This song beats my heart for Jesus.
Tag: heaven
[Persevering] Day 7: Always Rejoice
Reading: Psalm 40:16-17
Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let those who love Your salvation say continually,
“The Lord be magnified!”
Since I am afflicted and needy,
Let the Lord be mindful of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
Do not delay, O my God.
Reflection:
I remember this line from the movie, Facing the Giants – “If we win, we will praise God. If we lose, we will still praise God.”
As we seek God, we do not only praise Him when things are going well with us. Our rejoicing and gladness with the Lord should not be dependent on our current condition. It should be constant and continuous regardless of. Though, this is never easy especially when we feel so trapped and hopeless. But just like David, he still chose to praise and worship God despite of his current situation.
Every time I feel down and start to question God, I just go back to His Word and remember the love He has given to us through Jesus. I am then reminded that everything in this lifetime is temporary. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18) And that I can look forward to eternity in heaven, someday. This gives me hope and restores my joy.
I would also remember the things that God has done for me in the past. How He never failed me on the lowest points of my life. At times, we may feel that God does not hear us. But He does. His delays as we thought they are strengthen our faith, which makes us more dependent on Him and not in our selves. We just have to keep fixing our eyes on Jesus. “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” – Hebrews 12:1. With this, we can have the faith and confidence to a BIG God and say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6)
Starting today, may you face each day having peace and joy regardless of the trials, challenges and problems you will be facing. Again, fix your eyes on Jesus. You can say this prayer to the Lord.
Prayer:
Dear Father,
Thank you for the promise that you will never forsake us especially on the times that we feel so down and hopeless. I ask that you give me strength through Jesus that I may endure each day with joy and peace in my heart. Help me to trust and always fix my eyes on Jesus that my faith will not be shaken. Thank you for the trials as they make me more dependent to You and mold my character. I entrust to you my day to day, knowing that you will be my helper and refuge. This I pray in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Song:
[Persevering] Day 4: Go and Tell
Reading: Psalm 40:9-10
I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation;
Behold, I will not restrain my lips,
O Lord, You know.
I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your loving-kindness and Your truth from the great congregation.
Reflection:
When something good happened in your life, are you excited to tell it to people?
I always share my victories to my family and friends because I want to celebrate it with them. But then just like David, I am more excited in sharing to them the love and faithfulness of God in my life. Since I came to know Jesus more, I can’t help but speak of His goodness and greatness. Words are not even enough to proclaim how awesome God is. I always run out with words.
Have you encountered Jesus in a way that you can’t help but tell everyone about Him? If you haven’t, I hope you won’t allow yourself to miss it out. Jesus’ very words, He said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17) The good news is, Jesus came to this earth for you and me, sinners. And, He said also, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10) That is a promise that will never fail.
How’s your life today? Are you living a life that is full of peace, joy and love even in the midst of your problems? Or, are you feeling empty and unsatisfied? Only Jesus who is loving, righteous, faithful and kind can satisfy you and make your life complete – as He promised. God loves you so much that He wants you to be part of His family. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)
Are you excited to have a life that is full and abundant? Do you want to experience content, joy and lasting peace? Are you thrilled to proclaim to the world how much God loves you that He sent His Only Son, Jesus for you and for everyone? If you have sincerely received Jesus Christ in your life, do you know that there is a party in heaven for you? “There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10) I’m excited on how God will continue to work in your life and how He will use you also just like David to proclaim His amazing love to others.
As you made a commitment today of loving Jesus, may this prayer guide you.
Prayer:
Dear God,
Thank you for your sacrificial love that You have sent Jesus for all of us that we may be a part of your family. Thank you for your patience that it took me awhile to receive Your Son, Jesus in my life. I’m looking forward to an amazing journey with you as I desire to love you, know you and share your love to others. Teach me and guide me to live each day a life that will speak of your love to others. I pray that I will not restrain my lips or be afraid of proclaiming you to my family and friends who still do not have Jesus in their life. This I pray, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Songs:
Shout to the Lord by Hillsong
All of My Days by Hillsong
Bacolod is Home
There’s more to home-cooked meals, yummy delicacies, unbeatable chicken inasal and laid-back life every time I go home to Bacolod.
Just a few days ago (time is really fast!), I went home together with my best friend, Kyat and her two kids who just arrived from Canada. We had a little reunion together with our other highschool girlfriends, some I haven’t seen for more than 5 years. It was really a blessed time just to hang out and catch up.
Looking back, it made me realize that no matter what, at some point in our lives, we would always find ourselves wanting to go home, not really to stay but to be with people who makes the place home.
Last year was record breaking for me, I went home 4 times than the usual once or twice year. I must have missed home so much. 🙂
For now, Bacolod is home because my family is there. Who knows, it will be somewhere else someday. 😉
Beautifully Waiting 