Seekfirstweb-Podcast: Cyrus

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: Cyrus: "Thus says the LORD to his anointed, Cyrus, whose right hand I grasp, Subduing nations before him, stripping kings of their strength, Openi...

With joy you will draw water from the fountains of salvation

"On that day, you will say: I give you thanks, O LORD; though you have been angry with me, your anger has abated, and you have consoled me. God indeed is my salvation; I am confident and unafraid. For the LORD is my strength and my might, and he has been my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the fountains of salvation. And you will say on that day: give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name; Among the nations make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name. Sing praise to the LORD for he has done glorious things; let this be known throughout all the earth. .Shout with exultation, City of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel!" (Isaiah 12: 1-6)

This is one of my earliest PL scriptures. It was given to me in 1995 by a man of God. He said to me, “I was inspired to give you this scripture.” At the time, I was not familiar with the idea that certain scriptures represent word of knowledge for the individual. Wnen I read Isaiah 12, liked the message and appropriated it. The fact that in 2011 I still remember this word of knowledge is a sign to me that this scripture has a particular significance for my life.

What I like most about Isaiah 12 is verse 3 which promises that “With joy you will draw water from the fountains of salvation”

What are the fountains of salvation for me?

The Holy Spirit
The Eucharist
The Blessed Sacrament

I draw water from these fountains on a daily basis. These are by no means the only fountains I have direct and constant access to. I also draw water from the fountains of:

Prayer
Word of God
Penance
Examen
Ministry
Spiritual Reading

I wonder whether this is why the promise alludes to “fountains of salvation” and not just “fountain of salvation.” There are many fountains but there is also a hierarchy of fountains. In Ephesians 6, St. Paul talks of putting on the full armor. The warfare we are engaged in is not with flesh and blood. We contend with evil and powerful spirits. If you are not fully armored, you will fall even before the battle gets under way. So, if the Lord offers me to drink from the “fountains of salvation,” that is exactly what I do.

Forget not all His gifts

"Bless the LORD, my soul; and do not forget all his gifts, Who pardons all your sins, and heals all your ills, Who redeems your life from the pit, a and crowns you with mercy and compassion, Who fills your days with good things, so your youth is renewed like the eagle’s." (Psalm 103: 2-5)

O My God, how can I forget all your gifts?  Every day I thank you that the Holy Spirit reminds me constantly of these gifts.  Your favors are always before my eyes.  I remembered the years when I was laid low by sickness.  You stretched out your hand and healed me.  Not only did you heal me but you gave me your Son Jesus as my Doctor.  I will never exchange Him for all the world’s best doctors.  Father, what I cherish continually about your gift of health is this:  You removed the fear of sickness from me.  Thank you for these gifts Holy Father.

Generous Father, your favors extended to all areas of my life.  When I was thrown into the pit by my former company, laid low by sickness and reduced to abject poverty, you redeemed my life from the pit.  You threw open the door of the Enterprise for me and crowned me with mercy and compassion and fill my days with good things.

Ya, you have renewed my youth and purpose like the eagle’s.  For all these benefits dear Father, I will continually sing your praises. Amen!

The gift and the call

"In your love you led the people you redeemed; in your strength you guided them to your holy dwelling." (Exodus 15: 13)

This is one of the PL scriptures. The message to me is clear. God redeemed me from the harsh slavery in Egypt. In His almighty and powerful providence, he led and guided me to the Sanctuary. Praise be God.

"For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable." (Romans 11: 29)

You are my only good

"Keep me safe, O God; in you I take refuge. I say to the LORD, you are my Lord, you are my only good. As for the holy ones who are in the land, they are noble, in whom is all my delight. They multiply their sorrows who court other gods. Blood libations to them I will not pour out, nor will I take their names upon my lips. LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, you have made my destiny secure. Pleasant places were measured out for me; fair to me indeed is my inheritance. I bless the LORD who counsels me; even at night my heart exhorts me. I keep the LORD always before me; with him at my right hand, I shall never be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, my soul rejoices; my body also dwells secure, For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor let your devout one see the pit. You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever"

This is one of my favorite Psalms. Below are some of my favorite phrases in this Psalm:

• You are my Lord.
• You are my only good.
• They multiply their sorrows who court other gods.
• Nor will I take their names upon my lips.
• Lord, my allotted portion and my cup.
• You have made my destiny secure.
• Pleasant places were measured out for me.
• Fair to me indeed is my inheritance.
• I bless the Lord who counsels me.
• Even at night my heart exhorts me.
• I keep the Lord always before me.
• With the Lord at my right hand, I shall never be shaken.
• You will show me the path to life, abounding joy in your presence.

Psalm 16 is a very special Psalm filled with sweet promises.

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: I will dwell in the house of the LORD for endless ...

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: I will dwell in the house of the LORD for endless ...: "'The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. In green pastures he makes me lie down; to still waters he leads me; he restores my so..."

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely; In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3: 5-6)

Why is it so difficult to trust in the Lord with all our heart when we see His providence everywhere and at all times?  This is a problem that baffles me.  I see God’s providence working in my life every day.  I recognize His providential actions thank the Lord for them.  Then the next moment, I am anxious and fearful of circumstances.  Peter was walking towards Jesus on the water.  He was doing very well until he took his gaze off Jesus and focused it on the raging storms.  Then he began to sink.  Whenever I take my eyes off Jesus and focus it on the prevailing circumstances, the result is fear, worry or doubt.

How can I have my gaze focused on Jesus at all times in every circumstance?  I believe the answer to this is constant prayer.  Prayer shows our dependence on God.  When we pray, we are saying:  “Lord help me in this situation.  I cannot make it without you.”  Proverbs 3: 5-6 says that if we make this a habit in all our ways, we are assured that the Lord will make straight our paths.  

The battle is not yours

"and he said: “Pay attention, all of Judah, inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! The LORD says to you: Do not fear or be dismayed at the sight of this vast multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. You will not have to fight in this encounter. Take your places, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD; he will be with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed. Tomorrow go out to meet them, and the LORD will be with you.”

What a sublime promise!  Each person is confronted with challenges in one or more of these areas:

Health

Family

Money

Job

Tools

Food

Future

They form constant source of worry.  What if we are to surrender each and all of the above to God and pray thus:  “Lord, you promise that the battle is not mine but yours.  I surrender the present health crisis to you to fight for me as your word promises.  Thank you Lord.”  Then after the prayer, you stand firm and watch to see the salvation of the Lord.  

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: Follow His ways exactly

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: Follow His ways exactly: "'And now, Israel, what does the LORD, your God, ask of you but to fear the LORD, your God, and follow his ways exactly, to love and serve t..."

Remain faithful with your whole heart

"When the time of David's death drew near, he gave these instructions to his son Solomon: "I am going the way of all mankind. Take courage and be a man. Keep the mandate of the LORD, your God, following his ways and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees as they are written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in whatever you do, wherever you turn, and the LORD may fulfill the promise he made on my behalf when he said, 'If your sons so conduct themselves that they remain faithful to me with their whole heart and with their whole soul, you shall always have someone of your line on the throne of Israel.' " (1 Kings 2: 1 - 4)

The above scripture reminds me of Joshua 1: 1 – 8.

"After Moses, the servant of the LORD, had died, the LORD said to Moses' aide Joshua, son of Nun: "My servant Moses is dead. So prepare to cross the Jordan here, with all the people into the land I will give the Israelites. As I promised Moses, I will deliver to you every place where you set foot. 1 Your domain is to be all the land of the Hittites, from the desert and from Lebanon east to the great river Euphrates and west to the Great Sea. No one can withstand you while you live. I will be with you as I was with Moses: I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be firm and steadfast, so that you may give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers I would give them. Above all, be firm and steadfast, taking care to observe the entire law which my servant Moses enjoined on you. Do not swerve from it either to the right or to the left, that you may succeed wherever you go. Keep this book of the law on your lips. Recite it by day and by night, that you may observe carefully all that is written in it; then you will successfully attain your goal. " (Joshua 1: 1 - 8)

The key to success is to listen to God and remain faithful to Him with one’s whole heart.

Man does not live by bread alone

“One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.”  (Matthew 4: 4)

First, consider the context of the above saying by Jesus.  He had just finished 40 days of fasting in the desert and was famished.  The devil came along and suggested that Jesus turned stones into bread.  Jesus answered him that man does not live by bread alone.  The word of God provides life to man.  Bread could be a synonym for life or money.   What is the one thing that we need for all our necessities as human being?  Faith in the word of God gives us access to everything we need in life.  Everything we need in life can be summarized as the 6 promises of God to man.  I call this the 6 P’s, viz:

1.       Pardon

2.       Peace

3.       Power

4.       Purpose

5.       Protection

6.       Provision

When one places his whole trust in God’s promises, he has access to all the above as and when needed. 

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: Be firm and steadfast

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: Be firm and steadfast: "'No one can withstand you while you live. I will be with you as I was with Moses: I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be firm and steadfas..."

The Lord is my portion

“Then the LORD said to Aaron, "You shall not have any heritage in the land of the Israelites nor hold any portion among them; I will be your portion and your heritage among them." (Numbers 18: 20)

This is one of the 51 Promised Land scriptures.  I will welcome the message with joy.   The Lord Himself is my portion and my heritage.  In the course of the USP, I have had to reflect on this scripture several times.  I have done this more in the past one year.  As I struggle to understand God’s plan for my life with regard to job and finance, my mind goes to the above scripture again and again

 All my life, I have had very little interest in money.  Reviewing my entire life with regard to money, I notice a pattern that is consistent through the years.  I always have just enough of what I need at the point of need.  I rarely have surplus to play with.  A lot of goods I purchased I made on faith.  It seems that the credit card system was created for me.  I purchase what I need believing that God will always provide for the payment in due time.  And so it has been for years.  God never fails!   I have a top credit score and I know it is God’s doing.

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: The Promised Land

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: The Promised Land: "'Be careful to observe all the commandments I enjoin on you today, that you may live and increase, and may enter in and possess the land wh..."

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: The Lord Himself will fight for you

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: The Lord Himself will fight for you: "'But Moses answered the people, 'Fear not! Stand your ground, and you will see the victory the LORD will win for you today. These Egyptians ..."

Hope

"We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified." (Romans 8: 28 - 30)

“We can therefore hope in the glory of heaven promised by God to those who love him and do his will. In every circumstance, each one of us should hope, with the grace of God, to persevere "to the end" and to obtain the joy of heaven, as God's eternal reward for the good works accomplished with the grace of Christ. In hope, the Church prays for "all men to be saved." She longs to be united with Christ, her Bridegroom, in the glory of heaven:

Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one. Dream that the more you struggle, the more you prove the love that you bear your God, and the more you will rejoice one day with your Beloved, in a happiness and rapture that can never end. “ (CCC 1821)

Key to success

" When the time of David's death drew near, he gave these instructions to his son Solomon: "I am going the way of all mankind. Take courage and be a man. Keep the mandate of the LORD, your God, following his ways and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees as they are written in the law of Moses, that you may succeed in whatever you do, wherever you turn, and the LORD may fulfill the promise he made on my behalf when he said, 'If your sons so conduct themselves that they remain faithful to me with their whole heart and with their whole soul, you shall always have someone of your line on the throne of Israel.' “(1 Kings 2: 1 - 4)

At the end of David’s life, he gave the most important advice to his son and heir, Solomon.  He reveals to him the key to success:

·         Obey God in everything

·         Obey God at all times

If Solomon does this, then he will succeed in whatever he does and wherever he goes.

Where did David learn the secret from?

·         Word of God

·         Life experiences

David is highly qualified to give this advice because:

·         He lived to be 70 years.

·         He reigned for 40 years.

·         He experienced much success.

·         He failed and learned from his failure.

·         He was rooted in the word of God.

Jesus Christ revealed to the twelve apostles at a very important point in their mission key to success in evangelization:

·         Obedience to His instructions in everything

·         Life of evangelical simplicity

Christ made provisions in all the cities they are to visit.  What did he provide for them?

·         People to give them hospitality

He wanted them to depend on their host for all their material needs.  He wanted them to travel light so that they can prove God’s providence.  If they travel with heavy luggage, they would travel more slowly and there would be the irresistible temptation to look to their luggage for provision.

Are there parallels in the Journey?  Plenty.   The first three years of the Journey MIU provided hospitality and all the basic needs, viz:

·         Food, shelter, water, clothing

This is the 4-item plan.  It is Christ’s instruction at the beginning of the Journey.  Temptation to ask for more has been constant.  Today marks 5500^th day of the USP.  I affirm that Christ is faithful.  I commit to obey Him in everything and at all times so that I can succeed completely in this Journey.    I will use all the word of knowledge and word of wisdom that Christ taught me since the Desert Experience.

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: Continual Guidance

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: Continual Guidance: "“While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears: 'This is the way; walk in it,' when you would turn to the right or to the left.” (Is..."

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: His own portion

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: His own portion: "'8 When the Most High assigned the nations their heritage, when he parceled out the descendants of Adam, He set up the boundaries of the peo..."

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: Choose life

Seekfirstweb-Podcast: Choose life: "' I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life , th..."