Tag Archives: salvation

Knowing Your Maker, Reflections

Only Best Thing in Life

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Have you reached that point in your life that you just want to be at the feet of Jesus, see His face and gaze upon Him? Because the words you want to speak to Him are never enough? The pour out of your emotions for Him is just endless? As you try to fathom and comprehend His love for you, you just can’t?

Falling in love with Jesus is the best thing that could happen to any human being. It’s not something we start on our own. It’s a response to what God has started for us. It’s a response to a perfect, sacrificial and amazing love.

We are not worthy to be loved by Jesus, much more to love Him back. To be able to love Jesus is a grace from God. Because loving Jesus means we are ready to surrender our selfish, old ways and follow Him.

However, God has faith in us. He believes that we can overcome sin through Jesus Christ. Remember when Peter denied Jesus three times?

And He (Jesus) said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.” (Luke 22:34)

Jesus had so much faith in Peter. Even before Peter committed that act, Jesus knew that Peter will still turn back to God.

 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”  (Luke 22:31-32)

And Peter did when he saw with his very own eyes that Jesus who died, had resurrected and is alive. And remember that even Satan has to ask permission from God to sift Peter. When temptations or trials are allowed in our life, it means that God believes that we can overcome those through Jesus.

Just like Peter, only a risen Lord can turn your life to God and never go back to the old life. Only when Jesus becomes real in your life and not just a fact that you know, that you will reach that point in your life that you just want to be at His feet because your life is an overflowing vessel of His love and goodness that you can’t contain.

I pray that you will experience the saving power of God in your life by humbly accepting Jesus Christ in your life that you will have the strength to turn away from your sinful ways.

 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

7 Days - Persevering in Trial

[Persevering] Day 4: Go and Tell

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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

7 Days - Persevering in Trial

[Persevering] Day 3: God Made a Way

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Reading: Psalm 40:6-8

Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired;
My ears You have opened;
Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.
Then I said, “Behold, I come;
In the scroll of the book it is written of me.
I delight to do Your will, O my God;
Your Law is within my heart.”

Reflection:

During the time of David, they offer animals as sacrifices to the Lord but these are not what God desires. In the time of King Saul, Samuel told Saul, “To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)

The verses 7-8 speak about Jesus being the perfect sacrifice that is only pleasing to God. Because God was not pleased with burnt and sin offerings of men, Jesus had to come to do the will of the Father. In Hebrews 10:10, it says, “And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

God does not want us to show off to Him how good or best we are at something. What God desires for us is to see Jesus sitting at the throne of our life. Why? Because Jesus is the only pleasing sacrifice that God accepts as a payment of our sinful life. Our good works or good intentions will never be enough because our lives are stained with sin. The blood of Jesus is the only cure that when God looks into our lives, He will see the blood of His Only Son covering our sin. And that will be enough for God.

Have you come to that point in your life that you feel so tired of trying to be better or to have a good life? I have good news for you. Jesus said, “Come to me all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”(Matthew 11:28) All you need to do is to receive Jesus in your life and trust Him to be your Lord and Savior. Through Him, you will receive forgiveness for all your past, present and even future sins. And not only that, through Jesus you will receive the most precious give of salvation that leads to eternal life. Once you open your life to Jesus, your life will never be the same again. There will still be difficulties along the way, but this time, the yoke will be much easier because Jesus is walking with you to strengthen you and sustain you.

If you are sincere in your heart to accept Jesus, you can say this prayer.

Prayer:

Dear God,

Thank you for your amazing love that you have showed to us through Jesus Christ. Thank you for making a way for us through Jesus so that our lives will become acceptable to you. Today, with a sincere heart, I accept you Jesus to be my Savior. I believe that you have died and resurrected that I will receive the gift of salvation and eternal life. I ask of you today to also become the Lord of my life. Forgive me for all of my sins and help me to turn away from my wrongdoings. May You take over my life Lord Jesus that I may live in obedience to You. This I pray in Jesus’ Name,  Amen.

If you have accepted Jesus, I would love to hear from you and would love to pray for you. Please leave a message here.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

“Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.” – Hebrews 10:18

Song:

May this song remind you of the sacrifice of Jesus for all of us.

Insights, Reflections

Of Salvation and Caterpillars

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by Xenia Dee on Thursday, July 26, 2012 at 12:57pm

I’m the caterpillar trying to break out of my cocoon, not because it served as a chrysalis, but because I felt helpless and choked inside this small little space with no room to breathe. How enticing is the world outside? i consistently ask myself. How tempting is the freedom that awaits me far beyond this ghastly colored world.
I’m the caterpillar wanting to grow something that will get me up and away. Something….. anything to get me as far away from here as possible. Away from the rubbish that rots my soul and leaves me useless and ungrateful. Away from the doubts and fears that I have of the unknown-of what is to come. Away from security–away from being ordinary and bland. Away from sanity and sanitary. Away from this self that I loathe and am willing to disregard.

My wanting to escape gives me strength to open the fibers of this brown case slowly, more like Pandora opening that box that she hoped would give her eternity. I made a small opening and inhaled. One breath of fresh air and I am ecstatic, one glimpse of this different light and I am renewed. I feel stronger, confident, secure that this is my hearts’ desire.

Hopeful, I take a peek at the small hole that I made through the cocoon—-and i SIGH!

It’s nothing like I’ve ever seen, felt nor touched before, exceeding all my expectations! It’s BEAUTIFUL!

The freedom of knowing that there is something higher, grander and more significant than this world that I live in right now is overpowering the caterpillar in me. There is a higher purpose for me, other than just being slaved and confirmed to the world that I am in. The cocoon has never been my home. It is not our home. My eyes are opened for the very first time, the scales that covered it fell out. I was right all along. This cocoon cannot hold me down. It is but a mere facade to compared to the glory and beauty that is before me. And oh, what beauty it was. What was once a life of despair, boredom, shallowness, uselessness, sin, shame and insecurities has now become exciting, wild, free, lovely, fulfulling—a life of purpose!!! Before me, i smell new life; I feel it; I could taste it!

A rush of adrenaline enveloped me and i tore the cocoon off of me, leaving me bare and new. The light was blinding but my eyes was fixed on the ONE who was in front of me. Has He been waiting there at the other side of the cocoon all along? How long has He been waiting for me? Why is He waiting for me? Beauty surrounded Him, and the glory that surrounds Him my body could not stand. Oh, such beauty!! All that my heart heard from Him was that He welcomes me and He loves me. That He has been waiting for me to let go of being a caterpillar,to then die as a caterpillar, and arise in beauty. My eyes only saw the Maker of me. I never left His gaze, and He never left mine. My heart stopped beating for a couple seconds, it was like synchronizing to the beating of His heart. And when it started to come alive for the second time, I realized that I wasn’t living for myself anymore but for Him. In Him and with Him and through Him, I am free, for He is freedom. I have been redeemed! I am set free!!

Romans 6:6-7
For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

I stepped forward into my new life–and there wasn’t any hint of fear–none at all. For the very moment that I gave up my cocoon, He blessed me with WINGS.