That I Understood. . .

 

October 10, 2020

Saturday

For almost seven months of staying at home and at quarantine, my Church family is spending three times a day, every day, studying the Bible (Morning Devotion, Discipleship, and Evening Devotion.) On Sundays, we do that four times a day, including Sunday Service. At those moments, our Pastor gives us a chance to discover the Bible by letting us be the Speaker. At this moment, we are now on our 6th reading of the entire Bible, but in spite of joining and being a speaker, I feel like I haven't learned and still feel so incomplete. God is revealing His words for me for sure, but I haven't applied it, honestly. I'd been on circles, and I go round and round on loops of rising and falling to faith ever since. And the worst is, every time I feel like falling, I turned to curse God and hate God and hurt God because I want to make them feel, what I thought I am feeling. Then after some time of thinking over, I will go on to my Christian walk, feeling guilty anyhow of how I'd hurt Him. For sure, I still join the studies, but deep down, I feel like I am still not bound for eternity for I still and will always fall short.

For the past few months, I'd been dealing with this battle, and it really convicts me, especially yesterday, when I am the speaker of our Evening Devotion and the message that God has been given me is from Isaiah 28:15, that as we live a life of falsehood, instead of having our covenant with God, we are making a covenant with hell and death instead. You know, after this very convicting message, I still made a grave mistake this morning, by fighting with my sister over control in the house, and money matters, as well I spoke things to my mom that scarred her heart so deep. You know, I always have a serious anger issue. I am easily being provoked even on small matters, and whenever something insults or hurt me, I hurt my loved ones with my words, then I accused God of being a liar, for I thought I was getting better, then here I am again on the same battle. It is as if I am blaming God for my slip of control. That is how I live a double life. I blog for 'My Christian Identity' that brags about my seemingly beautiful Christian walk, but I keep another one, something personal, where I rant all my frustration in life and just want to be lost in oblivion.

But you know, just like so many times in the past wherein God heals me through His reverse psychology, once again, He touched my heartstring in a way that I could never imagine. On our Daily Devotions today,my Pastor shared us Isaiah 45:9-11 :

Isaiah 45:9-11

New International Version

9 “Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker,

    those who are nothing but potsherds

    among the potsherds on the ground.

Does the clay say to the potter,

    ‘What are you making?’

Does your work say,

    ‘The potter has no hands’?

10 Woe to the one who says to a father,

    ‘What have you begotten?’

or to a mother,

    ‘What have you brought to birth?’

11 “This is what the Lord says—

    the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker:

Concerning things to come,

    do you question me about my children,

    or give me orders about the work of my hands?

He told us that we cannot blame the life that we are being born from, but we can make it likable. That is contentment. The beauty and happiness of life depend on our response to this life. It is our decision and choices that can make this life beautiful. It is actually a great privilege to be a model of life to those who are weary and about to give up by never questioning the life that God had given us. We can learn from the life of Joseph, the Son of Jacob, and the life of Moses, for example. Joseph was called to be a governor and successful in Egypt just to save Israel from famine in Canaan. Moses, on the other hand, has to leave the comfortable life of a prince in Egypt, just to experience hardships for 40 years in the wilderness because God wants him to lead Israel out of Egypt to the Promise land of God for them. Both men are great men of faith, but they were being called into the ministry differently and uniquely.

That moment, I understood that what is the purpose of having good looks and good family background, or richness for that matter, if we cannot fulfill our own purpose in life that God set before us? We cannot be successful in the wrong assignment. What can we do then? Obey God's plan in our life. 

I spent years being insecure about how the lives of others are perfect. I spent my life being insecure about how others grew up with complete parents, while my Papa died early. I spent others being insecure about why others can have everything they want, while I have to earn things the hard way. However, every time God reminds me of His goodness, that I understood that if things did not happen the way they should be, I will never come to know God. So, as I look back, all I can do is to bow down, lay up my crown before God, and be thankful all throughout.

Truly,

Romans 8:28

New International Version

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.

and, 

2 Corinthians 4:7-16

New International Version

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”[b] Since we have that same spirit of[c] faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

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"How to Live a Life of Christian Falsehood and Insights on how to avoid them"

Supposedly, we are in Covenant with God, but because we live a life of a lie, we have a covenant with death and hell instead. How to live a life of falsehood? (1) Spiritual Pride, (2) Complacency, (3) Wrong motives of the heart and secret sins, (4) Living in Flesh. 

But there is hope! Repentance from sin and faith in the Lord will save us and gives us strength! We must wait upon the Lord, and as we wait, repentance and faith must be our lifestyle. 

How will righteousness work in us? Righteousness works in our senses. We must be careful in what speak into, what we touch or handle, what we hear, and what we see. If we keep our senses pure, righteousness will take its full effect. If we only speak of, listen to, handle things, and watch Godly things, we are inviting the Holy Spirit in our life. Only the Power of the Holy Spirit can make us righteous. . If we are righteous, God said in Isaiah 33:16-17, (1) God will honor our life, (2) God will protect us, (3) God will give us provision, (4) Our eternal life is sure,(5) We will see God in His Beauty, (6) We will enter the promised land of God in us. Our common denominator of God's promise is His eternal Kingdom. (Isaiah 35:8-9) There is a path for the righteous and clean that the unrighteous cannot go, 'Because strait is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only few find it. God's challenge for us is which road will we go to?

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Did You Know?

In a world where nearly 400 million children live on less than $1.90 a day, child sponsorship is a strategic way to provide children with compassion, resources, and hope.

Compassion International is such a ministry that provides these children child sponsorship program that aids their welfare.

Something You Can Do to Contribute

Sponsor a Child Program

When you participate in Compassion’s sponsor a child program, you are investing in a child’s future. Compassion’s program is:

Church Based – The program works exclusively with local churches in developing countries. The churches identify children who need sponsors and coordinate the efforts to help them. Through the local churches, the children learn about Jesus Christ and what His message has to do with them.

Christ Centered – The Compassion sponsor a child program gives each child an opportunity to hear about Jesus Christ. The program focuses on teaching children to live Christ-centered lives.

Child Focused – Your sponsored child will only have one sponsor. You will have opportunity to impact his or her life through letters and photos and you can encourage one another. You will also provide healthcare, educational opportunities, life skills training, clean water, nutritional food, and the opportunity to hear about Jesus. You will walk together through life, encouraging one another and praying for each other.

Join Compassion’s sponsor a child program and help a child in need today! Select a child above and begin to change a child’s life in the developing world.

 

                      

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This blog post is a blog for Compassion Bloggers under October 2020 Writing Prompt “Dreaming of Something Else”

Compassion Bloggers is a ministry of Compassion International whose mission is to release children from poverty .

Catch Compassion bloggers at https://compassionbloggers.com/

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See also

All About Love & Trust

(In a Quest of Finding For A Meaning Lies A True Story of Compassion, Trust and Love)

This is a repost of my blog months ago, and an excerpt from a seven day devotional that I recently finished. The book is entitled “Girls Figures- 7 Day Devotionals for emotionally Burdened Women.”

I believe that this post is very relevant to this month’s writing prompt “Cheer Up!”

Happy Reading!