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.  

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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Given for the general good

“There are many different gifts, but it is always the same Spirit….. The particular manifestation of the Spirit granted to each one is to be used for the general good.  To one is given from the Spirit the gift of utterance expressing knowledge…. But at work in all there is one and the same Spirit, distinguishing them at will to each individual.”  (1 Corinthians 12: 4 – 11)

Every good gift and every talent is bestowed on us by the Holy Spirit.   It is possible to use our Spirit given gifts for the common good without being aware that we are doing so.  We become more effective when we identify our gifts, accept them gratefully and work to develop them.  Then we can use the gifts in a purposeful manner.  Since we receive the gifts from the Spirit, we ask the same Spirit to reveal to us what our gifts are.  Just as prayer demands effort, the task of uncovering our gifts could call for a sustained effort.  This is a task that is highly rewarding at the end.

Jesus is Lord !

“About the gifts of the Spirit, brothers, I want you to be quite certain.  You remember that, when you were pagans, you were irresistibly drawn to inarticulate hidden gods.  Because of that, I want to make it quite clear to you that no one who says ‘A curse on Jesus’ can be speaking in the Spirit of God, and nobody is able to say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit.”  (1 Corinthians 12: 1-3)

We see clearly from the above scripture a principle of discernment of spirits.  Where do you stand in relation to Jesus?  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven,” says Jesus in Matthew 7:21.  In other to identify the good spirit with point blank certainty, we combine 1Corinthians 12: 1-3 and Matthew 7:21.

You acknowledge Jesus as Lord with your mouth.  You do the will of the Father as taught by Jesus, the Lord.  Scripture cannot contradict itself.

God's Greatest Gifts

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”  (Romans 8: 32)

“If we have received God’s greatest gifts, we may well trust him for the rest. “  (Pulpit Commentary)

God gave us the Holy Spirit.  He gave us the Eucharist.  We can confidently trust Him to provide us all our daily needs.

Keep way from sexual immorality

“Keep away from sexual immorality.  All other sins that someone may commit are done outside the body; but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.  Do you not realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you and whom you received from God?  You are not your own property, then; you have been bought at a price.  So use your body for the glory of God.”  (1 Corinthians 6: 18-20)

We are urged in the above scripture to keep away from sexual sins.  This warning is repeated in many places in the New Testament.  Considering the prevalence of sexual immorality in the society today and everywhere, it may come as a surprise to many that the word of God makes so much of what the word of man regards as next to nothing.  Why this apparent and total disconnect between the will of God and action of man in this one commandment?  The answer may well be found in 1 Corinthians 6: 18-20, the scripture under consideration.  The devil, the arch enemy of mankind who is also the father of lies scores his highest point in this one area of the Decalogue.  While the word of God urges man to reserve sex for marriage, the devil urges in the strongest terms immediate gratification.  The evil one then goes on to contradict every word of God with its lies, for example:  “You own your body.  Therefore you can use it the way you like.  There is nothing at all wrong with sexual pleasure.  See, everybody is doing it.  Get on with it.”

We know the importance of a biblical truth by the many times it is repeated in the Bible.  “Keep away from sexual immorality” is a truth that is repeated many times in the Bible.  The wages of every sin is death.  But sexual sin exacts its peculiar price.

Drunkards and Swindlers

“Do you not realize that people who do evil will never inherit the kingdom of God?  Make no mistake – the sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, misers, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers, none of these will inherit the kingdom of God.  Some of you used to be of that kind:  but you have been washed clean, you have been sanctified, and you have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and through the Spirit of our God.”  (1 Corinthians 6: 9-11)

The following class of people belongs to the people who do evil:  sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, self-indulgent, sodomites, misers, thieves, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers.  In Revelation 21:8, we see an almost similar list: 

“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.”  (Revelations 21:8)

For those who belong to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit washes them clean, sanctifies and justifies them.

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The truth about numbers

“I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.”  (Psalm 3: 6)

Numbers are powerful.  Ask any politician.  Here are some of the numbers that frighten us:

• ·         Bills
• ·         Taxes
• ·         Bank statements
• ·         Vital statistics
• ·         Polling results

How do you handle the fear?  There was a time in my life when I opened my bank statements with trepidation.  I dreaded the unsavory but necessary task.  One day, it occurred to me that I could apply the law of prayer to it.  And so I did.  Before I opened my bank statement or any correspondence, I asked God to help me not to be afraid but rather to trust Him.  Your situation might be different.  It could be that message from your doctor or maybe your boss.  Whatever the numbers, the same law of prayer will work for you. 

Lex Orandi

Lex Orandi, lex credendi, lex Vivendi.

As we pray, so we believe, so we live.

“If you pray well, you live well; if you live well, you die well.  If you die well, all is well.” – St. Augustine.

Our Most Welcome Guest

" Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy." (1 Corinthians 3: 16 – 17)

I discern the presence of the Holy Spirit in me and I rejoice in His indwelling.  The Holy Spirit is the soul’s most welcome guest.  The beautiful Sequence in the Mass of Pentecost Sunday shows the many attributes of Man’s best Friend.

Come, Holy Ghost, send down those beams,
which sweetly flow in silent streams
from Thy bright throne above.

O come, Thou Father of the poor;
O come, Thou source of all our store,
come, fill our hearts with love.

O Thou, of comforters the best,
O Thou, the soul's delightful guest,
the pilgrim's sweet relief.

Rest art Thou in our toil, most sweet
refreshment in the noonday heat;
and solace in our grief.

O blessed Light of life Thou art;
fill with Thy light the inmost heart
of those who hope in Thee.

Without Thy Godhead nothing can,
have any price or worth in man,
nothing can harmless be.

Lord, wash our sinful stains away,
refresh from heaven our barren clay,
our wounds and bruises heal.

To Thy sweet yoke our stiff necks bow,
warm with Thy fire our hearts of snow,
our wandering feet recall.

Grant to Thy faithful, dearest Lord,
whose only hope is Thy sure word,
the sevenfold gifts of grace.

Grant us in life Thy grace that we,
in peace may die and ever be,
in joy before Thy face. Amen. Alleluia.

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The Holy Spirit transforms us into the image of Christ

“And we know for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.   And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”  (Romans 8: 28 – 30)

God is the author and finisher of the Enterprise.  There is no end without a beginning.  He who picks up one end of the stick picks up the other.  There is no beginning that does not anticipate an end.  The Christian consciousness always hinges on this “now but not yet”, that is, the Now and the Pleroma.  The interim between the Now and the Pleroma creates a crisis of hope.  The unpredictability of the Pleroma necessitates acute vigilance.  “Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time is.”  (Mark 13: 33)

The indwelling Spirit is the pledge of our hope.  The Spirit of Christ is always there to bless, console and whet the appetite for those waiting for the appointed time.  The Spirit sustains our intention, assuring us of its wisdom and strengthening our determination.

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Some Holy Spirit themes

“For it is not eating and drinking that make the kingdom of God, but the saving justice, the peace and the joy brought by the Holy Spirit.”  (Romans 14: 17)

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in your faith, so that in the power of the Holy you may be rich in hope.” (Romans 15: 13)

“I was given grace to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the gentiles, dedicated to offer them the gospel of God, so that gentiles might be an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15: 16)

In the above scriptures from Romans, we see the centrality of the Holy Spirit in the work of the Church.  There can be no saving justice without the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the principle of holiness.  His action in our soul makes us righteous and holy.  He is the Spirit of peace and joy.  Any peace and joy that are sought in the flesh is futile.   The Holy Spirit makes us rich in hope.  Sometimes in our prayer, we cry out to God, “O Lord, how long?”  The Holy Spirit causes us to persevere until we get our answer.  Finally, no Holy Spirit no mission.  The Holy Spirit is the power behind evangelization. 

Spirit and Prayer

The Holy Spirit teaches us to love.
The Holy Spirit helps us to be courageous in bearing witness to Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit teaches us how to pray.

Gesu

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The Holy Spirit is the first fruits

“And not only that: we too, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we are groaning within ourselves, waiting with eagerness for our bodies to be set free. In hope, we already have salvation; in hope, not visibly present, or we should not be hoping – nobody goes on hoping for something which he can already see. But having this hope for what we cannot yet see, we are able to wait for it with preserving confidence.” (8: 23 -25) (NJB)
The gift of the Holy Spirit is the first fruits of the blessings to come. When we possess this incredible gift of the Holy Spirit, we know for certain that God will fulfill all His promises to us. We can wait with persevering confidence for heaven to be our permanent residence.

By the Spirit or by Natural Inclinations

“You, however, live not by your natural inclinations, but by the Spirit, since the Spirit of God has made a home in you. Indeed, anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But when Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is alive because you have been justified; and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead has made his home in you, then he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.
So then, my brothers, we have no obligation to human nature to be dominated by it. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the habits originating in the body, you shall live.” (Romans 8: 9 – 13)
To live by the Spirit is the opposite of living by the flesh or by human inclinations. The flesh is served by 5 senses: eye, ear, nose, tongue and touch. Living by the Spirit means walking by faith and not by the evidence of the 5 senses. Sometime ago, I watched on 20/20 the case of a Californian man who spent 10 years in jail based on the visual evidence of a rape victim. DNA evidence later exonerated him. There are many such cases of wrongful imprisonment based on physical evidence. The certainty of the jury in passing sentence never suggested any shade of doubt that they might be wrong. It reminds me of the trial and imprisonment of Joseph in Egypt.
To live by the Spirit is to live by faith. The above scripture says with certitude that the Spirit of God has made his home in us. Praise God.

Storms of life

“Then it began to blow a great gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped.” (Mark 4: 37)
Expect storms: big storms, big trials, big troubles. They are the fact of life. One of the truths I learned some years ago after going to a life-changing retreat is that often after the mountaintop experience comes the valley. Expect it. I am just back from another life-changing retreat. As we filled the questionnaire after the retreat, one of the questions was: What would you like to see improved in the retreat. I lacked the inspiration to note that the organizers need to warm the participants of the mountaintop/valley experience. It is crucial.
“But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep.” (Mark 4: 38)
Whatever the trial, trouble or temptation, as soon as I notice the presence of Jesus, I become calm. No wonder why visits to the Blessed Sacrament in the period of deep stress ALWAYS has great calming effect on me. Many people witnessed to this too. The storm may be furious. But Christ is in control. Do not panic.
“Master, do you not care? We are lost!” (Mark 4: 39)
Power of prayer. In a crisis, the key is prayer. Remember Gethsemane? It is a model of prayer in a life-threatening situation. “Father, I am drowning. You can save me. But do so only if it is your perfect will. I know your will for my life is always excellent.”
“Quiet now! Be calm!” (Mark 4: 31)
Jesus calms the storm. No matter whatever the crisis, Christ has absolute power to subdue it.
“Why are you so frightened? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4: 40)
Faith in Jesus Christ gives us access to his promises of: pardon, peace, power, purpose, protection and provision. You can call these, the 6 P’s of God’s promises.
The world says: “seeing is believing.” But the apostles have seen plenty of what Christ can do? After they received the Holy Spirit, their eyes opened to what Jesus had taught by word and example for three years: Believing is seeing. I believe therefore I will see.

Sin

God’s goodness provided everything for David.
“I anointed you king of Israel, I saved you from Saul’s clutches, I gave you your master’s household and your master’s wives into your arms; I gave you the House of Israel and House of Judah; and, if this is still too little, I shall give you other things as well.” (2 Samuel 12: 7 – 8)
Sin is contempt of God.
Mystery of sin – the forbidden fruit
“Why did you show contempt for Yahweh by doing what displeases him?” (2 Samuel 7:9)
Sin and punishment
“Your household will never be free of the sword, since you showed contempt for me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite, to make her your wife.” (2 Samuel 12: 10)
Sin and restitution
“He shall make fourfold restitution for the lamb.” (2 Samuel 12:6)
Sin and repentance
“I have sinned against Yahweh.” (2 Samuel 12: 13)
Sin and forgiveness
“Yahweh for his part, forgives your sin; you are not to die.” (2Samuel 12: 14)
The temptation and fall of David took place after the Prophet Nathan’s prophecy about God’s plan for David and his lineage in 2 Samuel 7: 1 – 7. David who resisted the temptation to avenge himself on Saul when he had the opportunity to kill him easily fell to the temptation of adultery. It shows that every person has his weakness. Without God, we are nothing.

The Spirit and Human Nature

“This was so that the Law’s requirements might be fully satisfied in us as we direct our lives not by our natural inclinations but by the spirit. Those who are living by their natural inclinations have their minds on the things human nature desires; those who live in the spirit have their minds on spiritual things. And human nature has nothing to look forward to but death, while the spirit looks forward to life and peace, because the outlook of disordered human nature is opposed to God, since it does not submit to God’s law, and indeed it cannot, and those who live by their natural inclinations can never be pleasing to God.” (Romans 8: 4-8)
There are two ways to live:
• Natural inclinations
• Spirit
When we live by our natural inclinations, we work to satisfy the desires of human nature. Since the flesh has nothing to offer, there is nothing to look forward to from human nature than death. On the contrary, when we live by the spirit, our mind is set on spiritual things and we look forward to life and peace.
The man of lawlessness does not submit to the laws of God. His outlook on life is disordered and is opposed to God. We look at society today and ask the question: How many people fit this description?

Two Spirits and 2 Outcomes

“Thus, condemnation will never come to those who are in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit which gives life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Romans 8: 1-2)
If one is in Christ Jesus, then he is a new creation. The Spirit of life lives in him. The Spirit of life produces effortlessly in him works of righteousness. But he who is not in Christ Jesus is still living the life of the old man. He operates under the law of sin and death which are the consequences of the spirit that dwells in him. This fellow will come under condemnation. But if he renounces his sins and asks Jesus to save him, Jesus will come to him and bind the spirit of sin and death in him and in its place give him the Spirit of life. He is declared righteous and will no longer be under condemnation.

Abound in love

“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Love abounding more and more with knowledge and discernment – we are talking about the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit pours love into our hearts and teaches us how to love with the love of Jesus Christ. For love to abound in our hearts, we must grow in the Holy Spirit. St. Paul is praying for the Philippians to abound in love with knowledge and discernment. This prayer is also for me and for you. If I abound in love with knowledge and discernment, then I am equipped for my ministry.

“I have chosen you from the world to go and bear fruit that will last.” (John 15: 16, 19)

“I will bear a witness to you in the world, O Lord. I will spread the knowledge of your name among my brothers, Alleluia.” (Psalm 17: 50; 21: 23)

The 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit are:(CCC #1831)

Wisdom
Understanding
Counsel
Fortitude
Knowledge
Piety
Fear of the Lord
What are the 12 fruits of the Holy Spirit? (CCC #1832)

Charity
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Generosity
Gentleness
Faithfulness
Modesty
Self-control
Chastity

New Service and Old Service

“But now we are released from the law, having died to what was binding us, and so we are in a new service, that of the Spirit, and not in the old service of a written code.” (Romans 7:6)
The Spirit of God leads us into freedom. He leads us too into a new type of ministry – a ministry that depends entirely on Him and not on our might and power. The old service depends on the energy of the flesh. The new service depends on the power of the Holy Spirit. For one who is in the Spirit, He is a new creation. He sees life from a different perspective, the supernatural perspective.

Be Strong and show yourself a man

Be Strong and show yourself a man


"1 When the time of David's death drew near, he gave these instructions to his son Solomon: 2 "I am going the way of all mankind. Take courage and be a man. 3 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, 4 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)
When I read the above scripture in late 1994, I was excited about it. I wanted to be productive and to succeed in whatever I do and wherever I go. I saw the key in this passage. “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.” Today, after many years, I am as excited by the promises in this scripture as I was at the time I came to reflect on this passage. Our Blessed Mother told me to do whatever the Son tells me.
“Blessed the upright, for he will feed on the fruit of his deeds.” (Isaiah 3: 10)
The word of God promises in several places that he will bless the labors of the person who believes and obeys him. God’s promises are spiritual laws governing everyone and everything. I ought to see my Promised Land scriptures as spiritual laws.
What is the nature of a spiritual law?
• Spiritual law depends on certain conditions for fulfillment.
• They are precise and immutable.
The only conditions necessary for God’s spiritual laws to operate in our lives are faith and prayer. St. Augustine says that these are the two things that conquer God.
“I have strength for everything through him who empowers me.” (Philippians 4: 13). This is a spiritual law that governs me.
“For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Ten years ago, I confided to my journal the reflection below. Ten years after, I am amazed as to how things have turned out. I now have a teaching ministry in my parish. Ten years ago, I saw it as a tiny speck in the future horizon. God is faithful.
God knows the best for me. He has seen the whole pattern of the weaving of my life. He has seen the finished product. He will make a strategic match between my:
• Purpose
• Personality
• Position (environment)
1. What is my purpose? To learn and to communicate Jesus
Sources of learning:
• Mass
• Prayer
• WOG
• Bible Study
• Promised Land Scriptures
• Christian Radio
• TBN
• Teaching
2. Personality: Jesus Christ describes Himself as the Truth, the Way and the Life. Who am I? A friend and companion of Jesus.
3. Position: Tx-06, STM, SFJ
I trust God to arrange the very best for me.

Perfect Love

“Not only that; let us exult too, in our hardships, understanding that hardship develops perseverance and perseverance develops a tested character and a hope which will not let us down, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.” (Romans 5: 3 -5)

Exult in my hardships? This seems a tough advice to take. Yet, it is worthy to note how many times in the Bible we find such advice. This passage goes on to teach that if we endure our hardship, we develop perseverance. When we practice perseverance day after day in our trial, the result is a tested character and a hope that will not disappoint. If all this seems impossible for man, the last sentence in the above scripture states why it is true. The Holy Spirit has poured the love of God into our hearts. Perfect love not only drives out fear but makes all things possible.

Spirit and love
Spirit and patience
Spirit and hope

Faithful in little things

“And he said to him, “Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.” (Luke 19: 17)
Faithfulness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
One dictionary defines faithfulness as:
• Full of faith: Ready to believe especially in the promises of God and His declarations.
• True and constant in affection and allegiance; loyal
• Firm in adherence to promises, oaths and undertakings. Firm and thorough in the observe of duty
The Holy Spirit enables us to be faithful to our calling.
Lord, show me what little thing I can be faithful today.
• Prayer
• Eucharist
• Word of God

The Holy Spirit warns Paul of Persecution

“When we had been there several days a prophet called Agabus arrived from Judaea. He came up to us, took Paul’s belt and tied up his own feet and hands, and said, ‘This is what the Holy Spirit says, ‘The man to whom this girdle belongs will be tied up like this by the Jews in Jerusalem and handed over to the gentiles.” (Acts 21: 11 – 12)

What is happening here? Why does the Holy Spirit warn Paul of impending persecution? This is not strange in salvation history. Jesus warns the apostles of His passion and death. He also warns them to be ready for intense persecution. I would like to be warned of impending persecution so that I could prepare for it through prayer, through lectio divina and through the Eucharist. Simeon warns the Virgin Mary that her Son would be a sign of contradiction and a sword would pierce her heart. Mary responded to this revelation through prayer and searching the scriptures. When the time comes for the unfolding of the Paschal Mystery, she was fully prepared.

An alert guard

“Be on your guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you the guardians, to feed the Church of God which he bought with the blood of his own Son.” (Acts 20: 28)

It is the Holy Spirit who appointed us to the ministry which we exercise today in the Church. The same Holy Spirit urges us to be vigilant first and foremost for ourselves and then for all the people we minister to. A guardian is like a keeper or watchdog for a very important asset. What we guard for ourselves in the treasure of salvation within us. This treasure is in an earthen vessel which is fragile. We guard it from wolves in sheep clothing whose only interest is to despoil us and our flock of this treasure.
Be on the alert therefore for yourself and for your flock.

In Captivity to the Spirit

“And now you see me on my way to Jerusalem in captivity to the Spirit; I have no idea what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit, in town after town, has made it clear to me that imprisonment and persecution await me.” (Acts 19: 22-23)
How I love the expression, “in captivity to the Spirit.” How I wish I am in captivity to the Spirit for the mission that God has destined me for. In Acts 20: 24, Paul writes: “…….provided that I complete the mission the Lord Jesus gave to me – to bear witness to the good news of God’s grace.”

“I have chosen you from the world to go and bear fruit that will last.” (John 15: 16, 19)
“I will bear a witness to you in the world, O Lord. I will spread the knowledge of your name among my brothers, alleluia.” (Psalm 17: 50; 21:23)

Ignorance of the Holy Spirit

“it happened that while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul made his way overland as far as Ephesus, where he found a number of disciples. When he asked, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers? They answered, ‘No, we were never even told that there was such a thing as a Holy Spirit.’ He asked, ‘Then how were you baptized?’ They replied, ‘With John’s baptism.’ Paul said, ‘John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance; but he insisted that the people should believe in the one who was to come after him – namely Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, and the moment Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came down on them, and they began to speak with tongues and to prophesy.” (Acts 19: 1 – 17)

Today we might smile to learn that some early disciples of Jesus did not know that “there was such a thing as a Holy Spirit.” Yet, many years ago in the midst of my desert experience, when I received the message that “all that I need is the Holy Spirit.” I wondered: “What is the relevance of the Holy Spirit to my pressing problems of unemployment, money, health and a host of other problem?” Because I considered the messenger trustworthy, I did not discard the message. I did the Novena to the Holy Spirit before Pentecost of that year and on the final day of the Novena, following the instruction in the booklet I was using, knelt down and pleaded with all my heart for the Holy Spirit. When I got up, I was filled with a serene joy. My joy in the Holy Spirit continued to grow throughout the years. Then one day about three years ago, I discovered this amazing truth from the Roman Missal: “God is the source of all inspiration and power.” This is it for me. The search has ended! The Holy Spirit is all that I need. It is true! He is the source of all inspiration and power.

My Good Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Besides restful waters he leads me;
He refreshes my soul.” (Psalm 23: 1-3)

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, I reflect what it means to me when I say that Jesus is my Good Shepherd. I remember many years ago when I first took spiritual notice of this Psalm. What struck me immediately was the phrase: “I shall not want.” It was probably the lowest period of my life when I seemed to experience every type of want. It was also the beginning of my conversion experience. I was also beginning to gain the insight that the word of God is true and trustworthy. Starting with God’s word and not my actual experience I tried to understand the meaning of the words. I argued that if God says that He is my Good Shepherd, therefore I have everything I need, this means that I have here and now everything I need. I turned this proposition in my mind for some time and then began to list every type of need that I experienced at that time, namely:

Health
Money
Job
Peace
Food
Tools
It was impossible on the surface to say that I had everything that I needed. I must have been aided by grace at the time because dissecting the above needs one by one, I saw clearly that I was adequate in everything. The configuration of each supply was in accordance with my real need of the time. When I saw the light, I thanked God for it. What is the key to my insight? I started with God’s word and not my needs. I believed prior to reflecting on God’s word that His word is true and trustworthy. I was reading God’s love letter to me. He says to me right here and right now: “I am your Good Shepherd, you shall not want.” Do I believe Him or not?

Over the years since that initial reflection, in periods of dire necessities, I return to Psalm 23 and repeat the reflection that gave me the light. I have also been exposed to other insights on “I shall not want.” In one period of great need, a friend in Australia wrote to me as follows:

“Don’t you have a roof over your head tonight? Do you not have food on the table tonight?”

This helped me to realize that all that I truly need here and now is what I truly have here and now. Jesus puts it in these memorable words:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.

Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” (Matthew 6: 33-34)

Jesus Christ is indeed the Good Shepherd.