Bring Out The Shine

A gem cannot be polished without friction,

nor a man perfected without adversity.

We as Christians have the wonderful potential of reflecting the beauty of our Savior. But sin has left its mark on our personalities, and a lot of "road film" needs to be removed before the lovely character of Jesus can be seen in us.

God often brings about this change through the buffing of hardship and trials, for pressure has a way of loosening the dirt and grime of rebellion and selfishness. The Bible tells us that tribulation produces perseverance, character, hope, and confidence by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:3-5).

We might wish that a speedy "car wash" could do the job, but there's no substitute for the difficulties that can bring out the shine of Christ-like character. - Dennis De Haan

What pains my dear Lord must be taking,

How true and how faithful His care;

I know if He gave me all sunshine

I could not His own image bear. - Beattie

Bloggers' Bliss

I'm really enjoying this "blog-thing" because I don't only express myself but I can also touch other people's lives. I particularly love and thank those people (friends and not) who emailed me thanking me for my posts which they said have touched/taught them in one way or the other. "Thank you".

I am also happy to share that through blogging, I get closer to my family even to the ones living countries-away from us. I am also able to meet new friends "electronically" (here and abroad) aside from learning a lot of things too from their respective blogs as well.

I encourage those who don't have one yet to start constructing their own. It's really fun and exciting and not to mention I am beginning to learn HTML, well at least the very basic ones. It's a good skill. Think about it! Good luck!

Spiritual Adviser

In my entire life, I have never been so excited to read the Bible. I have never been so in love with God like this before. It is truly a wonderful feeling that no earthly thing could ever replace it and I thank the Holy Spirit for letting me know Him. God is truly a good God. He knows what we need and simply gives us that but oftentimes we neglect that. Have you ever thought trials, sufferings and those "little misfortunes" (as we oftentimes mistook as just that) we have experienced could in fact be God's blessings? Some would probably think otherwise. I know, in the journey of searching to know the truth, a lot of questions arise. Am I pleasing or hurting God if I do this? Am I going to the right church? Do I follow God's commands? And what are those? How can I introduce God to others when I feel like I am nothing? And endless questions more arise. And after our other questions are answered, more questions just come up. Is this a sign of having very little faith? I myself is still a babe when it comes to my spiritual life and I take this relationship I have with God so seriously now. We should all do. It is also helpful to find a "spiritual adviser". Whom you could talk to and whom you think is full of wisdom and has greater faith like a priest or a pastor in the church we go to. The Bible, the Word of God is also there. And also our brothers and sisters in Christ. But most importantly, God has given us His Holy Spirit as our mentor, guide, help and comforter.

Every Moment

If God brings you to it,

He will bring you through it.

Happy moments, praise God.

Difficult moments, seek God.

Quiet moments, worship God.

Painful moments, trust God.

Every moment, thank God.

Positive Mental Attitude

(From Kye) The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. "I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. "Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room .... just wait." "That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it "It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do." "Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away ...just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account ...you withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories. Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing."

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

Time Will Tell

Only TIME is capable of understanding how great LOVE is...

Click Here: A Love- Story

Submission

I just couldn't help but share what I've read last night. It's about two mountain goats who met each other on a precipitous path, one descending and the other ascending the trail. At first they backed off as if they would lunge at each other to fight for the path. This would have meant death for both of them. Then the goat below lay down in the path and allowed the one above to walk over his back. Then he got up again and both goats went safely on their way. I wonder what would the world (or even just our country) be like if most (if not all) of the people would be like the goat below, willing to take the step of submission to one another out of reverence for Christ, the supreme example of submission. But I myself, find it difficult sometimes to fully submit to God's will. How great it is to be able to say "Your will, Lord, nothing more, nothing less, nothing else" and completely let Him lead.

In Giving...

It's not how much we give, but how much love we put in giving.

- Mother Teresa

Why God Allows Suffering?

Perhaps God has brought adversity into our lives as chastening for disobedience to His Word and will.

The suffering that God allows in our lives may also indicate His purpose to bring us to a greater level of faith in our walk with Him since one of the purposes of human suffering is to bring the sufferer to a personal knowledge of God's saving grace.

Suffering is sometimes allowed by God for reasons like to suppress pride and develop faith, to teach patience, to foster fellowship with Christ, or to experience God's comfort to share it with others.

Job 42:5-6
2 Cor 12:7-10
James 1:2-4
Phil 3:10
2 Cor 1:3-5

Nothing Can Separate

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

ROMANS 8:35

Nothing you could ever experience, no matter how terrible or frightening, could ever separate you from the love of God. No tribulation and distress you might ever suffer could be so intense that God's love for you is not even more fervent. No persecution could be so painful that God's love cannot bring comfort. Famine might starve you of food, but you will never hunger for the Father's love. Poverty cannot strip you of God's compassion, just as even death itself is incapable of robbing you of your heavenly Father's infinite love. If you base your view of God's love on your circumstances, you will become confused. There may be times when you will ask, "How could a loving God allow this to happen to me?" You may begin to question what you find clearly stated in the Word of God. God promised that you would never be separated from His love; He did not say that you would never face hardship, persecution, poverty, or danger. If you doubt that God could love you and still allow you to experience difficult experiences, consider the life of Jesus. If you allow the death of Jesus on the cross to forever settle any questions you might have about God's love, you will approach difficult circumstances with confidence.

Knowing that there will never be anything that could separate you from God's perfect love, you will watch to see how God expresses His love in each circumstance. Don't ever judge God's love based on your circumstances. Instead, evaluate your circumstances from the perspective of God's love.

The Beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the

kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:

for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be

called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for

righteousness' sake:

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:3-10

Divine Providence

Have you ever been delayed in traffic so that you missed traveling on a plane or bus that was involved in a serious mishap? Have you somehow been prevented from seeing a friend to tell him certain information, only to find out later that the information would have been very disturbing or discouraging to him/her? Or have you complained being caught in an awkward or difficult situation only to thank later because it has saved you from experiencing a more devastating event?

We are not always aware of the reason certain things happen to us. But we can trust our all-knowing, good God to dovetail happenings together and to accomplish His purpose in our lives.

"We know that in all things God works for good with those who love Him, those whom He has called according to His purpose."

Romans 8:28

Got Plans?

"Many are the plans in a man's heart,

but it is the decision of the Lord

that endures."

Proverbs 19:21

The Gift

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible? And stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things. When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matthew 7:11, "And if ye, being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly father which is in heaven, give to those who ask Him?"As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL. How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for...

IF YOUR GIFT IS NOT PACKED THE WAY YOU WANT IT, IT'S BECAUSE IT IS BETTER PACKED THAT WAY! ALWAYS APPRECIATE LITTLE THINGS, THEY USUALLY LEAD YOU TO ATTACHMENTS!

Doing The Will Of God

When some ministers urged Abraham Lincoln to free all slaves, he responded, "It is my earnest desire to know the will of Providence in this matter. And if I can learn what it is, I will do it...I suppose I am not to expect a direct revelation; I must study the...facts of the case...and learn what appears to be wise and right."

The faithfulness of Abraham's servant and the providence of God had brought him to Rebekah. Then her brother Laban welcomed him into his home. But the servant would not eat until he disclosed his mission, which he rehearsed in full, including his prayer and encounter with Rebekah at the spring. Laban and his father immediately recognized the providential hand of God in the matter: "This is from the Lord; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has directed" (Gen 24:50-51).

Abraham's servant, Rebekah, her family all appear in the story as persons who are committed to doing the will of God. In their case God made His will known through His providential workings in answer to the faith and prayer of Abraham's servant.

What about us? We too need to be committed to knowing and doing God's will. Prayer, common sense, and providence are avenues God uses to guide us. Besides these, we now have a resource that those in this story did not have - the complete Word of God, the Bible. As we obey His will as revealed in the Bible, we can experience His guidance.

Acts of God; Tears of God

by John Fischer

Hard to think of anything else right now but to feel for the people in the southern United States whose homes and virtual lives lie under feet of water, mud and rubble. My neighbor was out on her porch late last night talking about how she couldn't stop watching CNN. She knows friends and relatives in or near some of the flooded areas and there's no way to get through to them. I'm sure that is a very common dilemma right now. It's hard to pull yourself away because it is so hard to imagine this happening to anybody, much less someone you know. It's moments like this when we feel so frail and helpless as human beings. We are victims of forces way beyond our control. In legal terms disasters like this fall under the category: “Acts of God.” Doesn't bode too well for God's reputation, does it? Is it that God doesn't have anything better to do than devastate the lives of hundreds of thousands of people? To some it may seem like that. We call natural disasters “Acts of God” because there is no other way to explain them. I would prefer to believe God is in charge of even things like this, and accept the inconsistencies that come with that belief, rather than live in a world even God can't control, or worse, where there is no reason for our existence and no one there to hear our silent screams.

One thing we need to remember is that this is the same God who let the world and His human creation go bad, and then turned around and sacrificed His own Son in a brutal death in order to save it. Will we ever understand that? Probably not. But as a result of God's unique divine/human incarnation, He understands us. He is neither distant nor untouched by our human predicament. Believe me, He's got His arms around these flood zones right now eager to help and comfort. And just as God suffered over Jesus, His heart is breaking over these losses. Whatever you feel, you can be sure God feels also, and then some. The acts of God include the tears of God. And just as He will ultimately redeem the human race, He will also turn our lives and devastations into good somehow. Life will go on and God will still be God.

Yesterday the governor of Louisiana asked for everyone to spend the day in prayer. That's where we turn when things like this happen. To have no one there to pray to would be even more devastating. "[Prayer] would be the best thing to calm our spirits and thank our Lord that we are survivors," said Governor Kathleen Blanco. "Slowly, gradually, we will recover; we will survive; we will rebuild.”