.

Application:
I am to welcome God's invitation to partner with Him in His projects. Foremost among His concerns is the condition of my heart. So, the battles I face may seem inexplicable or undeserved but they are either ordained or used by God to grow me. I may seem like I am in the midst of a thick fight but what I do is according only as God instructs. I am his armor-bearer, if you will. God is my champion.

Prayer:
God, please enable me with Your Holy Spirit to be steadfast. Anoint me, LORD, so that I may be still and know that You are God. Then let all glory be to my LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. For it is in His Name that I pray. Amen.

A Full Understanding Of Every Good Thing In Christ

I want to share this time the entry I made today in my handwritten journal, an extremely beneficial tool that I use in my quiet time with the LORD.

I learned today just how valuable witnessing is in the believer's continual quest to know God more and more. You would think that witnessing is to the benefit only of the person on the receiving end of it. Not so. It is actually also to the advantage of the Christian doing the witnessing:

Scripture:
"I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." (Philemon 1:4-6) [Emphasis added.]

Observation:
The apostle Paul is already thankful to God for Philemon and the members of the church that meets in his house for their faith in Jesus Christ and their love for all the saints. Still, Paul mentions praying that they may be active in sharing their faith as they may yet have a full understanding of every good thing believers have in Christ!

Application:
I must upgrade my witness to Christ and the gospel. I will testify even more to His goodness to me. I want to have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Jesus Christ.

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, please fill me. Empower me to witness boldly in the Name of my personal Savior and God, Jesus Christ. For it is in His sweet name that I pray. Amen.

Jesus, The Eternal High Priest

These posts are lifted from entries I've made in my personal handwritten journal (a tool that I use in my quiet time with God). I am sharing them here as time allows.

I invite you to find out more about this quiet time tool. It is one of the ways that I hear my Father in heaven speak directly to the issues He allows into my life daily.

It is all I can do to contain my excitement about this quiet time journal! It has allowed me to come full circle back to the original intent of this blog, which is to chronicle my adventure with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I want to post today my very first stab at this amazing tool that enables me to peer into the heart of the Father. This was my journal entry for December 12, 2006 and I gave it the title, Jesus, The Eternal High Priest:

Scripture:
"Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." (Hebrews 7:25)

Observation:
Jesus is unlike human high priests who are prevented by death from continuing in office. Jesus lives forever and has a permanent priesthood.

Application:
I am assured of my salvation because Jesus is my hight priest. I am free to resist sin because Christ has paid for all my sins once and for all. He has broken its hold on me. With Jesus eternally advocating in my behalf to the Father, I am free to come to God's throne room and bring my requests. I am free to enjoy the delight of knowing God intimately and serving Him.

Prayer:
God, let me enjoy every minute, every hour of each day by seeing how You unravel the tangled issues of my life and make a straight path for me to walk with You. Release the provisions I pray to You about that I desire to manage better, at Your appointed time. Enable me to bring glory, not shame, to your Name. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen.