Saturday, August 24, 2013

I believe in prayer

"The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth."  (Psalm 145: 18)

*I believe in prayer
*I believe in the word of God
* I believe in miracle
*I leave the rest to God

What does it mean to call upon the Lord? It means to cry out to the Lord in the time of distress for His help.  Such a cry is guaranteed to be heard.

Friday, August 23, 2013

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord

"Blessed the one whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD, his God,
The maker of heaven and earth,
the seas and all that is in them,
Who keeps faith forever."  (Psalm 146: 5 - 6)

I look to you Lord for my help and my strength.  It makes me happy Father to know that you are forever faithful.  Your word is trustworthy.

"Blessed are those who trust in the LORD;
the LORD will be their trust.
They are like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
It does not fear heat when it comes,
its leaves stay green;
In the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still produces fruit."  (Jeremiah 17: 7 - 8)

My God, what beautiful words you have for us in Jeremiah 17: 7 - 8.  It fills my soul with joy.  Who will not want to put 100% trust in you?  Such a person will be the most foolish as your Prophet Jeremiah says.  As for myself, I put 100% trust in you.  Father, do not allow anything to tempt me from this position.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Joy of belief

Luke 1:45 45
"And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

 Below is a commentary on part of the above verse from John Gills Exposition of the Bible :

 "These words may be considered, either as the subject matter of her faith, and be rendered in connection with the former, thus, "blessed is she that believed, that there shall be a performance, ", being fully persuaded, that what the angel had told her, concerning the conception and birth of a son, concerning his name, and the greatness of his person, and the nature, extent, and duration of his kingdom, should be certainly and punctually fulfilled; or as a reason of her happiness, because there should be a sure accomplishment of them. Whatever God has spoken to any of his people, whether it be with respect to things temporal, spiritual, or eternal, shall be performed; as may be strongly concluded from the veracity of God, who cannot lie; and from his power, who is able to do all things; and from his faithfulness, which he will never suffer to fail; and from instances, and matters of fact; from the experience of the saints in all ages, who know, and are conscious to themselves, that not one of the good things the Lord God has spoken to them, has ever failed, but that all have come to pass;" see ( Joshua 23:14 ) .

 Seekfirst.blogspot.com

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Productivity - moment by moment

"All our moments are made productive by obedience to the will of God, which reveals itself in a thousand different ways, each of which successively becomes our immediate duty." (John-Pierre Caussade, SJ)

The word of God is effective

"Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart"  (Hebrews 4: 12)

What is the word of God?  It is not a thing.  It is a person.  The word of God is Jesus Christ.  He is alive, very effective and sharper than a two-edged sword.

Jesus Christ, the word of God is the truth, the way and the life.

I believe in prayer
I believe in the word of God
I believe in miracle
I leave the rest to God

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

No Impossibility

"Jesus looked at them and said, “For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”  (Matthew 19: 26)

Lord, grant me the grace to recognize your will in things that I cannot change.  Instead of kicking the goad, may I come to you in confident prayer to help me.  I have come to learn and believe that all things are possible for you.

"I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me."  (Philippians 4: 13)

  • I believe in prayer
  • I believe in the word of God
  • I believe in miracle
  • I leave the rest to God

Monday, August 19, 2013

Terrible Distress

"The anger of the LORD flared up against Israel, and he delivered them into the power of plunderers who despoiled them. He sold them into the power of the enemies around them, and they were no longer able to withstand their enemies.
Whenever they marched out, the hand of the LORD turned against them, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn to them;f and they were in great distress."  (Judges 2: 14 - 15)

The people of Israel rejected the hand of friendship that God extended to them.   God in turn temporary rejected them.  They gained nothing but empty promises from the gods of the people surrounding them.  They lost the promises of God's mercy and love.  Concretely, they lost the promises of pardon, peace, power, purpose, presence, protection and provision.  These promises are enjoyed by the elect.

I like the brief commentary below from the Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible on Judges 2: 14
"4. the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them--Adversities in close and rapid succession befell them. But all these calamities were designed only as chastisements--a course of correctional discipline by which God brought His people to see and repent of their errors; for as they returned to faith and allegiance. He "raised up judges" ( Judges 2:16 ).

Sunday, August 18, 2013

The Grace of the Present Moment

"The duties of each moment are shadows which hide the action of the divine will.
The angel told Mary:  "The power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow" (Luke 1: 35).  Now this shadow is whatever duty, temptation, or trial that every moment presents to us.  It is exactly like those natural shadows which veil and hide objects from our sight.  These ever-present duties conceal the fact that they are expressions of the divine will.............

But what was the bread that nourished the faith of Mary and Joseph?  It was the sacrament of the moment.  But what did they experience beneath an existence apparently filled with nothing but humdrum happenings?  On the surface it was similar to everyone around them, but faith, piercing the superficialities, disclosed that God was accomplishing very great things."
(Abandonment to Divine Providence, by Jean-Pierre de Caussade, SJ)