but by Grace

This Day’s Text

33 He turned rivers into a desert,

flowing springs into thirsty ground,

34 and fruitful land into a salt waste,

because of the wickedness of those who lived there.

35 He turned the desert into pools of water

and the parched ground into flowing springs;

36 there he brought the hungry to live,…

Psalm 107:33-36a 

 This Day’s Reflection

Psalm 107 is a relatively long Psalm. It is intended to give thanks for the steadfast love of God as has been evidenced by His redemption and deliverance of His people in many circumstances. It declares the truth of the amazing love of God.

However, amidst the long Psalm, one cannot help but notice (I in particular) that in verses 33-36, it says there how God makes a river into a desert, a spring into a thirsty ground and a fruitful land into a salt waste. It is a description of ‘wilderness’, of ‘wasteland’. To imagine how a spring is turned into a thristy ground, something really ugly could have happened. I could think of maybe a devastating drought that dried up the springs and the rivers. But really, what could have happened to cause a spring, a river to turn into a dried place. In verse 34b it says…

“because of the wickedness of those who lived there” 

There were or are times when we get ‘disconnected’ away from God, we try to find reason, we reflect why this is happening, but we cannot explain. We cannot know why suddenly we feel cold or dryness about our relationship with God. But here, it says God turns a river into a desert because of the wickedness in there. Wickedness may mean things gone bad, things gone unpleasant, things gone out of God’s way.  True enough, a river won’t turn into a desert if things are going as it is supposed to be. It turns dry if things gone out of the way that it should have been. When we lose ‘connection’ to God, then we start to experience dryness, wilderness in our faith. God turns and allows us to experience the desert, the dry lands of our faith. The passage tells us it is God himself who turns it because wickedness, things that aren’t right is in there. The desert, the wilderness , the dry land, is definitely not the best place for anyone, it is a period of struggle in our faith, a period of srtuggle with sin, a struggle with your identity, a struggle with your relationship with God.  But have we thought why God will allow it. Well, I believe it is the period for God to humble us, to reocgnize His Lordship, to understand His ways, to know that He is our deliverer. It is the time of pruning of our spiritual life. For God didn’t promise to leave us in the desert forever, instead the Psalter declares in verses 35-36…

“He turned the desert into pools of water 

   and the parched ground into flowing springs; 

there he brought the hungry to live,…”

Yes, God indeed reverses any circumstances. When He allows river to be desert, all the more God can turn back that desert into a river once again. God can restore us from the wilderness, from the struggle of our faith. God can bring back the srpings, the life, the joy, the passion in our spiritual life. For the Lord brings them back to those who hunger for Him and long for Him. We get into the wilderness because it is in the wilderness where we will long for the spring, for the life, for the joy which all comes from God alone. Let the wilderness be God’s way for us to be restored once again into God’s love, peace, life and joy.  May in the wilderness we find the HUNGER to be in God’s presence of everlasting spring of love, mercy and salvation.

THIS DAY’S VERSE

4 One thing have I asked of the LORD,

   that will I seek after:

that I may dwell in the house of the LORD

   all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD

   and to inquire in his temple.

 Psalm 27:4 (ESV)

 THIS DAY’S REFLECTION

Reflecting this verse from Psalm 27, one cannot help but utterly be overwhelmed. David (King of Israel), who wrote this Psalm, without any doubt, revealed to us the greatest desire he has in his spiritual life and his relationship with God. David could  have simply started this verse by saying ‘this is my prayer’ or ‘this is my desire’, but no, David instead said…

“One thing have I asked of the LORD,

    that will I seek after::… “.

Everytime we pray, we actually ask and seek for so many things and concerns, but have you thought, what if there would only be ‘one thing’ that you can ask from the Lord, what would it be? But David didn’t wait for a moment where he could only ask for one thing, instead he declared that among the many many prayers he could have asked, there is only one thing he asks and seeks from God. The very one thing that is incomparable. This one thing is to “dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,…”.

To dwell in the house of the Lord, means to be in His presence, to be in a relationship with Him, to worship Him, and David wants this not just for a while, but for him to experience to dwell in the Lord’s house for all the days of his life. It is in the House of the Lord, where God’s presence and majesty resides. True enough, David was overwhlemed that he proclaimed that he wants to dwell in the Lord’s House in order to…

“to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD

    and to inquire in his temple.. …”

Yes, there could be nothing more David could reason out, but simply he wants to GAZE the beauty of God and to INQUIRE (MEDITATE) in His Temple. David knew that in order for him to gaze upon the beauty of God, he has to dwell in God’s presence. David knew that for him to worship and meditate in God’s temple, he needs to dwell in God’s presence.

Hence, it is all about being with God, being in His presence. David’s utmost desire is for him to experience God’s beauty in God’s presence.

Many times when we come to God we seek and ask for blessings, for answered prayers, for personal conerns. But question is, when was/would be the time when you will seek and ask God, when you will desire to be in God’s presence, you will just simply desire to gaze on the beauty of God. Have you ever thought how does it look like to gaze and to be in the beauty of God?

THIS DAY’S TEXT

6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord…

2 Timothy 1:6-8 (ESV)

THIS DAY’S REFLECTION 

Paul wrote the second letter to Timothy in prison, in the light of his imminent execution and death. Paul started out his second letter to Timothy by encouraging him to persevere amidst suffering for the cause of the Gospel of Christ.

This theme of endurance amidst trials and sufferiengs is built upon the ability of Timothy on “fanning into flame” the gifts of God to him. We know that when the Bible talks about gift, these are the talents and skills God has endowed to us. But Timothy had even bore a greater gift, that is being a pastor or a shepherd as evidenced by Paul’s laying of hands unto him.

We all have a gift. We all have unique abilities, unique talents. Some are good in math, some are in speech, while others in arts. These are the traits Paul calls Timothy to “fan into flame”. Yet, more than that, Timothy bears with him the Gospel of Christ. Fanning into flame for Timothy means to leverage his talents, skills and ablities for the cause of the Gospel of Christ.

Paul even made a startling contrast that in “fanning into flame” the gifts we have, we have to understand that what should envelop us is not the spirit, the thought, the feeling of fear, brought by seemingly hard task ahead, but rather the spirit of power, love and self control. Three things that will disicpline us as we “fan into flame” our gifts. And all these Paul knew are the reason why no one should be ashamed of the Gospel and testimony of Christ Jesus.

Hence, fanning into flame, means from a spark of fire, you fan it, you fuel it, you make it grow, you make it light, you make it shine. God’s desire is for us to see that His gifts, the talents, the skills and abilities we have are fully realized. God never intends anyone of us to live in the spirit of fear, fear of the future, fear of the difficulties ahead. But rather, God wants us to see that the future is a fully burning flame, when you have the fire, the flame, the light in your heart which is CHRIST.

So, if you are someone bearing the Gospel of Christ, fan the flame now. And, if you are someone who has not had the fire, the Gospel of Christ. I believe now is the time.

THIS DAY’S TEXT

³⁵ “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning”, …

Luke 12:35 (esv)

THIS DAY’S REFLECTION

The passage of Luke 12:35-40 tells us to be prepared for the coming of the Son of Man, Jesus Christ for it will happen unexpectedly. But interestingly, these words of Jesus Christ begin with a powerful command, “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning”. These are direct words of Jesus put in metaphors. These words are meant to be the present time we are living at. Jesus is addressing what we ought to do right now in our lives. What is implied in this statement of ‘staying dressed’ and ‘keep lamp burning’ is the idea that it should stay on, endure on until the time that it will be no longer needed to ‘stay dressed’ or ‘keep burning’. A person wouldn’t stay in dressed forever nor a lamp keep on burning forever, it will only last until its purpose has been served.

When we have become followers of Jesus Christ, we have put on a new ‘dress’, a Christian ‘dress’ and we have lit up a new ‘lamp’, a Christian ‘lamp’. We then become people with Christian ‘outfit’ and with Christian ‘flame’ burning. This Christian ‘dress’ and burning Christian ‘lamp’ is what Jesus is saying that we stay on and keep on in our lives.

Jesus tells us to stay and to keep them because Jesus knows it will not be easy, that is why he is direct in telling and encouraging us of this.

This same direct words were echoed to Job by the Lord in Job 40:6-7.

⁶Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
⁷ “Dress for action like a man;
I will question you, and you make it known to me.

The Lord told Job as well to ‘dress up for action’. And the fascinating thing with this that in the context of having ‘dressed up’, the Lord says “I will question you”. Our staying dressed up, yes is subjected to questioning and testing. Our Christian identity, values and character will be put in testing. And whether you have stayed ‘dressed up’ or not, it will be made known to the Lord as the Lord continued saying to Job, “you make it known to me”. The choice to fight on is yours.

The challenge to our Christian faith is a reality,and the Lord is encouraging us to stay on, to keep it and to endure it even if we feel we are about to loose the fight. Because winning this fight is the bigger reality.

At the last verses of the Book of Job we see the victory of Job and how God blessed him for keeping on and staying on.

¹⁰And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Job 42:10

Victory definitely and most importantly goes beyond our temporary lives on earth, for as the Lord said;

⁴⁰You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Luke 12:40

Your readiness of being ‘dressed’ and ‘burning lamp’ therefore is what makes you prepared for that unexpected time when the Lord will come back to bring you with Him in eternal bliss. Yes, that is the purpose why we must stay on and keep on. To be with the Lord!

SO ARE YOU STILL DRESS UP AND BURNING?

THIS DAY’S TEXT

10 I (Nehemiah) also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field.11 So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. 12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. …. 14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service

Nehemiah 13:10-12,14 (ESV)

THIS DAY’S REFLECTION

The temple in Jerusalem was in chaos in this time of Nehemiah. Levites (priests) and singers (temple workers) fled away from the temple to look for a living elsewhere (because tithes which were supposed to be given to the temple were not given and tithes were also the source of their living). People were disobedient from giving their tithes to taking care of the House of God, the Temple. All Nehemiah can do was to exclaim “Why is the house of God forsaken?”.

There are times in our lives when giving has become so hard and ‘chaotic’. We choose to flee away from giving. We shut down the thoughts of responsibility and compassion in our hearts about giving as if we are hiding away from God. And this is giving not only in Church, but generosity in general, whether to a broke co-employee, to a beggar, to your relatives-in-need or randomly to anyone in need.

But Nehemiah didn’t let this prevail even more, he set everything to how it should be (verse 11b “And I gathered them together and set them in their stations”).  Levites and temple workers were back to their duties at the temple. Temple was organized once again. And giving, faithful giving of the people of God followed suit  (verse 12 “Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses”).

Yes, never let ‘hard’ giving prevail in you. Just like Nehemiah, set everything right. Set you finances right, set your lifestyle right. Then giving, just as how organized you have set things in your life, will also be organized.

So what now? you maybe asking. Well, make the prayer of Nehemiah your prayer.

14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service

The prayer of Nehemiah is not a prayer to boast before God the service he has done. But it is a prayer of a man confidently coming to God. He said “Remember me, O God”, a display of such confidence. And what’s amazing is that the display of his confidence went first before starting to ask from God “and do not wipe out my good deeds”. And this good deed is what he has done to make everyone return to generosity.

When we reflect on this, we see how one deed, one act such as giving can boost up our confidence in our relationship with God, and with people whom we have been generous with and with our church which we have been generous with as well. We have to see that giving boost us up in humility and confidence on how we view our relationship with people and our church. Ultimately,  It makes us come to God confidently knowing that we are faithful not only with our faith but  with our giving as well.

THIS DAY’S TEXT

²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

THIS DAY’S REFLECTION

Chapters 13 and 14 up to 17 of the Book of John were the scenes and words of Jesus Christ at the Last Supper. Everything Jesus Christ was saying where like His last ‘will and testament’ because the next day He will be crucified to death. This was Jesus Christ’s last moment with His disciples. And when we talk about last moments of a soon-to-die person, most often than not, things that will be said are the most important that person would say. And this brought fear to the disciples.

This kind of fear and trouble that the disciples felt was not even the simple type, but the hardest kind. They have to face the reality that Jesus Christ, their Lord, master and leader, would die tomorrow. The thought that the very one thing they lean on would disappear by tomorrow in an instant, probably would not even sink in their hearts.

But the Lord knew of their troubles, knew of how grave their fears were. And He pointed out to them an assurance.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”.

At the very intense moment of the disciple’s fears and troubles, Jesus Christ comforted them, granted them peace in their hearts. And the Lord is saying this peace that I am giving you is not even close enough to the kind of peace you see in the world. It is the peace that comes from God. Not your ordinary peace, but the extraordinary PEACE.  The Lord did not allow troubles to consume them, that upon giving them peace, He said “ Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”.

Number of times, we are so bothered with our struggles, fears and troubles that we forget that the Lord Himself said that in that moment when we feel and know that everything seems to fall apart, the Lord says “My peace I give you“. And you just don’t know that what would make the difference after all is the peace from God.

On those moments of fall and failure, remember one of the ‘last will and testaments’ of Jesus Christ. Claim it and receive it.

So, do you want to settle for the mediocre and ordinary? Or do you want the extraordinary PEACE?

THEN, BE WITH JESUS CHRIST AND RECEIVE HIS PEACE!

It was not long ago when the whole Protestant world and even the whole Christian world was rocked by the news that the Episcopal Church in the United States has allowed ordaining as ministers openly gays and lesbians. And just recently, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has voted also to do the same. ELCA’s ministers voted in favor of ordaining openly gay and lesbian those that are in monogamous relationship to become ministers. This has sent shockwaves again to the entire Christian community. The controversy has started to lure in the walls of the Presbyterian Church in the United States as well. It is expected that in the coming months election will be held in the Presbyterian church to whether or not gay and lesbian in monogamous relationship  be allowed to serve as minsters. This is not to mention the other big mainline protestent churches which has already allowed the ordination of openly gays and lesbians such as the United Church of Christ (USA) and United Church of Canada.

All the radical shifts happening on these protestant churches have caused major splits and divisions. The Anglican communion which one of its bodies is the Episcopal Church of United States has been experiencing a crisis of splits and reailgnment among its memeber churches worldwide. Anglican member churches particularly in Africa and Asia has or in the process of realigning themselves away from the gay and lesbian ordaining Anglican churches. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is now confronted with a major split by a new Lutheran church formed out of the former. Exodus of common members from these churches are expected escpecially of those who are faithful with the Biblical truths.

To say today, only the Roman Catholic church, the Evangelicals (Pentecostals, Baptists, Reformed, etc.), the Eastern Orthodox Churches and other smaller denominations remain faithful and steadfast in the midst of liberalism and relativism in human society. However, the Catholic churches (Roman and Eastern) and the Evangelical churches are definitely aware of this issue. They are also affected not only with the painful issue of  homosexuality but with increasing immoralities from pedophilia to prostitution and a lot more. Time can only say how long can the people of God endure.

Christians however do know for a fact that these things must come to pass. Again, these events among the different churches are not God’s desires, but God will let all of these come to pass, in order for His greater purpose to be fullfilled. This has been foretold by Jesus in Matthew 24. Jesus said that amidst ‘wickedness and cold love’, “¹³ the one who endures to the end will be saved”. Christians know that these things are ought to happen. Wickedness and cold love will become very rampant to name of few of what Jesus said. It is just a matter of staying on ground with your faith in Jesus evidently through prayers, Bible devotion and fellowshiping with other believers. Christians must strengthen themselves in God in order to withstand the waves of attack and temptation regardless of whatever circumstances they are facing.

There is no perfect church nor perfect person, but we always have a choice to choose the the path of truth or the path of this world.

“THE WORD OF GOD YESTERDAY IS THE SAME WORD TODAY UNAFFECTED BY HUMAN PROGRESS”

Character plays a tremendous role in anybody. The character of a person tells who he is. It tells about his personality and attitude. It even also says what the person’s morals and ethics are. The character of the person is something inherent within him. It is like his name where even if different titles are placed to it, you can still recognize the name distinctly as his. Character can be like that. We all have that inherent character, that no matter what we do or what we have become, it stays there or passively sticks with us. This character could have been develop when we were growing up. It could have been imparted to us by our environment unconsciously over  quite a  long period of time. Our character could be good or bad and it  could be beneficial or destructive.

Most if not all people would keep the good characters they have and go away with the bad ones. But this is where the problem lies. Can it be that easy to let go of bad and destructive characteristics? It is actually hard. It is a lifelong battle. And it is also probably impossible to totally let go. Why? It is inherent in us. Our nature is sinful and the tendency for that chararcteristic to surface is just so imminent. Everyday the bad and not-so-good characterstics have the possibility to manifest in us. It is the reality. It is the very essence of our nature.

How about God’s grace? Yes, we should be able to overcome them  by God’s grace. Truly enough, it is by God’s grace that we are able to overcome ourselves. But it is easier said than done. especially  if  it collides with our nature. What is even worse is that it can even destroy a person’s spiritual life. Bad and destructive characterstic is as much as like a pepper, when you put it in a dish it can certainly affect the taste, and its effect on the dish stays there. It is just like with a person, sadly but true,once the bad character  gets to a person, it stays with him. Even if we live under God’s grace that very nature sticks with us. Any moment it can shatter our spiritual life. It is the entry point of evil in our lives.

How do we go about with this? It is definitely hard. As a person who lives in God’s grace, it should have been  easy and long ago we should have overcome the bad character. Yet, it is not. It sticks with our very nature. What is even tragic is that this character can even affect our Christian spiritual lives.  We might think we are doing what a Christian should do, but please think twice, our bad character might be there, lingering , disguising and slowly corrupting us. Instead of bringing glory to God, our bad character might be doing otherwise. We might be glorifying ourselves instead of God. We might be doing our will and not God’s will.

If this character sticks and lingers in a person and not able to overcome  it, the person ought to make a sacrifice. Stop what you are doing may it be in the ministry or mission or whatever you are doing for God. I am saying this not to discourage people, but I am saying this to make you on gaurd because the consequence is destrcutive when that bad character poisoned the ministry or service to God you are doing. We must think that by getting out of ministry we are honoring God. We are humbling ourselves before Him by acknowledging our very nature. We must re-examine ourselves, and see if  we are stable and firmly standing in God’s grace. Only when we have genuinely overcome our bad character and  genuinely able to fight it, should we come back and do public ministry again. We must always be on guard to protect God’s work.

But how if we are not able to overcome it? Well, you are not ought to be there. Why? It is because you might just destroy the ministry of God. You must think of the ministry of God foremost, not yourself. You must make a sacrifice. We have already seen people whose ministry got destroyed or got corrupted because their characters have poisoned it like that in the case of Jimmy Swaggart.

There are things that we are not ought to become!

When you would ask people the question what drives them or what fuels them to live every single day, you would get a variety of answers. Some would say to achieve their lifelong dreams drives them. Some would say to become rich drives them. Some would say to become famous drives them. Some would even say to be accepted by people drives them. Exactly as how we would expect most people would say. And if we are going  to figure out why people have these kinds of drivers in their lives, we will get to know that because this is what the world dictates. It is what the world sets as  standard. It is what makes someone a somebody in the eyes of men. This standard of achievement, wealth, fame, etc. is just so ingrained to everyone that they form as the driver for most people. They were all set as the expectation for everyone. But the big question is are all these permanent or simply temporary drivers?

In exploring the different stories of people falling into failures and depressions, I could certainly say all the standard drivers of life set by men are temporary and are bound to lose. I have heard stories of people falling in desperation after losing all the wealth they have tried to build all of their lives. I have heard people whose lives revolve on proving that they are the best suddenly falling into depression because someone else became better than them. They fail at the end and they suffer a lot from it. Why? It is because they have put their hopes on temporary drivers, temporary goals, temporary dreams and on a temporary life.

So, where do we put our hopes on? I say it must be put on what is everlasting. It is only in the hope for everlasting life that we can have the absolute confidence that we have the best driver in life. It is because the moment you put your hope on the everlasting life, you allow the One who is eternal and everlasting, our God to drive your life. Putting your hope on what is eternal transcends everything from this world. Your future, your dream and your life become not of this world but for the eternal life. Putting your hope in God means allowing God to drive your life. It means giving up the driver seat for God while you sit on the passenger seat.

Yes, it might take a lot because you have become so comfortable with your lifestyle right now, but you have to think of the great price. A price of life everlasting with God. For Jesus said “that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” [John 3:16]. God’s desire for you is certainly a life everlasting. It simply takes believing in Jesus. It is simply putting your faith and hope in Jesus. It is simply seeking Jesus, our God.

And if you decide at this very moment to put your life in Jesus Christ. Please send me a personal message so we can pray for your decision.

I WAS ABLE TO FIND OLD PICTURES OF THE THEN KNOWN MANILA BETHEL TEMPLE. THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MEGA CHURCH IN THE PHILIPPINES.   IT WAS LOCATED AROUND UN AVENNUE (ISAAC PERAL ST) AND TAFT AVENUE. IT WAS STARTED UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF REV. LESTER SUMRALL FROM THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD. NOW, IT IS KNOWN AS THE CATHEDRAL OF PRAISE. IT HAS BEEN THE INSTRUMENT FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN MANILA TO HAVE RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST FROM THE TRADITIONAL CHURCH.

[facade of Manila Bethel Temple

[facade of Manila Bethel Temple]

[inside of Manila Bethel Temple

[inside of Manila Bethel Temple]

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