DECEIVED BY THE ENEMY: A Testimony

It's been a while since the last time I posted on this blog. As the saying goes, for every effect there is always a cause. In my case, the cause why it took me a while to post again was at least threefold: (1) I got off-balanced juggling family life, earning a living, and serving God (2) I've been away to China and somehow I cannot open blogger there (3) I made a mistake while in China (my main topic for this post).

I left for China last Nov. 23 for a business trip, armed with the prayers of members of the bible study group (thank you guys) in which I am currently a member.

Before I left, I knew then that once I would stepped into my hotel room alone, the enemy would attack everyday like fierce wolves coming out of the forest, ever ready to devour my spirit.

But there's nothing to worry about; I was prepared for it, right? Or so I thought.

A little backgrounder.

Before God healed me, lust of the flesh was one of the chinks in my spiritual armor. Business trips were ideal times for this sin to attack me. (Imagine yourself alone in a hotel room after office hour with wide screen cable TV, access to adult movie upon request, and unlimited access to carnal sites in the internet.) I already received God's healing a few years ago but I didn't want to be complacent and be caught flatfooted by the enemy, so this sin made it to the top of my watch list.

By God's grace, I did not fall again to the sin of the flesh while in China. God was so merciful and faithful that he delivered me from this old trap of the enemy. The temptation did come more than once but God gave me the strength to resist.

But the enemy is such a cunning predator -- Adam and Eve wouldn't have fall for nothing. He will never stop looking for ways to drive us away from the protection of our God. And He has the whole world as his playground, and means of carrying out his evil plans.

Before I go on further, allow me first to tell you about my other little weakness. I like watching TV. Even before I was a small kid until now, my face would easily glued to the TV set. I tried to fight this off by keeping my own home TV-free for five straight years now. And having done this, I thought that I was already “TV-addiction-free”, but in reality this it was just an delusion. This was exposed big time while I was in China.

My home in Cebu maybe TV-free but my hotel in China was not. While I was victorious in my battle against the sin of the flesh, I failed miserably in my fight against TV-addiction. And this addiction almost snatched me away from God’s sheepfold.

This was how it happened. Sit tight.

Temptation: On the first night in the hotel alone, there was a nudge for me (from you know who) to watch a movie in HBO.

My reaction: Since I already finished doing my report, I rationalized that I deserve a break by watching just “one” movie. At the back of my mind I thought, “Watching movie is a very common thing to do nowadays so there should be no harm doing it.”

Result: Unfortunately, the movie was so up to my taste that I really enjoyed watching it. Without me knowing then, my repressed desire to watch TV was awakened.

Temptation: Wait for the next movie to start...maybe you would like it too.

Intervention: An inner voice spoke to my heart and reminded me that it was time to stop, and time to read my bible.

My reaction: I was torn between doing what was right, and satisfying my unleashed desire. Undecided, I waited for the next movie to start so that I can judge if I will like the movie. (First mistake; I should have stopped immediately!)

Result: Unfortunately, the movie was again very up to my taste again.

Temptation: Watch the movie, and do whatever you want to do afterwards. There is always time. Besides, the movie is so nice and it might not be shown again.So don't care about other things, just watch!


My reaction: I said to myself, "OK, I will watch this one and read my bible afterward." (Second mistake, nice movie or not, I should have stopped here immediately!)

Intervention: Initially, there was heaviness in my heart, but the feeling was numbed by the rushing desire from the floodgates of my flesh. The inner voice was muted too by the sound and conversation going on in the movie.

My reaction: I totally lost myself in the movie, I ignore everything. I was 100% absorbed. (Third mistake, I could still stop here though it's a lot harder now!)

Result: After the movie, it was already late in the evening. I felt the heaviness in my heart again, and a new feeling surfaced – guilt. My wrong decision earlier already made some impact to my spirit.

My reaction: With remorse, I dragged myself to read my bible and pray. I also asked for forgiveness for choosing TV over God. But deep inside I cannot forget the exhilarating feeling, the vivid taste of consuming my-kind-of-movie, so I was unsure if I could do the right thing next time. Therefore, my act of reconciliation was not sincere; my awakened addiction slowly blurred my moral vision, drained my spiritual strength. (Driving a nail into the coffin!)

And on the following days, the same thing happened. I was really deep into enemy's territory. As days continued to unfold, I knew that I have to stop, and do what was right but I rolled along. (More nails!) Sin made my spirit weaker day after day; I saw myself slowly drifting away from my loving God, but I felt too weak to resist.

Then God took hold of me.

Two days after I arrived from China, I got sick. From out of nowhere, I suddenly got the fever. The day before, my body was full of energy, but all of a sudden I felt so tired that I all I cared to do was to lie down. My brother in-law even thought I got the H1N1 virus!

What really happened was that the merciful hand of God was at work. As my body slumped, devoid of energy necessary to carry out any normal daily activities, my God cleared my mind of all the unnecessary clutters. Before, I was like a computer trapped in an infinite loop, when God came along and press my reset button. God untangled all my confusions earlier, and made clear to me what should be my main priority in life. Not only that, He forgave all my since, cleansed my soul, and gave me a fresh start.

For those who already have a personal and intimate relationship with God, then you can relate to what I felt during those times.

Why am I telling you my recent experience?

To embarrass myself? No! If you are true to yourself, and if you know the truth that all of us fall short of God’s standard, then I am sure you wouldn’t laugh at me.

To lose my credibility considering that I am a regular member of a bible study group in Lexmark? No! We tried to get close to God not because we are holy and perfect, but because we are the antithesis of holiness and perfection, and only God can make us perfect and holy like Him. Also, I believe that one of the ways to earn credibility (if ever I aim for it) is to be honest and open to people about my weaknesses while at the same still continue to follow Christ, and establish a relationship with Him, instead of hiding behind a façade of spiritual invincibility which is far from the truth.

To boast? No! I should be ashamed instead (and I was) because my actions (to chose TV and ignore God) did nothing to bring glory and honor to Him who loves me dearly. Instead, it brought Him pain and agony.

To encourage you? Yes! The fact that God saved me from the clutches of the enemy was not a testimony of my will power or the result of reading a self-help book, but rather a testament of God’s mercy and love. The only right thing that I did was that I remained faithful to Him all throughout in spite of all the lies of the enemy. I did not stop calling Him to ask for His mercy, forgiveness and help.

To deliver some message from the One I serve? Yes! And I got four.

(1)Watch out! The enemy and his minions are cunning and can easily deceive us!

2Corithians 11:3
“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your mind may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

Most often the enemy will come to us not as a monster to scare us away, but as something or someone that will attract us. He will not tempt us in a big way but he will tempt us to make little moral concession day in and day out until our spirit will become too weak, and will easily fall into sin.

(2)Don't worry, there is someone we can truly trust a 100%! Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, will lead us to the right way and will protect us from the enemy.

John 10:7-10
“So Jesus said again, “I am telling you the truth: I am the gate for the sheep (we). All others who came before me are thieves and robbers but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Those who come in by me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief (satan and his demons or simply the enemy) comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness.””

Jesus is the answer to your soul’s deep longing -- not money, fame, success, drugs, sex, and other earthly things.

(3)There is hope! God will forgive us, and cleanse us from our sin no matter how wicked our deeds were or how low our life is right now.

1John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

It’s never too late to change for the better! We should not give up because God will never give up on us! We can always have a fresh start, a new life, and it begins by embrasing Christ.

(4)There is a right priority in life! Seeking a personal, and intimate relationship with God, and following His ways should be the first and foremost priority in life.

Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 16:26
“What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Money, fame and success can never substitute for a broken family or lost soul, so stop for a moment, remove the blinders from your eyes, and examine through the lens of honesty your life right now. Is God an important part of your daily life or is He just a dot in your periphery. Are you so absobed with the world, and all it offer to you or does your priorities lead you straight to God?

To quote God in Revelation 1:11, “If you have ears, then, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches (you)!

PS1: As to my addiction to TV, I already surrendered this to God knowing fully well that like my addiction to pornography before, I can't fight this one alone. The root is so deep. I cannot beat it by deying the existence of the desire within me, but I am faithful that in His time, He will bless my effort and prayer and heal me completele.

PS2: If this post inspires and enlightens you, then give praise to God for all glory and honor belongs to Him alone...

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FORGIVENESS: Reconciling with God

Last week we learned about the power of prayers, and how it serves as our lifeline to our God.

Being human, we are easily deceived and tempted by the enemy to wander away from God and to commit sin. The good news is that like the prodigal son in the bible, we can “always” turn away from our wicked ways, and reconcile with our Father in heaven through His son Jesus Christ.


What happens when we sin?

Isaiah 59:1~2
Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,
      nor his ear too dull to hear.
But your iniquities have separated
       you from your God;
       your sins have hidden his face from you,
      so that he will not hear.

First, we become separated from our God.

We leave ourselves more open to the enemy's attack, and deprive ourselves from the blessings, graces, and protection of God.

Romans 6:15~16
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

Second, we become slaves of the sin we committed.

Have you noticed that once you commit a sin it’s difficult to break free from this once you are used to it. Take for example, reading pornographic materials, watching X-rated movies, and fantasizing sexual images. To someone who is not hooked to this vice, it’s a waste of time and energy, but to someone who is into this, like I used to be, the addiction is real. No matter how hard you will try to break away from it, time and time again you will weaken, give in and fall to the same sin.

What’s ironic is that, the sinner doesn’t feel great even a single bit after the commission of the sin. Deep inside he has no love for himself, and may even hate himself, but he is powerless from stopping himself from doing it. This is what is meant by being a slave to sin.


How to reconcile with God?

1 John 1:9-10
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

To be reconciled, and be forgiven from our unrighteousness with our Father in heaven, we have to do at least two things.

First, we have to confess our sin; acknowledge our personal guilt, and admit our specific sin directly to our God. Confessing to other people like a pastor, priest is also good act specially if that person is righteous and will help pray to God for you.


Matthew 6:14~15
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Second. we have to forgive those who offended us, and sinned against us.


What happens if we don’t reconcile with God?

Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

First, we won’t prosper in the important aspects of our life such as health, relationships, work, and wealth. Take note that money is not the only measure of prosperity.

Psalm 32:3, 4
When I kept silent,
       my bones wasted away
       through my groaning all day long.
For day and night
       your hand was heavy upon me;
       my strength was sapped
       as in the heat of summer.

Then, we will feel miserable; there's no peace, and joy in our heart.

We may gain material things, attain popularity, gain recognition, meet powerful people, and reach places but we won't get satisfaction from our accomplishments. Our life will become a series of events that has no direction and meaning.

Why?

Because we are not in communion with our Father in heaven. We keep ourselves busy with earthly goals thinking that our next accomplishment will satisfy our inner hunger. No it won't! Earthly things can never bring joy to a sorrowful spirit; it can never satisfy a thirsty spirit...only God can!

Romans 6:16
Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

And we continue to become slaves of sin.

No matter how hard you will try, as long as you don't receive real reconciliation with your Father in heaven, you can never break free from the bondage of your sin. No amount of self-help books can help you break free from the chain of sin, and turn your life around.

Why?

Because until then, you are fighting the enemy on your own strength! You need God's help to break free the bondage of sin. No one else can help you.

In order for you to tap God's help, you need to sincerely ask for His forgiveness, and be reconciled with Him. There is no other way! I know because I used to be a slave of the sin of lust, and only when I surrendered to God and ask for His forgiveness, and help did I receive total healing.Yes, it wasn't instant; it was gradual, but my recovery was real.


What happens if we reconcile with God?

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

God will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Our spirit will be cleansed, and we can start a new life; a life in Christ.

Our relationship with God as our Father will be restored; and we will again enjoy the privileges of being children of God.

Our God will heal us from the wages of our sin, and give us the endurance to resist it. He will break our addiction in His own chosen pace and time, and heal our spirit.

After God has forgiven us, will He spare us from the consequence of our sin?

Galatian 6:7~7
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

The answer is No. By God’s mercy He may, but He is not required.

We are both flesh and spirit. When we are forgiven by God, He literally set free our spirit who is in bondage to sin, and erase all our unrighteousness. (And if we die, our spirit will return to our Creator, and be saved from spiritual death.) However, in God's mercy and wisdom our flesh still has to bear the consequence of our wrong choice.
 
Take for example the case of King David, the man after God's own heart. When he committed adultery with Bathsheba, and later murder by ordering Joab, his general, to leave Uriah, Bathsheba's husband to die in battle, God rebuked David through His prophet Nathan.

2 Samuel 12:13~14
"So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die."

David was forgiven by God after his sincere confession but he still has to bear the pain of losing his child which was the consequence of his sin.

As Chuck Swindoll once stated, "Grace means that God won’t kill us for our sin, and that God will give us the ability to endure the consequence of our sin, but this will not necessarily take away the consequences of sin."


What are practical tips to avoid sin?

Yes, our Father will forgive us at a snap of a finger if we only confess our sins to Him. But as Christians we must also mature spiriturally. Spiritual maturity means that we don't fall to the same sin as easily as before. To help grow in spiritual maturity here are some practical tips I learned over the years on how to avoid sin:

(1) When tempted, don't fight the enemy alone, use your lifeline, and pray to God for deliverance and protection

Before Jesus was crucified, he was tempted by Satan in Getsemane to disobey the will of the Father. Satan must have shown Jesus vivid images of the pain, agony and shame that He will have to bear should He obey the Father. The Bible stated that Jesus sweat out blood. What did Jesus did? He prayed to the Father. Let's all learn from our Lord Jesus Himself.

(2) Know the scripture
When Jesus was tempted by satan in the desert after 40 days of fasting, he didn't responded to the enemy by saying, "I am the son of God, do not tempt me." No he didn't say that. In every temptation, there were three of them, that satan subjected Jesus to, our Lord always began His reply with "It is written..." The son of God fought the spiritual battle with satan by quoting from the Holy Bible! We should learn from our Lord, and know what is written in this most Powerful Book ever written so that we can have more weapons against the enemy. 
(3) Avoid situation when you know you will be susceptible to temptation
For example, when you are vulnerable to sexual temptation avoid reading materials, and movies that reveals a lot of skin or show sexual acts; avoid being alone with a computer or stay away from porn websites; avoid spending time with your old drinking/gambling/night club buddies who will only invite you to sin.


(4) Hang out with people who are passionate with God 
Find Christian buddies, participate in Bible study group, and join Christian communities. There is no such thing as a Lone Ranger when it comes to Christianity. We all need each other for support, encouragement and correction.


(5) Do not entertain sinful thoughts, dismiss it right away
It's true that we cannot stop the birds from flying over our heads but we can stop these from building a nest on it. Sinful thoughts will come, and there is nothing we can do about that, but we can stop ourselves from entertaining it. The only time that the enemy can deceive us is when we entertain his lies and deceptions. Temptation doesn't necessarily make us sinner, we only sin once we give in to it. So dismiss evil thoughts and feelings PRONTO!


(6) Flee, and run as fast as you can
When Joseph, son of Jacob, was tempted by Potiphar's wife to commit adultery with her, he ran away from her as fast as he can. He didn't entertain her pleading and seduction. He flee like a man who see a ghost! Let's all learn from Joseph too on how to handle temptation.

The enemy does not come to us as a dark creature complete with two horns, two sharp fangs, a pair of bloodshot eyes, a bat's wing, a pointed tail, and a pitchfork. No, he comes to us as an attractive, seductive creature so that we will put down our guard, and will not flee from him. When that happens he can tempt us all he wants, and you  know what? Sooner or later, we will fall.


NOTE: Some of the materials in this message were taken from the booklet, One2One, written by Steve Murrell.

PS: If this post inspires and enlightens you, then give praise to God for all glory and honor belongs to Him alone...

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PRAYER: Lifeline to God

Last week we learned about the power of the spoken word; how it can unleash powers to bless our lives and those that we love. This week let us learn more how to put that power into action. Let's tap into the lifeline God has given us; let's use use the power of our words to talk to the source of life.


What is prayer?

The act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving) – Web definition

As Christians, when we pray we are literally conversing with our God – God the Father, Jesus (Son of God), and the God the Holy Spirit.


Do we really need to pray?

Living a righteous life in Jesus is not just about doing this and doing that to gain plus “pogi” points before God. It’s first and foremost, building and nurturing a relationship with Him. Everything we do and say should be geared towards making us closer and more intimate with our Almighty God.

It’s basic that to build a relationship with someone, one has to spend time with that person, talking and sharing experiences. We should not fool ourselves into thinking that we can be close to God, and enjoy His protection, guidance and blessings without spending time with Him in prayer. Not praying is basically saying non-verbally to God that we don’t need Him now, and that we trust ourselves more.


Does God talk back to us?

Since prayer is by definition a communication, then God should also talk back to us. The primary way God communicates to us is through his written word, the Bible. That is why it is tantamount for our spiritual growth to read the bible everyday.

God, in his infinite wisdom and power, may choose other means like:
• God can speak to us directly to our heart and mind
• God can use other people (to give the council and instruction specially those people who are already close to him)
• God can use events in our life
• God can use things to give us a message


How “not” to pray?

Jesus himself told us how not to pray.

• Do not be a hypocrite

Matthew 6:5
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.”

• Do not pray like pagans

Matthew 6:7, 8
“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”


How to pray properly?

Our Lord Jesus also taught us how to pray properly.

• Call to the Father, and give Him honor and praise

Matthew 6:9-10
“Our Father in heaven; May your holy name be honored;
May your kingdom come;
May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven;

• Ask not only for your need but also the needs of others; be generous in prayer.

Matthew 6:11
Give us today the food with need;

• Ask for pardon, not only for yourself but for others, and forgive those who offended you

Matthew 6:12
Forgive us the wrong that we have done; as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us.

• Ask for deliverance from testing that is beyond your capability to endure, and for protection against, and victory over the enemy

Matthew 6:13
Do not bring us to hard testing; but keep us safe from the evil one.

• Pray through Jesus, the only way to the Father

John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”


How often should one pray?

How often do you want to be nourished and feed? How close and intimate do you want to become with your God?

Proverbs 3:5-7
Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.

How wise is a man who relies on God more, who talks to him everyday, and who remembers him in everything that he does because God will show him the way.

Satan is at work day and night, round the clock to deceive, and to mislead us from the right way of living. He has the world as his playground, and everything on it can be his tools. We may not see him but rest assured that he is there looking for ways to weaken us spiritually, and then to chain us with sin. Our only chance of survival is to always remember that we have an almighty, all-loving and supremely wise God, and stick to Him at all time.


Does God really answer prayer?

1 John 5:14~15
We have courage in God’s presence, because we are sure that he hears us if we ask him for anything that is according to his will. He hears us whenever we ask him; and since we know this is true, we know also that he give us what we ask from him.

Absolutely! There are five things to remember always when making a prayer request: (1) Our prayer request should be specific (2) Our prayer request should be in accordance to His will (3) Be generous in prayer, pray for others too (4) We should ask in the name of Jesus Christ (5) God will grant our request based on His impeccable timing, not based our desired timing.

Prayer is powerful because we are connecting with an Almighty God. A prayerful life should be our lifestyle because whether we like it or not, satan is at work everyday of our life, and the only way we can be saved from his evil traps is to stick with our God.


NOTE: Most of the materials in this article were taken from the booklet, One2One, written by Steve Murrell.

PS: If this post inspires and enlightens you, then give praise to God for all glory and honor belongs to Him alone...

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THE SPOKEN WORD: The Godly Power Within Us

Do you know that God has given each of us a measure of control (power) over our life? We may not be able to control the things that will happen to us (only God can) but God give us the power to control our reaction to these things. We have the power to either bring blessings or curses upon our lives and that of our love ones.

How? One way is by our words.

The universal purpose of the spoken word is to have something get done.

Psalm 33:9

When he spoke, the world was created; at his command everything appeared.

God used His words to create the world.

In your office, what does your boss normally use to get you to do something? Spoken words of course. E-mail is basically an electronic form of a spoken word; when you write your mails you normally dictate mentally to yourself though not loudly what to write, right?


The spoken word has physical power.

Proverbs 18:21

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

One day your husband/wife or someone you truly love tells you that he/she doesn't love you anymore, and that he/she has someone else in his/her heart, wouldn't you experience physical pain or discomfort?

On the other side, if your boss affirms to you that you did a great job after you finish a whale of a job, you will feel a physical comfort, right?.

Whether we like it or not, the spoken words from other people has the power to affect the way we feel; it does something to our physical life. The same is true of our words to other people.

The spoken word has spiritual power.

Proverbs 18:7

“A fool’s mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul.”


Imagine that you have a book of life. In it everything you do and say got written and read by God, the heavenly beings, and satan. Each page of your book of life has two columns only -- Kingdom of Heaven/God and kingdom of hell.

Every time you speak a word, it will be written on the appropriate column. So you spoken words either affirm your alliance to the Kingdom of Heaven/God or the kingdom of hell. (Both these kingdoms are in the spiritual domain.) Either you unleash the power of the Kingdom of God to your life, and the ones you love or you unleash that of the enemy.

Bottomline, our spoken word does something to our spiritual life, and to that of our love ones -- good or bad.


Our spoken word is a manifestation of our will.

Genesis 2:15

"You may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden, except the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad."

When God created us, he did not make robots out of us, so that we can be programmed to do only His divine will. Instead, God give us the freedom to choose, and He honors the choice we made.

How do we manifest our choice? Through our action, and words.

Revelation 12:10

“…the accuser (satan) of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night.”

Therefore, our spoken word is legally binding even in the spiritual domain. This means that God can use our spoken words to bless us, and protect us from the enemy or that the enemy can use it against us before God. And God being just and holy, can allow the enemy to harm us on the basis that it's our will, as spoken by us.

The spoken word of the righteous nullifies the spoken word of the wicked.

Proverbs 12:6

“The words of the wicked are murderous, but the words of the righteous rescue those who are threatened.”

Halleluiah! God is good, and merciful!

Right now, if you are ensnared, and enslaved by the enemy, your spiralling downward towards a more sinful life, because of a spoken word (decision) you had in the past, don't lose hope because God is loving and merciful. All you need to do to reverse your life right now is to repent sincerely; humbly ask for God's forgiveness, help and guidance; and turn away from your old wicked life and live a "righteous" life.

John 16:23

“I am telling you the truth; the Father will give you whatever you ask of Him in my name."


Once you've done all of the above, then rebuke the curse of the enemy in your life using your spoken word in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

My favorite words are, "I rebuke the work (sickness, poverty, fear, dangers, etc.) of the enemy (on my wife, on my children, on myself, or others) in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ! I only accept the blessings and graces from you my God who is my Father and the Creator of all things. This I pray in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!"

By God's grace it really works.

Matthew 12:26

“So if one group is fighting another in satan's kingdom, this means that it is already divided into groups and will soon fall apart!" 

You cannot rebuke the works of the enemy by your spoken word if you are still dwelling in his kingdom; if you are still living a wicked life, and is distant from God. That simply doesn't work according to Jesus based on the above passage.

Purify your heart and guard your mouth 

Psalm 141:3-4

“Lord, place a guard at my mouth, a sentry at the door of my lips. Keep me from wanting to do wrong and from joining evil people in their wickedness. May I never take part in their feast.”

Let's face it. We are human, weak and inconsistent, which means that it is very difficult for us to capture every thought we have, and to guard every words that comes out from our mouth. We may fall and stumble but this doesn't mean that we have to stop trying.

"God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that we try." -- Mother Teresa

All we need to do is the try with all our heart and mind to change for the better, and God will honor our sincere effort, and He will help us change. God can do anything.

Hebrews 4:12

“For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”


Practical Applications

(1) Be on guard with what you think and say; do not entertain ungodly thoughts because words originate from the thoughts, and your words create blessing and curses to your life and those you love
      As the wise saying goes, "We cannot prevent the birds from flying over our head but we can prevent it from building a nest."

(2) Avoid the company of ungodly people unless you are spiritually strong, and unless when absolutely necessary
      2 Corinthians 6:14
      "Do not try to work together as equals with unbelievers, for it cannot be done. How can right and wrong be partners? How can light and darkness lived together?"

      As the wise saying goes, "Birds of the same feather flocks together." Either you change them or you will change and be like them.

(3) Use the power of your spoken words by rebuking, using the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the curses and bad things you heard, you thought, and you experienced just loud enough for your whole being to hear it, and be a witness

(4) Strive to live a righteous life and read the bible in order to know how
      Matthew 22:29

      "Jesus answered them, 'How wrong you are! It is because you do not know the Scriptures or God's power.'"

(5) Make it your goal to speak only words of love, faith, hope, blessing, and encouragement to others and to yourself.
      Chinkee Tan, author of the book Till Debt Do Us Part, and For Richer and For Poorer shared a very practical yet very powerful way of answering the question, "How are you?" His recommended answer is, "I'm good! But I know it will become better!"

PS: If this message inspires and enlightens you then give praise to God for all the glory and honor belongs to Him alone...

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THE BIBLE: The Ultimate Guide to Life

When I was still working in one of the design and manufacturing companies in MEZ1, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines, I accidentally plugged a 110V Agilent digital multimeter to a 220V AC power line in the wall. The tester lit up for a second and then went dead.

In our christian walk, there were times when we try to do the same -- plod away without reading the instructions first.

A common example of this is a christian who after a personal encounter with God, still high with the inner peace and spiritual joy from the experience, eagerly made the first step in the great race of life, only to find out later on that he lose that special feeling of closeness to God, the desire to serve Him, the inner peace, and joy. He was falling back to his old ways, he was off tracked.

Why does situation like this happened? Aren't we suppose to be spiritually strong after we are saved?



We are like babies in spirit
Peter 2:2,3

Be like newborn babies, always thirsty for the pure spiritual milk, so that by drinking it you may grow up and be saved. 

After we are saved, we are like babies in spirit, weak and in need of nourishment. This is what most christian failed to realize; with the sincere desire to love God, he set out to follow his examples only to become an easy prey to the many subtle traps of the enemy. He did not know that when he decided to follow Christ he won't be walking against air but against the wall of the enemy. If a man can't easily break a wall how much more can a child be. If a baby will tackle a bull by it's horn, you don't expect him to win, don't you?


Thirst and drink the spiritual nourishment regularly
What is the "ultimate" nourishment or milk that can make us grow strong in spirit?

The words of God.

Matthew 4:3,4
Then the devil came to him and said, "If you are God's Son, order these stones to turn into bread." But Jesus answered, "The scripture says, 'Human beings cannot live on bread alone, but need every word that God speaks.'"

Therefore, the urge to listen and read the words of God after you received your salvation is but normal and natural, much like a new born crave for milk. When you have this urge be happy and indulge with words of God by reading the scripture for your spirit will grow.

Food makes the body grow strong, the words of God make the spirit strong.


A strong spirit is strong in faith 

Romans 10:17

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

The christian who is strong in faith, is strong in spirit. But a strong faith can only be attained by knowing the words of God, and applying it consistently in the daily grind of life. How can you have faith in God when you don't even know Him well much his nature, ways and instructions?

Don't fool yourself into thinking that you will grow in your christian life without knowing, and putting into action the words of God. Doing so is like joining a 50km marathon when you are fully dehydrated and/or totally blind. Either you can't last against the every second subtle attacks of the enemy or you may still be running on but on the wrong path.


The bible is our ultimate guide to life
Joshua 1:8
"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."

Who wants to succeed and be prosperous in life here on earth, and attain eternal life thereafter?

I can see all of us raising our hands and feet with a big YES! Of course we all want to be successful. The good news is, God has revealed and laid out before us in the holy scripture (the bible) the secrets to success, be it in the physical or spiritual domain.

So the question now is, "Are you willing to devote a portion of your time to know the words of God through reading the bible or are you too busy working and enjoying the world to really care?" "Are you willing to put into practice what you know from reading the bible or are you more inclined to serve your own personal interest and continue following the ways of the world?"

If you are wise, you should follow the advice of Joshua.

Joshua 24:15

...As for my family and me, we will serve the Lord.

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REPENTANCE: The Start of a New Life

What is it like to repent?

The law of nature dictates that if you do something bad, bad things will eventually happen to you.

Eloy was an out-of-school youth. His neighbors and childhood friends grew up to be pick-pockets, snatchers, and drug users while Eloy followed her mother's advice and opted to live a straight life as a cigarette vendor, and jeep dispatcher.

One day, his mother got sick and she needed some medication. Whatever little money Eloy was able saved, were already spent. Upon hearing Eloy’s family situation, Lando, his childhood friend who followed a crocked path, invited him to go with his gang to earn some money. This time Eloy relented.

The group decided to rob a house under the protection of the darkness and stillness of the night. Eloy and the rest of the gang climbed to the two-storey house while Lando acted as the watchman. Unfortunately for the gang, the owner of the house was awaken by the noises they made, and alerted the barangay tanods in time before Eloy, and his companions were able to escape. All of them were captured, beaten and jailed except for Lando who was quick and smart enough to fleed.

If you were on Eloy’s shoes what would you feel? How would you react?

First, you will feel sorrow because of what happened to you. 
This is the most natural and universal first feeling. If bad things happened to us, we normally feel sad about our situation.

After the first reaction, the parting point between a winner and loser, between a person with a hopeful future and a person with a hopeless future, between a Godly person and a worldly person emerged.

Second, you will feel sorry.
A Godly person feels sorry that he disobeyed his God who loves him; a worldly person feels sorry that he got caught. See the big difference?

Third, you blame someone.
A Godly person blames himself for what happened to him; a worldly person blames somebody else. In the case of Eloy, he would blame Lando for inviting him and leaving him, the police, and the barangay tanod for beating and capturing him, if he is a worldly person.

Fourth, you make a resolve. 
In the case of Eloy he could make a solemn resolve to change, and not to repeat the mistake (sin) he has done; or he will vow to improve his skills, to be smarter next time, and never be caught again.


Fifth, you seek help. 
A Godly person repents, and asks for forgiveness from God, and from the people he offended, and ask God's help to change himself to be a better person; a worldly person feels not regret, sees nothing is wrong with what he is doing, and seek to network with people who can help him improve his trade.

Yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow lead you to repentance…Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. – 2Corinthians 7:9-10

In every day, hour, minute and second in our life, we are in a crossroad; to think, speak and act the Godly way or the other way. And God in His infinite wisdom gives us the power to choose. What we (physical and spiritual) become from that point on, depends on the choices we make now.

When you disobey God, and sin, the only right choice is to repent – feeling sorry for offending a loving God, resolve not to make the same mistake again, ask for God’s mercy and forgiveness, and live a new life.

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LORDSHIP: Following the Road Signs

After we experienced the joy of receiving our salvation, and made a commitment to follow God, to our disappointment, we still find ourselves tempted and easily fall into the same sin. We start to wonder if we really did receive salvation from God, and if we are really reconciled with Him. Aren’t we supposed to always feel close to God? Aren’t we supposed to not fall to the same sin anymore?

If you fell this way, don't worry it's normal. And don't worry, there's a cure.


SALVATION IS BEING ON THE RIGHT TRACK

When we accept the salvation that God offered to all of us we literally moved from the wrong lane in life to the right track, from the wrong direction (the ways of the world) towards the right direction (God’s way).

But like a car, we can easily be sidetracked to the wrong lane, towards the wrong direction, doing our old ways all over again.

How can we avoid this from happening? What's the cure?


ACCEPTING JESUS AS LORD, MASTER AND SAVIOR

We can only stay on the right track, on the right direction by accepting Jesus Christ as our lord, and by following His ways. We need to strive hard to follow Jesus' ways and examples.


THE ULTIMATE SHEPHERD

When we accepted Christ as our lord, He became our shepherd, and we became His sheep. Before we got saved, the prince of the world was more or less our shepherd.

What is the difference between Jesus and the enemy?

The ways of the world will lead us towards misery, dissatisfaction, cursed life, empty happiness whereas Jesus will lead us toward a life full of blessings, graces, and ultimately salvation.

John 10:10-11
The thief (refers to the enemy and the ways he promoted in this world) comes only in order to steal, kill and destroy. I have come in order that you might have life – life in all its fullness. I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep.


WHAT LORDSHIP SHOULD MEAN TO US?

Luke 6:46
Jesus said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’’ and do not do what I say?”

To accept Jesus as our lord is to welcome Him not only in our spiritual life but in every aspect in our life – marriage, parenthood, work, business, finances, relating to others, etc. Not only that, we have to follow Jesus ways, teachings and examples in all aspects in our life. Then and only then we can say that Jesus is our lord.


PUT JESUS IN THE PICTURE ALWAYS

When we receive our salvation, and when we accept Jesus as our lord and savior, temptations, problems, and difficulties will still come along the way. In short, the old events in our life may still come but when we truly accept Jesus as our lord, this time our response will be different. This time our response is in accordance to God’s way, and hence, the outcome will be different – better to exact. Below is a simple equation developed by Dr. Robert Resnick, a psychotherapist in Los Angeles, which we can use to explain this.

E + R = O
(Event + Response = Outcome)

Before: Temptation + Do what most people do (sin) = Lack of peace, true happiness, curses (a taste of hell)

After: Temptation + Do what the Lord Jesus recommends (obedience) =  Peace, bliss, blessings, graces (a taste of heaven)

1 Corinthians 10:13
Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.

Before when you face temptation, problem, and difficulties, you only see yourself facing the problem. And the problem most of the time is so big that you felt overwhelmed.

Now that you accept Jesus as your lord and savior, you will still face the same big problem but this time put Jesus in the picture – beside you to be exact. He is just there encouraging you and giving instructions (wisdom and knowledge). And at times He gives you rest and He will fight in your behalf.


WHAT OUR RESPONSE SHOULD BE?

Proverb 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything that you do, and He will show you the right way.

We can only follow Christ as our shepherd, and our Lord when we put our TRUST in Him. We trust God by faith. We put substance into our faith by following His ways, by making Jesus as the Lord of all aspects of our life.

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SALVATION: Finding the Right Path

Do you feel that your life has no real meaning and purpose? As if you are inside a tunnel, moving in a breakneck speed but you do not know where you are heading, and you can’t see a way out? There’s a deep longing in your heart but the things and excitement the world can offer cannot satisfy you in the long run?


SIN SEPARATES US FROM GOD

The cause of eternal separation between God and man is sin. Sin is disobedience to God with or without your knowledge.




Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our lord.

My friend, you are not longing for someone or something from this world. You are really longing for your God. Only by returning to Him and reestablishing relationship with Him will you feel complete again.


THE JUSTICE OF GOD DEMANDS A SACRIFICE FOR MAN’S SIN

Since God is holy, righteous and just, He could not allow sin to go unpunished.

Being sinners we cannot go directly to God who is holy not because God doesn’t want us to go to Him but because it’s the consequence of sin.

In the Old Testament, the Jews offered the blood of birds, goats, lamb, etc. as sacrifices in their worship to God.


The blood acted as a substitute for their own blood because as sinners they are not worthy of God. This was their way of purifying themselves before God.


JESUS PAID THE PENALTY FOR OUR SINS

Since He is loving and compassionate, He did not want all of mankind to be eternally separated from Him. The divine solution to this problem was for Jesus, God’s only son, to become the sacrificial lamb for our sin.

Romans 3:25
God offered Him (Jesus), so that by His blood He should become the means by by which people’s sin are forgiven through their faith in Him (Jesus).




What happened on the cross? Jesus took our place and our punishment. He exchanged his righteousness for our sin. He took our curse and gave us His blessing. Because of His sinless life, He was the only one qualified to pay the penalty for man’s sin and bridge the gap between God and man.


SALVATION IS A GIFT FROM GOD

How can I attain salvation?

First and foremost, salvation is not the result of our good works but it is a gift from God. We don’t deserve to be saved but God saved us anyway.

Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.

By the death of Jesus in the cross, we are given a way to reconcile with God. What was not possible before becomes possible through Jesus.

Roman 10:9-10
If you confess (with your mouth) that “Jesus is lord” and believe that God raised Him from the death, you will be saved. For it is by our faith that we are put right before God; it is by our confession that we are saved.



The starting point of finding meaning and purpose is life starts with our reconciliation with God. The death of Jesus did not automatically saved us but instead it establishes a path for us to be reconciled with God and hence be saved. The door is open and Jesus is at the entrance always inviting us to enter and journey with Him.

From this point on, what will happen to your life and that of your love ones will depend on your response to His invitation today.

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Simple Guide to Getting Started in Following Christ

Being an engineer by profession, it is but natural for me to find a logical process or methods in doing things. When it comes to my relationship with my God, I tried to follow the five steps elaborated by Steve Murrell in his booklet One2One.

I am sharing this because I believe that this will help you get started in the right direction or improve your relationship with Christ, in the same way that it helped me. Btw, the five steps can be easily remembered by the keeping in mind the word "START". Here we go.


S (STOP)

Stop trusting in yourself and your own good works, and start trusting in Christ alone for salvation.

For it is by grace you have been saves, through faith -- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast. --Ephesions 2:8,9


T (TURN AWAY)

Turn away from everything the Bible calls sin.

Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscriptions: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness". --2Timothy 2:19


A (ATTEND)

Attend a small group for personal discipleship and weekly worship services.

...not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another -- and all the more as you see the Day approaching. --Hebrew 10:25


R (READ)

Read and obey your bible everyday.

Keep this book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. --Joshua 1:8


T (TELL)

Tell others about your new relationship with Christ.

Jesus did not let him, but said "Go home to your people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people are amazed. --Mark 5:19, 20

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