Loud and Clear

"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known."

-Jeremiah 33:3- 

   It just mesmerizes me at the thought that God truly speaks to us. He knows us from the inside out and He communicates with us in a unique and very personal way. He is faithful to His promise when He told us in Jeremiah 29:13 that says, "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." 

    During my quiet times with the Lord in prayer and in reading His Word, He has been constantly telling me to put Him first above anything else; to seek Him first before anything and anyone else, and to embrace the suffering that could entail in my intimacy with Him. 

    I submit to you friends, that just like any other Christian ladies, I am also waiting for life's complement. I am also yearning to have a partner whom I will share my passion to worship and service to God with. I have been praying for a godly man, a kingdom appointed one. Guess I wasn't that mutant or GB (God's best)-idea-proof after all. I didn't get away with that certain longing in my heart. So to speak, I am also one of the "ladies in waiting". God spoke to me last night regarding this during my devotion time. He spoke to me through Psalm 146:3 that says, "Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation." That verse made me realize that my joy, sense of fulfillment and security lies to Him and Him alone and never will be to men. It reminded me that I should feel contented for He has already made me whole and alive again. I was strongly reminded that I should put my trust not in "prince charming" nor to "knight in shining armor" but in the Kings of kings and Lord of lords who is sovereign over everything and everyone. 

    God has been constantly reminding me since my 25th birthday that before I long for a human love, I have to saturate my life under his over-consuming love first. I may feel that I am ready, but God says over and over that it has to be me and Him alone first. He is still in the business of pruning me so that I could bear much fruit in the future and by that time, He has made me perfectly fit for the man He has chosen for me even before I have been conceived. 

    One night I had a dream. A dream of a guy in white, who was happily ministering to my cousins and younger relatives. It was so surreal and vivid. The dream ended up with me walking with that guy in white on a shore. I could relate the walking on a shore scene to my dream wedding which is a sunrise wedding by the beach.  Few weeks later, I came across Habakkuk 2:3 that says, "For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie.If it seems slow, wait for it, it will surely come; it will not delay." That verse left my mouth agape for its message was crystal clear. Time and again the Lord told me, "Wait upon Me". 

    God speaks in whispers. He speaks to us in a still small voice; but if we unplug ourselves to the outer voices of this world, we would actually hear that still small voice of God-- loud and clear. Loud and clear enough for you to ponder about it and to adhere and live out what it says. 

      

Prayer Warrior Chronicles: The Ten Things I Love about Brand New Retreat

The recently concluded B1G South Singles retreat entitled "Brand New" was a success all by God's immense grace. Around 168 singles spent their time in this life-changing and God-honoring event in a breath-taking and relaxing site in Mt. Makiling Recreation Center in Laguna, August 16-18.

I joined the retreat as a participant and a volunteer at same time, under the banner of Single's Prayer Team. This has not been my first time to attend a single's retreat. But each retreat that I attended, God never failed to speak to me in different circumstances, in a different light and perspective. Allow me to share the things that I love about this retreat in a point of view of an intercessor or prayer warrior.

1. It led me closer to the Lord as He taught me how to be more sensitive to the things around me and be more vigilant in prayer.

    

     I have been a member of prayer team of B1G South Singles for almost three years now, but I have to admit that there were times that my zeal in praying somehow fades or diminishes. I took prayer before as an obligation and part of my job in the ministry. But God shed light to me on this. He made me realize that prayer is actually His grand invitation for me so that I could spend an alone time with Him. 

    I have always been an observant but during the retreat, I have become more sensitive to the people and things around me. I was always on the look for the things and people that I needed to pray for. God awakened my senses so that He could make me a proactive intercessor. 

2.The battle and the work is not ours but of God; but we should be responsible to partake the task that He has entrusted to us to fulfill.

    I have a type A kind of personality and it affects me whenever I do not meet certain requirement or do not attain what I have in mind. I get easily frustrated when it seems that my efforts seem futile; whenever I don't get positive outcomes or results. But during this retreat, God reminded me, that the work is not mine alone but His. He opened my mind to let go of the things which I could not change. I thought, that's the end of the lesson that He has for me, but I got it all wrong. As I began to lay down all my cards and let God do everything, He reminded me that He has called me to a greater purpose. He reminded me of who I am in Him and that is, I am His slave, and He is my Master. I am to partake in His great commission in making Him known to others. It reminded me that yes, the battle and work is of God, but I am also a partaker of His works as well. 

3. Exude that overflowing love of God to others by interceding for them.

 During the retreat, I had to seize each opportunity to talk to random people and ask them how they find the messages and ask them for prayer requests so I could pray for them personally. I wasn't only a prayer warrior; I was a friend, and a sister to everyone I encountered during the retreat. In that small gesture, I have exuded the love that God has for me, to them. 

4. We are invincible when we are on our knees in prayer.

      The retreat was tiresome I must say, but I did not mind it at all. Prayer team had to stay up late at night to spend time to huddle as a group and in reflection and corporate intercession. Though it could entice my body to go to bed and sleep, while we were on our knees, I looked past being sleepy. Instead, it made me stay sober-minded. I felt invincible physically as I prayed , but all the more, it made me cling on to the original power source and that is God. I am privileged that I could just tell anything to Him in a very intimate manner such as prayer. I am humbled but at the same time, I felt invincible. 

    

5. The story of Salvation always teaches me brand new things each time I listen to it.

      I was a church-oriented kid back then since I was technically raised by my grandmother who is active in church. I learned the story of salvation at a young age; accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior during my teenage years; and attended a couple of retreats and camps since elementary. But God is just so amazing that He eradicates all of my preeminent knowledge of Him and makes me feel brand new each time. He leads me back to the story of the Calvary's Cross. He constantly humbles me that it doesn't matter if I already heard the gospel for the nth time, because He reminds me that His story never gets old. It constantly gives me a lesson to learn and to apply in my life. And Brand New retreat was one of those great reminders of  God to me. 

6. The gravity of God's sacrifice on the Calvary's cross is greater than the gravity of the temptation for me to give in to sin.

    Before the retreat, I was combating against temptations which I am not proud of telling anyone in full detail. I was delving in my faults, in my grievous, and innermost faults. I was calloused to the point that I could hardly get away with it. My heart was not completely right and aligned with the Lord. But God is just so gracious, by leading me back to the CROSS, I was reminded that His sacrifice, His pain, His struggles on that cross are way way greater than the temptations and sins. He took it all for me. During the Brand New retreat, I was reminded immensely of the weight of God's sacrifice that He had to shed His blood to atone me of my sins. I was reminded how selfish I was to easily give in to temptation and unconsciously bringing Jesus back to the Calvary's Cross all over again. 

7. I can sense direction, purpose, wisdom, and peace as I spend an alone time with God in prayer.

    I learned during our morning devotion led by Brother John Wilson Nuñez, that in my innermost prayer closet, it is not I who just speaks to God. He also speaks to me. Mark 1:35-39 tells about Jesus preaching in Galilee. Jesus devoted his time early in the morning while the sky was still dark. He departed and went to a desolated place and prayed. That time, he barely took a night's rest because of his ministerial work. He prepared himself to the Lord and prayed. Then Simon Peter saw him, he told Jesus that everyone was looking for him. Means to say that there were still a lot of people who were lining up and waiting for Jesus to heal them. But Jesus told Peter that they must go to the next towns. Then he went throughout all Galilee , preaching in their synagogues, and casting out demons. He did all of those things right after he sought the Lord in prayer.After his communion with God in his prayer, he sensed direction, purpose, and wisdom. It also happened to me during the retreat. After I've had my quiet moments and prayer times with God, I got a clearer vision of my purpose why I was actually in the retreat.  

8. Fellowship with fellow believers and servants of God is such a sight to see.

     Being with friends is a whole lot of fun but being in fellowship in the family of Christ could just get any better! It's so nice to see every group of singles who shares the same interests, and have the same passion---JESUS! From the Brand New Games, up to the Fellowship night, my heart was just so joyful to see every one hugging each other, sharing their life testimonies, saying nice things to one another. That's a sight to see. 

9. A warm smile melts the cold heart. 

    One of the things that I like from the retreat aside from the messages, breakout sessions and food, is the SMILE of everyone. Whenever I went, whoever I encountered, I just couldn't help but smile too because everyone has this sweet smile on their faces. It made it easier for me to approach them and ask if I could pray for them. It also made it easier for me to make friends. Their smiles are just so welcoming :) 

10. Accountability group like Dgroup is such a gemstone.

    Lastly, I thank the Lord for the Brand New Retreat and for the group I belong with. We may come from different backgrounds, different lifestyles, and professions, but God made us one. I love how God orchestrated and placed each of us in a break out group. He is just so amazing! He knows exactly who would click with. I love the breakout discussions after each message, and other bonding moments among our group. I love our bond and in a short span of three days and two nights together, it seemed as if we've known each other for so long. The breakout group discussion helped me to get to know the girls in my group better. We also have the time to pray for one another and to show affection and sisterly love to one another. It is a rare find to have friends who could actually accept you for who you are and who would listen to you without judgement. Only the love of God can do that and it exuded among us. I am an only girl among my two guy siblings and so I long for a girl companion. My mom has been my best friend and she still is, but having friends with my same age group is another thing. And I am so glad that the friends whom God gave me are G.A.N.D.A (Gracious and Nice Daughters of Abba Lord). They are my gemstones! 

There are a lot of things to love about Brand New Retreat. If I'll go over all of them, that would be too numerous to count. So I just leave you with ten. :) 

Tell the World that Jesus Lives!

This week has been the season for many Christians to commemorate the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Today, we celebrate the resurrection of Christ from the grave. He is truly an expert of three emptiness-- an empty life, an empty cross, and an empty tomb. Those manifestations of emptiness turn out to be the fulfillment of the prophecy even during the Old Testament times. It is indeed true that Christ our Lord is a transcending God-- who was, and is, and is to come! 

Matthew 28:1-10 tells us about the resurrection of Christ. Let us read through this passage and ponder on the following reflections later. 

Jesus Has Risen

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

In the first few verses, it has been mentioned that it was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary who have seen Christ--three days after His death. During that time under the Jewish tradition, women and children did not count as a significant figure in a community. They were futile individuals, they were not given huge responsibilities. They lived in a patriarchal society wherein men were dominant over them. And in this passage, it is significant to know that the first to witness the resurrection of Christ were the humble women. They were the first to capture the meaning of hope and joy brought by God's resurrection from the grave. It simply implies that God reveals Himself to those who have humble hearts and spirits just like what Mary Magdalene and the other Mary have exuded. 

Matthew 28:7 it says, "Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”. In this verse, it shows that Jesus' command to the women was urgent when He said, "go quickly", "now I have told You". And I find amusing how the women responded to His command on verse eight that says, "So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. The women responded immediately with trembling yet filled with joy in their hearts. They abruptly obeyed. It dawned on me that if I am really in awe of God and I honor and glorify Him, I would immediately obey His commands and His directions for my life. But at times, due to my egocentric nature, I do things in my own terms; I do not take heed of His Words, instead I follow my foolish and erroneous instincts then when things fall apart, I get back at Him--blaming Him and ranting to Him every mess I'm going through which I myself have caused. How about you, how do you obey God's command? Is it immediate or delayed? Is it in full or in partial? Friends, it is good to be reminded that obedience to God should be 100%--at once, and at all cost. Partial obedience and delayed obedience will always boil down to disobedience. 

Upon learning that Jesus is alive and that He resurrected from the grave, now what's next and where to go? 

Acts 1:8 says, 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” As believers of the resurrected Christ, we should tell the world that He lives and the power of the Holy Spirit will dwell among and within us. We should be witnesses of Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria of today. Each land represents an area where we live our lives. 

Jerusalem is the center of Christianity.Jerusalem represents our home. How do we show that Jesus is the resurrected Lord in our homes? Our true character is being reflected when we our in the confinements of our homes. It's easy to act or behave like a Christian when we are at church, or when we are surrounded by godly people. But, if we're going to examine ourselves, are we proclaiming to the members of our household that Jesus is the resurrected Lord whom we worship with the way we treat them? 

Next, Judea (Bethlehem) is the birthplace of Jesus--the birth of Christianity. Judea represents the community we live by. how do we show that Jesus is the resurrected Lord in our lives? I remember an anecdote about two neighbors. It was Sunday afternoon then neighbor 1 asked neighbor 2 where he had been. Then neighbor 2 told neighbor 1 that he went to church. Neighbor 1 was surprised because he did not know that his neighbor was a Christian. How about you? Are you being like a secret agent too? Does your neighborhood know that you are a Christian? Do they know the kind of life you live by? Or you being a Christian is evident but is not convincing enough simply because you are lukewarm type of Christ's follower? 

Samaria, on the other hand, was a place where the half Jews lived (due to intermarriage, which I will be discussing some time in the future). Samaria represents the place of work and the school. How do we become witness of the resurrected Lord in our place of work? How do we deal with our colleagues? How's our work ethics? Upon reflecting on these questions it hit me to the core. I used to come to school for work very late. It dawned on me that, that habitual tardiness will tarnish my testimony as a Christian because I couldn't obey small and simple protocol such as keeping punctuality at work. I am a work in progress in that aspect and will do my best not to commit the same mistakes I did the previous school year. I am going to have a fresh start. How about you, is there something you need to start doing, stop doing, or keep on doing so that you could be a better testimony of the resurrected Lord Jesus? 

Lastly, the "through the ends of this world". If we go out of our comfort zones, how do we show to the world that Jesus is the resurrected Lord? Proclaiming to the world that Jesus is alive is one thing, but living the life to show that to world is another thing. But it is comforting thing to know that Jesus, who was able to withstand the snares of death is the same God who stands in our midst and is someone who strengthens us so that we could bear all things and do all things (see Philippians 4:13) just like testifying that He is the resurrected Lord of yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

Our Journey of Faith

(This is my message summary and reflection from Bro. Francis Tupaz’ message during the B1G Ministry Update last March 15, 2014)

“God’s faithfulness extends beyond our personal experiences. We must take a longer view of history”

Each of us has a faith journey. We have our own share of stories on how God has been and is being faithful and kind to us.

As a believer, I have men and women of faith that I look up to. I admire how faithful and persevering they are in running the race despite the innumerable life’s struggles that they are dealing with. As my approbation towards them grows, I realized that they are being faithful in their service not merely because of their own strength. It’s all because of God after all. It is still God who called them; it is God who sustains them; and it is God who reassures them of their calling.

Our journey of faith starts with the ever faithful God. Exodus 3:6 says, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”  It is somehow parallel to the verses from the New Testament such as Matthew and Acts. Matthew 22:32 says, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” And in Acts 7:32 “I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look” In these verses, God is speaking about His faithfulness—an unchanging God. A God who has been faithful to Abraham is the same God who has been faithful to Isaac and Jacob.  Regardless of how difficult times may be, God is still and will still be faithful. Sometimes, God uses our down moments because there were times when we’re doing smoothly well, we tend to focus on ourselves. Down times serve as a reminder for all of us that it’s actually not about us, it’s all about God.

Since I have mentioned the three significant men of faith, let us take a closer look on their faith journeys.

Abraham’s Journey of Faith

     Abraham was called by God straightforwardly. He gave His directions to Abraham enveloping it with His great promises to him. In Genesis 12: 31 it says, “The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless your name great and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you”. God commanded Abraham to go to a place which he has not gone to; but despite the uncertainty that entails God’s command, by faith, Abraham answered the call. Verse 4 says, “So Abram went as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran” Abraham could have said no to God’s call to him, but he didn’t. He chose to follow God despite the uncertainties that await him. How about you? How about us? Have you chosen to follow Jesus despite the hardships and uncertainties that abound us? Where lies our security? What holds us back to respond to God’s call?

Though Abraham had been a faithful servant of God, it doesn’t change the fact that he was still a mere human who have fallen short of God’s glory. He had also flaws. Genesis 12:10-13 says, “As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, ‘I know what a beautiful woman you are. When the Egyptians see you, they will say ‘This is his wife’ then they will kill me but will let you live. Say you are my sister, so that I will be treated well for your sake and my life will be spared because of you’. Wasn’t that just so coward of him? He rather chose to lie in order to spare himself from death pit. He had been coward, he had been a liar, he had been a sinner—just like you and me. But it is comforting thing to know that even though Abraham had been coward, He still chose to call Him. It’s a proof that God doesn’t call the qualified, rather, He qualifies the called because in our weaknesses, in our flaws, the glory and power of God will be magnified.

God had given Abraham great promises and Abraham held on to them. In Genesis 15:5-6 it says, “‘Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them, so shall your offspring will be.’ Abraham believed the Lord he credited it to him as righteousness”.  His faith in God was credited to Him as righteousness. It simply tells us that our service to God is not measured on how great or how little effort we exert. It’s the faithful heart, mind, and spirit that matters. Our full trust and dependence do not make us weak; they make us righteous.

Abraham’s faith had been put into test when he was compelled to offer his son Isaac as a living sacrifice to God. In Genesis 22:1-2 it says, “Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am”, he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” It says in these verses that Abraham was asked to sacrifice his only son, who he loved. It was such a tormenting and mind-boggling task for someone who yearned to have a son and then when he had it, he had to give it away.

Through that tough trial that Abraham had to face, he had been transformed. From someone who was so scared and flawed, he turned out to be a man full of faith in the Lord. Genesis 22:3-5 says, “Early the next morning, Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son, Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. He said to his servants, ‘Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you” He was willing to sacrifice the child whom he loved and longed for, so that he could fulfill what the Lord had asked Him to do. Bible scholars say that Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering because he believed that God would bring Isaac back to life. It simply tells us that Abraham knows his Father, he knows the God whom he was worshiping and serving. It says in Genesis 22:8 “Abraham answered, ‘God will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son” It dawned in me that knowing God and having a closer relationship with Him will enable to follow Him even if it means that I would be facing the uncertainties of life; even if it means taking a cup of suffering; even if it means losing what I treasure the most. I will surrender and I will follow because I know my God and my Father.

But God, as loving, merciful, and gracious as He is, he did not let Abraham sacrifice his own son to be a burnt offering. In Genesis 22:12-14 it says, “’Do not lay a hand on the boy,’ he said. ‘Do not lay anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son’. Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided” Just like us, we all have struggles and we our faith is being tested on a daily basis. But God is faithful, He doesn’t put us into a test which is beyond what we could bear. As it is written in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide away out so that you can endure it.”

ABRAHAM. From being a man who was flawed and scared, he then became a MAN of FAITH.

Now let’s take a closer look of Jacob’s faith journey. Jacob has been known as a deceitful and envious brother of Isaac. Because he wanted the positional birthright of his brother, he deceived him. But when he realized his indiscretions, he turned out to be a man who wrestled with God until God blessed him.

Abraham and Jacob. Both were regarded as men of faith. They were both flawed, sinners—just like you and I. They all had a personal encounter with God—just like you and I. They all had a life-changing encounter with God—just like you and I. And they were both blessed by God—just like you and I.

If we ask ourselves, how does God blessed me with? Is it merely on the tangible things? Earthly treasures? Personal pursuits?  Well, God is a gracious God and He is our Jehovah Jireh, a God that provides; and His grace is sufficient for all of us. But above all that. We should take the opportunity of knowing God as a blessing. Knowing God is a blessing that no amount could suffice.

We may have our own Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob whom we look up to as men of faith. We regard them as someone who is worthy to emulate. Many times we look up to those men and women of faith too much that we lose sight of the fact that it is God who is working in and through them. We may look up to them, but our faith should not lie solely to them, We should always yield on God’s faithfulness, because He is unchangeable, unshakeable, and unstoppable--- that’s what He is.

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”

–Deuteronomy 7:9-

Victory Amidst Trials and Temptations

“We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because he was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means.”  -C.S Lewis, Mere Christianity-

If you are battling with trials and temptations at this point in time, I'd want you to know that you are not alone. All of us are going through series of trials and putting on our full armor to combat temptations around us. Even Jesus himself had to overcome a temptation when He was being tempted by Satan and it is found in Matthew 4:1-11. Let's take this time to go over this passage: 

The Temptation of Jesus

4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,

“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,

    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,

    lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God

    and him only shall you serve.’”

11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Prior to Jesus' encounter with fallacious Satan, Jesus had been baptized first in the Jordan river. Baptism marked the beginning of Christ's ministries-- teaching, preaching, and healing. Like Jesus, just when we are about to begin to step up and work for God's ministry, we also hurdle trials and temptations. No one has a great immunity from life's snares. 

It's appalling to know that Jesus Christ, the Son of God and truly a God in itself had to undergo through a series of temptations of the enemy but to no avail, He was a victor. God was tempted by Satan in three aspects: 

First, Jesus had been tempted on the area of bodily appetite. In verse 3, Satan enticed Jesus to command the stones to become loaves of bread. But Jesus's response in verse 4 says,“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Christ's dependence to the Words of God the Father was truly evident in his response to Satan. He rebuked Satan by telling Him that "bread" alone won't keep a person alive, but rather, it is the "Bread of Life" that speaks to the heart of man that keeps one alive. How about you? How about us? Where lies our dependence? Is it on the physical pursuits, or to the Word of God? 

Second. Jesus had been tempted on the area of intellectual curiosity. In verse 5, the devil once again put Jesus to a test when he dared Him to jump off the pinnacle of the temple to see if the hands of the angels would really bear him up. Noticed that the devil even quoted the Word of God. The Bible tells us that we should be on guard on the enemies, for they are deceitful. They could use the Word of God to distort the truth and use it to their own advantage to deceive us. Matthew 7:15 says, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves".  


Jesus responded promptly to Satan saying, "‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’". The God that we worship is unshakable, unstoppable, and incomprehensible. The greatness of God should never be put to test by any circumstance and most of all, it should not be put to test by futile mortals like us. 


How could we combat the lies and deceits of the enemies? We should be equipped with the Word of God. Christ knows His Father and that knowledge that He has about His Father made His faith even firmer. We can be easily persuaded by the lies of the false teachers, but we will be able to discern them if we have a close relationship with God and if we immerse ourselves in His Holy Word. 


Third, Jesus was tempted in the area of personal ambition. For the third time, Satan attempted to lure Jesus with worldly treasures. In verses 8-9 the devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of this world and their glory. He even promised Jesus that he would give it all to Him if He would just get down on His knees and worship him. But God stood firm on His ground. He had not been allured by the kingdoms He had seen that the devil showed to him, but rather, with conviction He said to Satan, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,“‘You shall worship the Lord your God  and him only shall you serve.’” 

The unwavering faithfulness of Christ unto God the Father is something that all of us believers should emulate. Christ had been contented with what He had and remained faithful to God. Despite the multiple attempts of tempting Jesus, the devil did not prevail. We may find the offer of Satan appealing, and really really tempting that if we were Jesus we must have been on the verge on giving in. But Christ stood firm, and His faith had not been shaken.

How about us? How firm are we in our faith? If we were Jesus, could we ever possibly defeat Satan too just what Christ did? The answer is, YES. Yes, victory amidst temptation is possible!

Christian life may be tough, it may not always be lying on a bed of roses. At times, our service to God leads us to the cross but it is comforting to know that we shall find the glory and honor of God at the end of it all.

If you are in a middle of spiritual crisis right now due to the multiple temptations that are abounding you, keep in mind that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior had not just once or twice been tempted. He was tempted three times! But despite those multiple temptations, He won over the devil because He had faith in God the Father. Just like Him, we should be guarded too against the deceitful enemies. As it is written in 1 Peter 5:8 it says, "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour". 

If we are deeply troubled by the temptations and you're on the brink of giving in, always remember that God is a faithful and a loving God, He won't put us into a test which is beyond what we could bear. As it is written in 1 Corinthians 10:13 it says,  "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." He will help us endure and overcome temptation, all we need is to come up to Him in full humility. 

A life with and in Christ does not guarantee us a convenient life. It does not guarantee that we won't be experiencing trials and temptations in life. Rather, it is when we have this intimate relationship with God that our hurdles get tougher. But it is comforting to know that each trial that we face serves as our building blocks or stepping stones to a firmer faith to the Lord. As it is written in James 1:12-13 that says, Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 

When God is Silent

Have you ever had a feeling that God seems not to listen nor respond to your prayers? Have you thought and felt that God has been silent about your pains and life's struggles? 

When we persistently pray and our prayers seems to be unanswered, it's a natural inclination for us to feel that God is silent. When God is silent, we are upset, we are confused. 

Even David who has been regarded as the "Man after God's Own Heart" expressed his feelings about God's silence in his prayer found in Psalm 13:1-3 that says, "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?  How long will you hide your face from me?How long must I take counsel in my soul    and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,"

In his prayer, he asked God how long will He hide His face from Him; how long will he suffer from his enemies; and for how long will he ever feel the pain that he had been bearing in his heart all day. At some point, I have identified myself with David. I felt that way too. I asked God such questions whenever I feel that He's being silent towards me. Then I realized something. Often times, I lose sight of the omnipresent nature of God. I lose sight of the fact that there is no millisecond that He is not involved in my afflictions. He's being silent, but it doesn't mean that He does not care. Then it led me to some points to ponder whenever God is being silent. 

First, when God is silent, there's always a reason for it. God has a plan to prosper us and not to harm us, a plan to give us hope. When He's silent, He wants to teach us something or to reveal something on how we are going to live our lives. 

Second, one of the reasons for God's silence is the SIN in our lives. God is holy and divine and we are not. But because of His immense love for us, we were made righteous through the blood of Christ so that we may have a reunion with Him. But one thing that sets us apart from God is our sins---the habitual and unconfessed sins that hinder us to listen to the voice of God. 

Third, we ought to feel God's silence because we drown ourselves too much on the noise of the world. We are often deaf when it comes to the Voice of Truth because we are so caught up by the worldly noise around us. God might be speaking to us but because we are so focused on other things, we fail to take heed of what matters the most, and that is the voice of God. Ambition, luxury, leisure, and worldly pleasures are the ear plugs that block us from hearing the divine Words of the Lord. 

Given those three points about God's silence, here's the list of NOT to do when God is silent:

• Don't withdraw or walk away from following God. In David's prayer in Psalm 13:1-3, he went on saying, "But I have trusted in your steadfast love;    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation." (v.5). God's silence must not keep us away from Him, but rather, it should keep us closer with God. 
• Don't harbor doubt or offense and build a wall of resentment and resistance. 
• Don't embrace fear or anxiety. God has thousands of wonderful promises in stored for all of us. And His promises are all true! In Joshua 1:9 it says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” God may be silent at times, but it doesn't mean that He is not with us through it all. He is always on our side, so never embrace fear nor anxiety for God is love, and perfect love drives out fear. Be in the loving cradle arms of God even in the midst of His silence. 
• Don't try to help God and second guess Him by taking things into your own hands. Let God be God. His ways are unfathomable, His ways and His thoughts will never be the same as ours. Do not try to take things into your own hands because of your impatience towards His silence. Because it won't solve your predicaments, they will only get worse sooner or later. 

Though there are lists of things that we should not do when God is silent, I cannot give you the list on what to do when God is silent. Because there is no formula of what to do when God is silent. 

Silence is the door to God. He wants you to draw to closer to Him. Consequently, many of us think of God's silence as apathy.

 In the story of the death of Lazarus, Mary (sister of Lazarus) went to Jesus saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But God replied, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Upon knowing what happened to Lazarus, Jesus decided to stay for two days more where He was before. Then after two days, He urged His disciples to go to Judea with Him for He will be awakening a friend from a deep slumber. The disciples took literally what Jesus meant but later on He enlightened them about what He'll do to Lazarus. But when they came to Judea, Martha (also a sister of Lazarus), put the blame on Jesus for the death of her brother. In verse 21 it says, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died" Though she expressed her resentment to God about her brother's death, with faith, she went on saying, "But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you."

 Surprisingly, in verses 42-45 Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.  Healing the sick would be a great deed of Jesus for his beloved Lazarus, but raising Him from the dead was beyond majestic! God's silence and set back brought forth one the greatest miracles! The Bible tells it all. 

When you cannot hear God, He has entrusted you that you will bring closer to Him. When He is silent, you can say that God trusts you. God's silence is an indication of His intimacy with us. God's silence is a gift; and God is a God who never changes--not now, not today, not even in the days to come. Though at times He is silent, it doesn't make Him any less of a God. 

There is no formula to move God to speak because He is the God who is in control of everything and we can never out win Him, we can never manipulate Him. What we can do is to be still and know that God is God, and we are not. 

Let us practice solitude in times of God's silence. As the psalmist David wrote in Psalm 131, it says " O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high;I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.

But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me." 

Like David, let us calmly trust the Lord with a childlike faith. A faith that is characterized by humble dependency, calm, contentment, confident, trust, and unfailing hope-- even when God is silent. 

Something More from True+Life Retreat: Serving like Martha with a Heart of Mary

 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”- Jesus Christ- (Luke 10:41-42) 

 For a lot of singles from B1GSouth who were able to attend the recently concluded TrueLife Retreat held last November 28-December 1 in Rizal Recreation Center; they might find this verse somewhat irrelevant to the overall theme of the retreat which is God's immense love for humanity. But in light to a perspective of a volunteer during the retreat like me, this verse seemed to really fit. 

I was part of the Production Team during the retreat. I have done prod-ing before, it's a familiar ground for me. But with this retreat, God has revealed to me a lot of new things which I didn't know before. 

A week before the retreat, I was asked if I could join in the advanced party (preparation day), a day before the retreat proper. I was appalled and at the same time privileged that I was tapped for the task, so I said yes to it and committed my day setting up the backdrop for our stage design, brainstorming for the getting-to-know-you-activity, and other retreat stuff. Advanced party had been such a long day but fun-filled considering that I was serving a King with lovable and godly brothers and sisters in Christ as a company. It was indeed tiring---yet a blessing. 

Day 1 of the retreat came. I was happy to see my droup mates (family) who actually came to attend the retreat. I was so elated and was so looking forward to our breakout discussions together right after each message. But considering the nature of a prod person, I was always busy. My first breakout activity with my group was half-baked. I had to attend to other needs of the entire retreat that concerns the Production Team. It was an eventful day I must say. My mantra at that time were, "outstretch" and "coolay" (cool and okay). We had to deal with the paradigm shift regarding the program schedule. But praise God, by His grace, He carried us through. Day 1 was a testing water for the facilitators, dgroup leaders, speakers, and volunteers. But God's sufficient grace poured out in each of us.  

Although all was well, a part of me was troubled. Truth be told, it felt as if I was not experiencing what I needed to experience because I was too busy prod-ing. It felt as if I've been missing something, and I find it ironic. I decided to join the retreat because I was looking forward to see what I've been missing but then, it seemed that during the retreat, I've been missing a lot. Missing quality time with my dgroup, missing witnessing life's testimonies on how God had transformed their lives; missing the heart of worship; missing my quality time with Him, alone. 

During our team huddle, we had a deal that there would be messages and breakout sessions which we would be missing out on the second day because we had to prepare for the True Moments (Recreational Activity) and for the True Bonding (free-flowing-fellowship). However, we could still join the dawn watch and have a personal devotion or quality time with God. I was hesitant to agree upon it. I asked the team if I could join even in the breakout discussion. They were diplomatic and gracious enough, they allowed me to do so, but still, I felt so stuffy inside. I didn't want to miss any of the messages, neither the breakout discussions. But responsibility knocks in, and I had to toe the line.

First night of the retreat came in. I was able to listen to message 2 care of Kuya Francis Gerald Tupaz. I also got to join in the breakout discussion. After that, we had our volunteers' huddle when we would share the things for improvement. I was able to do things at hand at that time but my inner senses were battling in. I was troubled deep down, and I couldn't even process it and break those mixed emotions into pieces. Then I went to the tree house to join the prayer huddle of the prayer team. Before we started interceding for the retreat matters, we had our sharing. Then, at that moment, I just slipped. I poured my heart out to my fellow intercessors. I told them I was feeling like a "Martha" (Martha was a sister of Mary who was busy preparing something to eat for Jesus and His men. See Luke 10:38-42). I was busy with a lot of things that it felt as if I was missing out something. But of course, since I embraced the tasks as a prod-person, I had to be ready for some adjustments.

But by God's grace, He granted me peace. He provided me clarity in the midst of the blurriness I was battling with. My brothers and sisters from the prayer team gave me sound and godly advice. One of the things that etched in my mind, heart, and spirit that they told me was, God looks at the heart. It doesn't matter if I was doing my tasks in prod team and missing some of the retreat activities or messages for as long as my heart is set for the Lord, He will still be honored and glorified. 

In Martha's case, she was busy, and at the same time, she was complaining. She only did things because she thought it's important. Sure thing it was, but what she failed to understand is that serving the Lord should give her great joy. The reason why Mary was more favored was that she knew what was more important and that was to seek the Lord.

When I was younger, I thought being busy doing ministerial tasks could make me become like Martha. But God has revealed to me something more than what I understood before. He taught me that I can still glorify Him even in the midst of my huddle moments for as long as my eyes and my heart are fixed on Him. I have realized that I could serve like Martha yet having a heart of Mary. My hands can get busy, but my heart and my spirit must be focused only on the Lord. That's what true service is all about.

There are a lot of things that God had taught me in this retreat. This is just a part of the many revelations He had for me. There's truly something more in TrueLife retreat.