Recharge!

Is this what God wants for me?

2011-01-25T07:57:00.000+08:00

My Dearest Friend,

I know that you are going through a pretty tough time right now, and you are asking if this is what God wants for you. Maybe you’re asking if this “desire” is exactly what you want, and you feel suddenly inadequate.

I believe this is an opportunity for you to trust the Lord. Continually seek Him, and I will pray with you as He guides you in each step of the way. The journey of trust won’t really make sense if you already know the whole deal. If you have made a wrong decision, God’s grace is there to bring you to the right path, but don’t forget that you have to keep praying for wisdom and guidance so that you will know where He is leading you now. That would mean daily seeking Him through His word.

It is amazing how the whole journey will actually help you deepen your trust and relationship with Him as you keep seeking Him daily. I believe that’s the Lord’s will for us. Now you have to cast those fears at His feet because it wont help you if your relationship with Him is based on doubt. If indeed you have made a mistake in your decision, I believe God’s grace will be there to meet you where you are and show you another path to take: the path of putting your trust in Him.

Things would be harder if we keep insisting on what we want instead of surrendering “it” for what He wants. I believe the reward in this is finding peace being where He wants us to be, than be where we want to be but without peace. It is like letting go of a burden we are supposed to give all to Jesus, and then we will find rest.

If God has allowed this “desire” that you have right now, He may use it as a turning point in your life since you are in your “comfort zone”. It could be that God is starting the journey in your life, as you seek where it is not ”comfortable” but you have the Lord holding your hand and He makes you secure.

Yes, it starts with that “desire” and then His grace enables you to seek Him. He may want to prune you so He invites you to a deeper relationship with Him. It is like surrendering this “desire” to Him, since He is your Lord, and then you allow Him to mold you to be like HIM in His love, humility, and obedience.

This very first step of seeking Him is right on the spot of His will. His grace gives you the desire to seek His will. It is being scared of being wrong, with the right motives: not because you won’t get what you want but because you don’t want to be where God doesn’t lead you.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”. For me, it is fear of missing His will that we earnestly seek Him and His ways! ;)

I believe He wants to accomplish His plan for you. If in the end God grants that “desire”, it only becomes a bonus because you have received so much more while you were in the journey: a deeper relationship with our Lord. But if this desire was not granted, you will find that your intimacy with the Lord is much more valuable than what you’ve lost, and it is the blessedness of possessing nothing as AW Tozer puts it in His book Pursuit of God.

I am excited for what God has in store for you.
Lovelots, Jana

Joy in the Morning on that Day

2009-10-08T22:49:00.001+08:00

Psalm 126
(New Living Translation)

¹ When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem,
it was like a dream!
² We were filled with laughter,
and we sang for joy.
And the other nations said,
“What amazing things the Lord has done for them.”
³ Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!
What joy!

⁴ Restore our fortunes, Lord,
as streams renew the desert.
⁵ Those who plant in tears
will harvest with shouts of joy.

⁶ They weep as they go to plant their seed,
but they sing as they return with the harvest.

He rescues, He saves

2009-09-30T10:25:00.003+08:00

¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
² Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!
Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.
³ For he has gathered the exiles from many lands,
from east and west,
from north and south.

⁴ Some wandered in the wilderness,
lost and homeless.
⁵ Hungry and thirsty,
they nearly died.
⁶ “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and he rescued them from their distress.
⁷ He led them straight to safety,
to a city where they could live.
⁸ Let them praise the Lord for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
⁹ For he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.

¹⁰ Some sat in darkness and deepest gloom,
imprisoned in iron chains of misery.
¹¹ They rebelled against the words of God,
scorning the counsel of the Most High.
¹² That is why he broke them with hard labor;
they fell, and no one was there to help them.
¹³ “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
¹⁴ He led them from the darkness and deepest gloom;
he snapped their chains.
¹⁵ Let them praise the Lord for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
¹⁶ For he broke down their prison gates of bronze;
he cut apart their bars of iron.

¹⁷ Some were fools; they rebelled
and suffered for their sins.
¹⁸ They couldn’t stand the thought of food,
and they were knocking on death’s door.
¹⁹ “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
²⁰ He sent out his word and healed them,
snatching them from the door of death.
²¹ Let them praise the Lord for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
²² Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving
and sing joyfully about his glorious acts.

²³ Some went off to sea in ships,
plying the trade routes of the world.
²⁴ They, too, observed the Lord’s power in action,
his impressive works on the deepest seas.
²⁵ He spoke, and the winds rose,
stirring up the waves.
²⁶ Their ships were tossed to the heavens
and plunged again to the depths;
the sailors cringed in terror.
²⁷ They reeled and staggered like drunkards
and were at their wits’ end.
²⁸ “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
²⁹ He calmed the storm to a whisper
and stilled the waves.
³⁰ What a blessing was that stillness
as he brought them safely into harbor!
³¹ Let them praise the Lord for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
³² Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation
and before the leaders of the nation.

³³ He changes rivers into deserts,
and springs of water into dry, thirsty land.
³⁴ He turns the fruitful land into salty wastelands,
because of the wickedness of those who live there.
³⁵ But he also turns deserts into pools of water,
the dry land into springs of water.
³⁶ He brings the hungry to settle there
and to build their cities.
³⁷ They sow their fields, plant their vineyards,
and harvest their bumper crops.
³⁸ How he blesses them!
They raise large families there,
and their herds of livestock increase.

³⁹ When they decrease in number and become impoverished
through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,
⁴⁰ the Lord pours contempt on their princes,
causing them to wander in trackless wastelands.
⁴¹ But he rescues the poor from trouble
and increases their families like flocks of sheep.
⁴² The godly will see these things and be glad,
while the wicked are struck silent.
⁴³ Those who are wise will take all this to heart;
they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.

Psalm 107 (New Living Translation)

The Lord is My Comfort

2009-09-24T18:19:00.005+08:00

The Lord always keeps his promises;
he is gracious in all he does.
The Lord helps the fallen
and lifts those bent beneath their loads.

The eyes of all look to you in hope;
you give them their food as they need it.
When you open your hand,
you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in everything he does;
he is filled with kindness.
The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.

He grants the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
The Lord protects all those who love him,
but he destroys the wicked.

I will praise the Lord,
and may everyone on earth bless his holy name
forever and ever.

Psalm 145: 13b-21
(New Living Translation)

My heart finds comfort in You Oh Lord.
My heart will sing.
I will rejoice that You Oh Lord are my God.
'Nuff said.

Unfailing Love

2009-09-23T11:56:00.003+08:00

Your unfailing love, O Lord,
is as vast as the heavens;
your faithfulness
reaches beyond the clouds.
Your righteousness
is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the ocean depths.
You care for people
and animals alike, O Lord.
How precious is your unfailing love,
O God!
All humanity finds shelter
in the shadow of your wings.
You feed them from the abundance of your own house,
letting them drink from your river of delights.
For you are the fountain of life,
the light by which we see.

Psalm 36: 5-9 (New Living Translation)

How can you define unfailing love? Is there such thing as unfailing love?
I want to define unfailing love in a way that is real, that we can understand; and as hard as I want my mind to find examples of unfailing love, I can only remember all that the Lord has done.

I remember the Israelites when they were on the way to the promised land. Though the Lord has promised them the land flowing with milk and honey, the Israelites were afraid, they doubted, they couldn't trust. They grumbled, and what could have been a few days of travel became 40 years. Yes, because they were stubborn. They wandered around the desert. It is most probably the hottest place during the day, and darkest at night. I wondered if there was ever a time that God had not given them the pillar of fire or the pillar of cloud and had to ask my classmate to be sure. I know that God was with them all throughout the 40 years; though they grumbled, and were stubborn, God never left them- the fire was there at night, the cloud in the morning, and also the manna for them to eat; the whole time they didn't trust, the whole time they are suffering the consequences of their sins.
God is just, but He is slow to anger, abounding in love. You wouldn't want to miss the opportunity He is giving you to realize you won't, and have never even done anything on your own- that YOU NEED HIM.

Today, I still see moments of his unfailing love. In the midst of all the trouble that I have done, I still see His hand and mercy. He has given numerous chances to those who turn away from Him, and when they had fallen, He was still there to pick them up. He became like us, and took the sin of the world on his shoulders. He took the shame, the blame, the punishment. The unfailing love He gave to the Israelites didn't stop in them; it was extended to us, to all- and the Holy Spirit continues to reach out to people's hearts today, offering this unfailing love.

Have you ever wished for unfailing love?
This unfailing love was completely shown in Jesus.
He is giving it freely to you.
Reach out your hand to his hand that reaches out for you

- then believe and trust.

This too shall pass

2009-09-22T12:05:00.003+08:00

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen.

1 Peter 5:6-11 (New Living Translation)

As I read these verses, the following words jump out of the page, screaming maybe.

HUMBLE; POWER OF GOD; RIGHT TIME; LIFT UP

GIVE ALL WORRIES; GOD CARES

STAY ALERT; WATCH OUT; ENEMY; DEVIL; LION; DEVOUR

STAND FIRM; BE STRONG; CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS; SUFFERING

CALLED; SHARE IN ETERNAL GLORY; SUFFER A LITTLE WHILE

RESTORE; SUPPORT; STRENGTHEN YOU; FIRM FOUNDATION

These are mere words written on a page, but to the heart that believes, these are gems. These words carry encouragement, a hope in the firm foundation that can be trusted.

We all go through difficulties. We all have struggles, all are unique. Our hearts carry a desire for something big; and we probably find ourselves in a place that is not enough for all of it. These circumstances are all different, but the encouragement remains the same: we can bring all of our cares to the only ONE who cares; who knows it even before you say it. He sees. He listens. He calls you to cast all of it on HIM.

While in this moment, we should humble ourselves. We should realize who holds time, and sees the big picture. We should stay alert, for in these moments the enemy wishes to eat you whole until no more is left. Don't ever let the enemy deceive you, for he doesn't want you to have that peace. We should be strong, and fight the good fight of faith... "We," for you are not alone.

Hang in there. This is all temporary. This too shall pass.

I Will Come to You

2009-09-21T08:31:00.004+08:00

“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live.

John 14:15-19 (New Living Translation)

Have you ever wished you lived when Jesus was on earth, in Jerusalem to be exact? Whenever I use the time machine icebreaker, I hear most of our youth wish they lived in that century and see all that Jesus have done. Sometimes I wish the same thing too and feel that the disciples during that time had more advantage than us. These verses in John 14 can remind us that we shouldn't feel that way; since His Holy Spirit is with us, and is actually in us now.

When Jesus was telling the disciples that He was about to suffer, die and leave, it must have been a very confusing and troubling time for them; but Jesus gave them words of comfort.

He promised that He would prepare a place for his disciples and that he will gather them when He comes back again; that He is the way, the truth and the life; and that He will never leave them as orphans.

Jesus can be trusted, since the Holy Spirit- the comforter, advocate, counselor, is indeed with us now. He is the same Spirit that was at work in Jesus life, and the same Spirit that is at work in all who believed in Him. Through Him, we get a taste of what eternity is like, having this intimate relationship with the Father and the Son. We receive the power to heal in His name and bring the good news of salvation to all. We share in Jesus ministry, just like how He reached out to people before.

Jesus can be trusted with our past; as He has fulfilled the promise of salvation when He died on the cross for our sins and rose again from the dead.

Jesus, who took the punishment of our sins can be trusted with our future; that He has prepared a place for us someday, and will be with Him when He comes back again.

Jesus can be trusted today and each day; as He has given us His Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth and be our advocate, our very present help in time of need.

He is knocking at the door of your heart. Would you trust Him and let Him in?

Come to Me

2009-09-19T08:59:00.000+08:00

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 (New Living Translation)

Our lives come to that point in time when we get so busy and it seems like 24 hours is not enough for all the things that we need to do. We tend to lose our patience easily, grumble easily, and get tired easily. Sooner or later our health will show signs of stress-related illnesses or our emotions are in a crazy roller coaster ride; we search for rest, for our weary soul.

If it were only the hectic schedule that is giving us all this stress, I think it can be easily dealt with by letting go of the unnecessary things; but in reality we have more to bear than the busyness of everyday life. There are other pressures, problems, struggles, and hard-to-deal-with people.

The question is, what keeps you going? Who keeps you going?

Jesus calls everyone to him: Come to me, all you are weary and carry heavy burdens.

The world's pressure is just too much to handle on your own. When you feel like everything is still under control, do you wonder why it still seems like something is missing?

Jesus is offering us a wonderful thing: Rest!

Rest cannot be bought. Rest is hard to be found when there are still problems unsolved.

Rest is far from the unforgiven soul.

Jesus is calling you to himself. He longs to be a part of your life and be the person that you can depend on. He is willing, all you have to do is come to Him, and ask.

He will do what He has promised.
In Him there is rest.
In Him there is forgiveness and joy.
You can come to Him now. :-)