Love From A Living God

Have you ever considered how much God loves you? Do you live like God loves you? Have you studied God’s Word and realized how much God loves and cares for you? How do I know that God loves you? Because he sent His Son Jesus to die a painful and undeserving death on the cross for us. His blood was shed to cover all of our sins. And Jesus, after He died, arose from the dead in victory over the enemy, satan. Now, because of Jesus we can boldly approach the throne of grace and make our petitions known before God. God’s love is so deep and never ending!

I have had the best summer ever in terms of realizing how much God really loves me! Amazing. It is absolutely amazing that after more than 30 years, I still had little if any fathomable idea! In fact, I’m just learning. I hope this blog inspires you to live more like God loves you too!

The truth is, life happens. Yes, bad things happen to good people, but bad things happen to bad people too. If you really understand the love of God, all those things you are going through become possible through the Christ of Calvary who strengthens me/us. (Philippians 4:13). In the end, God will have the final say. Those who live by His Word, love Him and do His will, will be rewarded. And those who choose to live their lives for personal gain will not go unnoticed in God’s eyes.

If you really believe that God loves you, wouldn’t you want to experience God’s love to the fullest? And wouldn’t you want to share it with someone else? Wouldn’t you smile more? Laugh more? Perhaps even you wouldn’t take yourself so seriously all the time? If you had even the smallest idea of how much God loves you, you would live a life of faith and child-like trust in the Living God.

Knowing that God loves you does not mean that you test God’s favor upon your life. Respect the power of the Lord. Living like God loves you means that you live with a purpose in God’s kingdom! Don’t know your purpose yet? Ask God to show you beyond any and all shadow of doubt what His purpose for your life is in His kingdom. Live responsibly, pay your bills, be at work on time, do your work well, be nice to people even when it hurts, pay your tithes, take care of your health, spend lots of quality time with your family. Go to church, invite someone to church with you, laugh often, make someone laugh on purpose, live a godly life of praise and worship, learn to forgive and let go. Help the poor and needy. Do some random act of kindness for someone, and when it comes back to you, pay it forward, as they say.

Psalm 37:4 says that for those who take delight in the Lord, He will give them the desires of their hearts. Jesus said to love the Lord your God with all of your heart. (Matthew 22:37).

I am not going to pretend that I know it all, but this much I have learned in over 30 years. Now, if I may borrow a tag line...as Dr. Laura might say, (whom I’ve already forgiven, btw):
“Now, go do the right thing!"

But most of all, accept God's love for you and live a life of victory!

Questions
When was the last time you really felt or believed that God loved you? How do you perceive God’s love for you?

Personal Prayer
Dear God, help me to realize how much you love us and care for me. To know in faith that your love for me is so grat that it cannot be measured! Teach me to trust in You with child-like faith, and please help my unbelief. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

Read
Psalm 37, Matthew 22

Song in My Head
‘Who is this King of Glory? That pursues me with His love?…My conscience are reminded of forgiveness given me…Who is this King of angels? O, blessed Prince of Peace!’- Third Day

A Real Simple Prayer

'Real simple prayer: all I need is a touch from You. No one else Lord, can do the things You do. Take the wrong in my life and make it right...' -Brian Courtney Wilson

"Lord, teach me how to pray." This is a real simple prayer that everyone should desire to pray. I pray this prayer often. I am not claiming to be an expert on prayer, but I have learned the hard way that in every situation it is so very important to seek God’s will. It is absolutely amazing at how much God cares for each of us. I am always intrigued by how much God wants to be involved in my life, how much interest He has in every little detail!

The word “immersed” seems to be the word of the season for me right now. To be immersed in the power of God. To be immersed in the Spirit of God. To be immersed in His perfect and holy will and way. To be immersed in His thoughts and the things on His heart. To be immersed in His Word.

If you would not ask the Lord God for His will concerning a penny, then chances are you might not seek His will concerning a thousand dollars. How often do you pray? What do you pray about? Do you think of God as a magical genie who will pop out upon your every command mysteriously granting your every wish, perhaps even up to three a day? Does God seem too complicated for meager humankind? Is He to you a God who is no longer interested in His creations? Or maybe you see God as this big guy with a long gray beard who is too grumpy to care about you. Are you dodging lighting bolts? Running from dark clouds overhead? Do you pray out of superstition? Do you feel too sinful to pray?

Prayer is designed to keep us connected with our maker and Creator: God the Father. Prayer enables us to have a relationship with Him. Of course, God knows what we need before we ask. God longs for a relationship with each of us, one on one. Jesus said that we should ask/pray anyway. (Matthew 7:7) The worst you can do is not pray since, Jesus has already paid the price making it easier for us to approach God’s throne. And believe me, His throne is filled with grace and mercy!

A great prayer to pray and the best model for learning how to pray is the Lord’s Prayer. The disciples asked Jesus: Lord, teach us how to pray. Jesus gave them the Lord’s prayer: (Matthew 6, NLT)

“Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”

King David in the Bible, was not only a king over all of Israel, but he was known for being a man after God’s own heart. He was quite the prayer warrior! Many of his prayers can be found in the book of Psalms. David prayed all the time, he even fasted and prayed throughout his reign over Israel. When he became aware of his sins, he repented from his heart and worked hard to live a life pleasing in God‘s eyes. Some of my favorite prayers by King David are found in Psalms 8, 27, 37, 51, 136 and 139. Some of my favorite prayers found in the book of Psalms that are not written by King David include: Psalm 42, 46, 73, 77, 90 and 91.

Some people may think it unnecessary to pray since God already knows everything about us. The truth is that prayer brings us closer to God, gives us nourishment for our souls and strengthens us for the day. Sometimes, it is the praying that increases our faith not the type of prayer. A real simple prayer can oftentimes be the best prayer you will ever pray.

Questions
Are you struggling with what to say to God? Does the thought of praying overwhelm you?

A Real Simple Prayer
Lord, as we learn to pray, teach us to pray with all of our hearts. Give us your heart, your vision, your wisdom in all things. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Read
Matthew 6, Psalm 51

Song in my Head
‘what if His people prayed? And those who bear his name would humbly seek His face and turn from their own ways?’ -casting crowns

The Living God

This devoblog may come across as a big joke to some. For others it may seem harsh. After being convicted for not posting this when I should have, this word I have found to be for myself as well. As you read, pray about it. It could be for you or maybe it‘s for the sleepy insomniac stranger who reads blogs late at night in search of something that will fill the emptiness and silence.

there's a voice that cries out in the silence!

It’s time to grow up. Children eat food that is prepared, mashed and spoon-fed. Now it’s time for you to eat meat and bread. Even learn how to cook. Get up now! Stop sitting in your seat and complaining about the ways of the world and how bad things are. Get up! Get up! Get up and do something about it yourself. Stop saying: “Why won’t God send someone to do it? Why won’t God take care of it? Doesn’t God care?”

Perhaps, God gave the burden to you along time ago and He has been waiting on you for years to take a stand. Why are you collecting dust in your easy chair? As old as you are eating baby food? The time is now or never.

How long will you test the favor of the Lord? How long do you think that the Lord’s hand will be upon you? Even now, He hesitates to remove it from your head. This is grace and mercy at your door. Get up! Kneel down! It’s your last chance. Respect the power of the Lord.

bow down, let go of your idols. He wants it all today, He wants it all today

You who are older sit and complain about things that are not done properly. When the Lord sends someone to do it you complain about who is doing it especially if it happens to be a young person. And you wonder why, why, why the young people have no desire to come to church? Why are they leaving you say? They have no words for you because you will not listen. You have been a stiff-necked people. Have you not read in the book of Joel?

The prophet Joel said in Joel 2:28-29
‘…I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.’

there's a GOD that walks over the earth

This anointing has fallen. Young people around the world have risen up as a great army quietly preparing for battle in the Lord. The anointing could be upon you too if only you would stop and take a look at your own self. Go to your knees before the Lord and do a re-assessment, humble yourself in the sight of the Lord. Stop your loud prayings and public displays of vain words that fall harshly on the Lord’s ears. Get alone with God. Lay your life back on the altar. This time, don’t crawl off. Be a living sacrifice unto the Living God.

more of you, more of you He wants it all today!

To you who are younger: to young men all I can say is pull up your pants, tuck in your shirts, get a belt, get a job, save your money. Learn how to love in the Lord read and study I Corinthians 13 until you understand it. To young women, I say only this: read Proverbs 31:10-31. Study it, learn it, understand it and live it.

there's a voice that cries out in the silence!

Jesus quoted Isaiah saying: “’The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.’" Luke 4:18-19 This is for us too, he says in Mark 16:14-20 that we are to proclaim the gospel to all people.

serve me, serve me with your life now! He wants it all today!

Now, in the Spirit of the one and true Living God, go do the right thing!

Questions
Is God asking you to do something outside of your comfort zone? What is holding you back?

Prayer
Lord, help us to grow up! Even if we are afraid of change, help us to make the necessary changes. Help our faith to grow and our vision to increase! In Jesus’s Name, Amen

Read
Proverbs 31:10-31, 2 Timothy 2:15, I Corinthians 13, Mark 16, Luke 4:18-19, Joel 2:28-29

Song in my head:
'There's a voice that cries out in the silence. Searching for a heart that is desperate. Longing for a child who will give Him their all. Give your all, He wants it all. There's a God who walks over the earth longing for a child, a heart that is desperate.. He said love me, love me with you whole heart.' -Forever Jones

Respect the Power of the Lord

I found a really bad movie about a man of God who made a deal with the devil over money. Occasionally, I watch movies online via netflix. I say this was a bad movie because it was poorly done and the picture was bad, LOL. However, the message of the movie still resonates with me.

At a crucial moment in the movie, the man of God was visited by an old friend who reminded him that he need to “respect the power of the Lord.” These words landed in my heart and have stayed. You should never test the Lord’s favor on your life.

“Respect the power of the Lord.”

There is no movie out there that can portray or out-do the power of God! If you think for one second that God is too busy for you, not strong enough to help you fight your battles, or uninterested, you are wrong. God is very interested in you, your life, and He wants to bless you. Sometimes He needs to heal you before He can bless you. Sometimes he needs to teach you some things about his word and from his word before he can bless you.

“Respect the power of the Lord.”

If only we all could see exactly how God takes good care of us! Every hair on our heads, every step we take does not go without God’s notice. Even when we are not in his will or way, He is taking care of us. God’s favor is on you today. How will you show respect for the power of the Lord? Will you avoid God at all costs and test his favor on your life? Will you take time to get to know him and see what his will is for your life? Maybe this is a step of faith for you, or maybe you need to stand still and listen for his voice.

“Respect the power of the Lord.”

Have you seen those super cool moves like The Matrix, or in any action film featuring super heroes? God is far better than that! He is far more powerful and is far greater and has been since forever! His weapons against the enemy, satan are better. It is a blessed adventure following the Lord! Be ready, be prayed up, stay in the Word of God, be in the Spirit. Allow God to use you, and always remember to respect the power of the Lord. Experience his grace and mercy!

Questions
Do you have doubts about God’s power? Is your faith in God weak today?

Prayer
Lord, increase my faith in you! Help my unbelief!

Read
Psalm 36, Isaiah 53

Song in my head
'It ain't over!' -Cece Winans

The Light of Christ

not too long ago, a milk commercial on tv just really made me laugh out loud. it’s a very ridiculous commercial that is probably more entertainment than truth. two girls sip milk from a flowing river of milk in a land called mootopia. a chorus of singers is heard overhead singing: “ahhh-ahhh.”
“Excuse me, the shine from your hair is hitting me in the eye.” says the girl with flowing blonde locks.
“the shine from your hair is hitting me in the eye!” says the brunette with equally flowing locks.
“stop it!” she says to the blonde angrily.
“You stop it!” the brunette replies.
the two continue to argue, the chorus begins singing “ahhh-ahhh” again as the voiceover explains:
“just another day in mootopiah!” LOL!

sadly, a lot of non-believers might see Christians this way. sometimes we are like a bunch of overly “enlightened” people who fight and bicker about who’s the brightest or who has the best theology. i wonder about this, because at times we may seem like children left unattended by a God who is too busy. we act less like believers and more like people lost in our own blissful world. we forget that we represent a loving and merciful and patient God. we forget that we are to allow the light of Jesus to shine through us at all times. it is true that people read us, not the Bible. people watch us more than anything. they aren’t just looking at the sky to see if Jesus is really coming back. people want evidence that Jesus really was here, that He lives, and that his work is still moving forward.

we have to be careful, because we as believers are the evidence of that risen Jesus! here’s an example of how I sometimes see believers: we are all like these beautiful marbles, but unless we let the light Jesus shine through us, we are just useless shards of glass. now, imagine all these marbles scattered all over the earth shining brightly with the light of Jesus Christ! what a witness to the faith, what proof of Jesus’ work here on earth!

how do we allow the light of Jesus shine through us?
first, you must confess with your mouth that he is Lord and that God has indeed raised Him from the dead. ask forgiveness of your sins. ask Jesus to become the Lord of your life. (romans 10:9-10).
read the Word of God begin with the book of st. john and learn about the love of God for us! most people have no idea how loving God is, how forgiving He is, but we have to make that step towards Him.

why do we refer to Jesus as light? because this is how he descried himself! (john 8:12). this world is very dark and disturbing, Jesus came to bring light and eternal life.

questions
how will you represent Jesus today? will you ask God to help you focus on things that are important to His work, and let the light of Jesus shine through you?

prayer
Lord Jesus, help me to represent You today. help me to follow you so closely that others will not see me, but You shining through me! in Your name i pray, amen.

read
the book of st. john and 1 john 1:5-10

song in my head
“come close listen to the story about a love more faithful than the morning. the Father gave His only Son just to save us…we were free and made alive the day that true love died.”
-phil wickham

Regarding the Jonah Story

Some say the book of Jonah is allegory, some say it is an actual story based on a real guy’s life. Been taking it to heart lately because there’s so much that can be learned from the book of Jonah about God and how much He loves us and will actively pursue us even when we mess up or run from Him. Regardless, Jonah's story is one that I have learned from and have come to really appreciate.I encourage you to read the book of Jonah as you read this blog.

What intrigues me the most about the prophet Jonah (from the book of Jonah, in the Bible), is this: Jonah knew God’s voice. He had a relationship with God and therefore, he knew exactly what God wanted him to do with his life. When God called Jonah to Nineveh, Jonah tried to run from God’s will and calling and ended up in some pretty life-threatening situations. Finally, Jonah did what God told him to do, but with great reluctance.

Here are some pros and cons regarding Jonah’s story *:

Cons
Jonah had a temper.
Jonah was prideful.
Jonah was disobedient.
Jonah did not have compassion for others, but was self centered.
Jonah was running but he was not in a race, he was running from God.
Jonah was in a bad place mentally and spiritually since, he thought that he could run from God by jumping on a boat with some fishermen.
Jonah was unwilling to get out of his comfort zone to serve God.
Jonah experienced spiritual growth in the wrong direction!
The story of Jonah’s spiritual journey is evident by looking at where Jonah is physically:
From his home to turbulent waters to the belly of a fish to a desert place
Jonah had some unresolved personal issues with the Ninehvites that blocked his ministry and his relationship with God.
Jonah prayed one of those selfishly motivated bargaining prayers, but not until he was desperate.
Jonah prayed the right prayer, but with the wrong attitude.
Remember how bargaining is a stage of grief? Jonah was grieving for the loss of his comfort zone.
Jonah missed an obvious opportunity to witness to some fishermen who willingly acknowledged that Jonah’s God was bigger and more powerful than their gods!
The book of Jonah ends in despair and bitterness for the prophet.
The withered vine or gourd parallels Jonah’s focus on the wrong things in life and his short-lived time in ministry.
Jonah’s vision was so narrow that he missed the huge and amazingly overwhelming miracles when he sweated the small stuff. (Miracles like that one time when he survived in the belly of a fish for a few days, or that time when he didn’t drown after being thrown off a boat in the middle of a storm, or that one final time when he preached and the whole town came to repent and know God!)
Jonah did not have or seem to want God’s vision: he focused on everybody else’s sin, but vastly overlooked his own sin.

Pros
Jonah’s story is effective or noteworthy only after he uproots himself from his home Even as he ran from God we can learn from Jonah’s mistakes.
God used nature- turbulent waters and bad weather, and a beast- the big fish/whale to get Jonah’s attention! God loved Jonah and was giving him chance after chance to make it right!
Though quite reluctant, Jonah was a very effective prophet because the people repented!
The book of Jonah ends with repentance, prayer and fasting for the Ninehvites. God’s people and God’s work goes on in spite of the reluctant prophet.
I found three big miracles in the book of Jonah 2 involving his survival against nature and beast, and one regarding the repentance of the Ninehvites.
Jonah missed the one last smaller miracle: God gave him some instant shade from the desert sun. A vine grows out of nowhere, Jonah practically cursed it.

Finally, there is an important water theme in the book of Jonah that has to do with being immersed in God’s will. Jonah was immersed into turbulent waters. A small foreshadowing, if you will, of being immersed in the fountain of God’s love when Jesus died on the cross for our sins, while yet giving us the freewill to accept or reject His love. God tested Jonah, but because of his unforgiving and unwilling spirit, Jonah emerged from the turbulent waters by way of fish vomit. This is symbolic of Jonah’s rejection to being immersed in God’s will. The fact that he survived is symbolic of God’s love and mercy, but also a lesson in tough love.

Questions
Are you able to see your ministry through God’s eyes with compassion and vision for the future? What can be learned from Jonah’s ministry?

Prayer
Lord, give me the right vision for the future and help me to do your will with the right attitude and heart

Read
Jonah Chapters 1-4 NIV

Song in my head
‘For every time that you protected me when I didn’t know your name. Lord, I say: “thank you!” how you loved on me and cared for me when I didn’t return the same. Lord, I say: “thank you!” -Lisa Page Brooks

*Please note that my devotional blogs are commentaries based on biblical truths, and that I prayerfully, intend to inspire people to thirst and seek after the one and true living God!

Getting In Step With God

chances are, if you have been reading my blog, you may remember the musings in my very first blog. i jokingly stated that i will name my first daughter "vinaigerette." well, i've come up with a couple more names for my sons: "yakult" and "cocao". LOL! hmmm, why does it seem like i'm gonna be naming all of my children after random foods?

ohh, to be young again. it's like a dream my unique and wonderfully peculiar childhood.
funny what you remember about a movie that you watched over and over as a child. from disney's snow white and the seven dwarfs, the one scene that remains so vividly in my mind is where the little dwarf dopey, is wearing oversized clothes and he is trying to catch up with the other dwarves. his shoes are too big and he's skipping trying to get in step. he runs into the wall, but he gets back on track after a few seconds. very cute scene. dopey is a character somewhere between harpo marx and a kid on his first adventure in disneyland.

this scene from snow white reminds me of what it's like to follow in Jesus's footsteps. what a worthy adventure! it seems sometimes that i am chasing after God. a good thing to do. sometimes God moves too fast for me or too slow. this is my limited perception of God sometimes. the truth is, i might miss a step here and there and have to skip to catch up. either way i'm trying to catch up with Him! God's ways are pure, holy and always on time. it's me, i need to stay prayed up so that i won't miss a step. gotta stay prayed up in the Spirit always ready.

the thing about follwoing in the footsteps of Jesus is that i cannot look anywhere but at Him and where Jesus's feet have been. i cannot move unless He moves and i must place my feet exactly where he has already placed His feet. it's easy to skip ahead, look back and only see my footprints. easy, to also run into a wall like dopey the dwarf because i'm not looking directly at Jesus.

oops, where did You go, Lord? oh man, i got ahead of You there. let me go back and catch up to where You are...

i never want to miss a step with God. forever, i will be like little dopey in oversized clothes- doing God's work in ministry- chasing after God, always wanting more of Him in my life. i know that He is my protector, my heavenly Father, my source of life. without Him life is meaningless, empty, hopeless. without God life is so sad. this is why i cannot miss a step. no matter what i've gotta keep in step with God. it takes a quiet child-like trust to go where God is going.

questions
do you feel that following in Jesus's footsteps is an overwhelming task? that his footsteps are too big to fill?

food for thought
i cannot think of anyone better than Jesus's to follow!

prayer
Lord Jesus, give me the stregnth to follow in your footsteps, and if i trip and fall, please take me by the hand and set me back on the right path. bring Your words to my remeberance that i might not sin agaist you again. in Jesus's name, amen.

read
psalm 119:1-16, 1 peter 2:21

song in my head
'...God will make a way for me!' -wow gospel 2010