ISAIAH

Recently the book of Isaiah has been lingering on the idea of curses and woes. It nearly reaches the 30th chapter and yet it still calls Jerusalem and Ephraim out on their rebellion, blindness and disobedience. It seems to be a long period of darkness and pain for the reader to read through the history of the Israelites' disobedience against God and the suffering the righteous people had to experience as a result of their rebellion. As believers, we (at least I did) may ask where is God's deliverance in this chaos? Why are those who are holding onto God's righteousness not delivered? Why do their act of trust in God does never seems to be enough for God to do something?? Where is God's deliverance?

Hope and restoration awaits the rebellious Israelites as they about to receive grace and mercy from the living God in the later chapters in the book. This seeming delayed response of God calls for perseverance for God's righteous and choosing His wisdom and laying down one's own. It calls on patiently waiting on God. Strength will rise for each one that will faithfully wait on His deliverance.It has definitely and continues to be a season of dry lands and curses and woes as I crave for godliness in my surroundings. I am not sure what I can do without resolving to running on my own strengths and will. How can I become a true monument of His grace through every action when all I see sometimes are darts being throw to His name. How do I deal with a faint heart that have seen this extremely this tainted world. I am definitely excited to read on.

'' Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honour Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandments of men, Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work Among this people, A marvelous work and a wonder, For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.''

Isaiah 29:13,14

A challenge becoming an opportunity

Challenges upon challenges, is this what life on earth is just about? All I know that I know is that my life in Teacher`s College at UWO right now has been ringing well with one too many of these. Challenges. Time and time again I find myself battling against the waves of despair that rises higher over me, telling me I am going to fail and this time it will crush me. People find it hard to see through my sugar coating shell. My profs, my mentor teachers, my advisors and even my friends in the program. But the matter of fact is that I am afraid when I know for the very first time that I might not have what it takes to pass my program and find my dream career. The challenge of professional school finally hit me when I realized that it is no longer undergrad.

Things have not been rainbows and unicorn at all with practicum, frankly speaking, but I am currently waiting longingly for my practicum -redo- in May (3 weeks), then another one, (supposed to be my last one assuming I pass the one in May. :)

Having been so challenged for 2 previous practicum already. How do I proceed with confidence?

I have been encouraged by numerous barnabases to shift my eye of thinking - I had to start thinking of every challenge as from God no matter how dark the path may seem and how absent in the circumstance God may appear to be.

I had to start thinking of every challenge as an opportunity to grow because they are difficulties that make us stronger in the end.

9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
‎2 Cor 12:9

I have been overwhelmed with work and frustrated with various unjust situations my programs has put my friends through and yet again, His grace has carried me to the understanding that injustice is the result of a society today that does not know God. Yet God knows His sheep. Amidst discouragements knowing the contempt earthly masters can have in the real world, I believe in the ultimate master that hold everything together. He is just, loving and trustworthy. That is simply all I need to know.

Thank you for reading ;)

Your Love Never Fails -Chris Quilala / Jesus Culture

Food for Thought.

"Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise, risking more than others think is safe, dreaming more than others think is practical and expecting more than others think is possible."

Howard Schultz

Knowing Him as Baruch

Happy Boxing Day 2010 everyone!

I really haven't loved to be home so much as these Christmas Holidays! December 2010 is a time I will remember, truly reminise about years after because it's been that much of a blessing. Dad in Heaven, thank You! <3

It's already half way the bench mark of my program in London. UWO Education Program at Althouse, frankly not what I'm most fond of, but God has been more then merciful throughout the course of my studies and LABOURING practicums (seriously labouring) the past 4 months. wow :)

God has put me through and in discomfort, living with different people and working under countless authorities to show me how good He REALLY IS. It's one of the most grateful things this holiday season to realize that! What highlight! :D The downside of this would be having hopelessly and bitterly wallowed in ungratefulness and homesickness for over one month before coming back to T.O. God had so graciously comforted me the moment I stepped foot home, reminding me of what is truly important in my life. Just last Wed. I met up with Pastor Sarah from New Hope Church in downtown Toronto (the most life giving and heart pouring transparent godly conversations I've ever had seriously <3>

I shared about reading a called 'Faith Enough to Finish - by Jill Briscoe'. I explained to her about how my life resembled defeat more than victory in Him because I have let the devil take hold of my life and He's been trampling ALL OVER it at the weakest moments in my life of these 4 months in London. Being in close proximity with certain people can be very tough, but as I experienced all that, I found myself full of excuses for waddling hopeless despair rather than asking God for help . Like Baruch in the book of Jeremiah in the Bible, in my mind honestly, I subconsciously gave up on believing that God even existed in my poor circumstances let alone fight the devil. In the book it quoted that 'we would rather live in defeat rather than asking God for help.' Pastor Sarah reminded of which completely began to change how I approached my faith. She said: ' To live is to know God'. It is to understand the possibility to life only through the work and presence of His Holy Spirit. what it means to allow our old self to be crucified with Christ and have Christ's life shine through you. Christ's life aught not to shine through only on glorious Sundays but everyday of following Him. I have been living in defeat for the longest time 2 months ago, self-righteously working out ways to be a blessing to extremely difficult people. My past mentality of being a blessing had been to force myself to love without God who is the full embodiment of love from the BEGINNING. I was reminded that I aught to decrease so that God can increase as He loves through me. I have to let go even of my intentions to love my roomate and let God's plan unfold. I don't know what He does until He does it so because love is a commandment for me only to glorify Him, I need to ONLY be a channel of His love to whoever God has placed in my life at a given time as my neighbour. My trap and I'm sure it is for most of us selfishly ambitious people is to do great things through God but it's wrong. Us fulfilling ourselves is heresy. What God wants more than anything is for Him to do great things through us. It is His heart and mind we adopt. Not our own.

The journey of seeing God's hand in this is detrimental but it is more than a blessing to finally understand what it means when (God says) do not fear for I am with you; do not be afraid for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

- Isaiah 41:10

I'm beginning to know Him.

what a timely reminder to be thankful, to reflect on hope, on freedom. This is what this season is about it! Thankful, hopeful and free because of what Jesus came to do.

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year 2011 everyone!!! :)

Amazing things God promises to His people in Psalm 145

.a life of praise as a lifelong response to a relentlessly loving God. This is the way He loves us.

Psalm 145

A Praise of David.

¹ I will extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
² Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
³ Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.

⁴ One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
⁵ I^{a]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]} will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And on Your wondrous works.^{b]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[b]}
⁶ Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
⁷ They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.

⁸ The LORD is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
⁹ The LORD is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.

¹⁰ All Your works shall praise You, O LORD,
And Your saints shall bless You.
¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
¹² To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.^{c]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[c]}

¹⁴ The LORD upholds all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
¹⁶ You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

¹⁷ The LORD is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
¹⁸ The LORD is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
¹⁹ He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
²⁰ The LORD preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
²¹ My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.