Daily Talk

"You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness."
~ 1 Peter 2:2-3

What better time to talk with my son but every morning as we sit down and have breakfast together before him, going to school?

This morning was one of those ordinary moments. Digging his fork into the toasted flesh of his hot hashbrown, I took a sip of caffeine from my red mug and took a breath.

"Kristian, I just want you to know, that as you have more independence and learn more things, you are more than welcome to speak with me and daddy if you encounter any problems. You can approach us anytime if you need help. Or if you just want to talk."

"I know, mom," he replied as he savored the potato.

"And in any thing that you plan, please remember to pray about it and always include the Lord with your plans," I added.

"Yes, mom," he smiled as he reached for his glass of milk and was careful not to leave a white mustache.

"I love you, mom" he uttered. He got up and gave me a hug. That's a daily occurrence among us, him and I, and his daddy.

"I love you very much, Kristian," I replied.

Life is rushed. Evident with time, like sand slipping through our fingers. Evident with the years that had gone by and the once small toddler I helped was becoming more independent and grown up.

I am grateful. Everyday. To be reminded by my Father Whose Word echoes each and every morning as we feast together. Just Him and I. The reminder and assurance of His faithful love that He wants me etched in my heart. That I can approach Him anytime, anywhere when I encounter some trials, be they small or big. Or simply, just to talk.

Because each day is a reminder of how fleeting this life is. And what a waste to spend each day not choosing to hear His Word. Continuing to live sinful lives. Sins that block people's visions of God. For sins and God do not mix. He is a Holy God.

I treasure this everyday talk with my son as I treasure my daily talk with my Father. Ordinary moments? No! I don't think so anymore. As I ponder and realize that as a citizen of the heavenly Jerusalem that is to come, this fellowship with the Holy Spirit enables us to experience the Father's faithful and unfathomable love. Through Jesus, I am able to approach His throne of grace. Anytime. Anywhere. And that's what He wants. Because of Jesus, He turned my ordinary life into an extraordinary one!

For Abba Father is not only a disciplining kind of Parent but also a lifetime Coach Who pushes us to our limits and wants us to live our lives disciplined. There are times I will fail. I have limitations. But because of Christ, He is the One Who will help me get through and accomplish my total victory. It is His strength, not mine that helps me win. It is His Word that guides my path as I grow more mature. It is Him Who gave me the true meaning of independence, apart from this world's beliefs and systems.

For that, I am a blessed child of God, And I am forever indebted to Christ. And I love Him. But you know what? He loved me first!





I Am Blessed [Rachel Lampa]

Verse 1:

I may never climb a mountain so I can see the world from there
I may never ride the waves and taste the salty ocean air
Or build a bridge, that would last a hundred years
But no matter where the road leads
One thing is always clear

Chorus:

I am blessed, I am blessed
From when I rise up in the morning
Til I lay my head to rest
I feel You near me
You soothe me when I'm weary
Oh Lord, for all the worst and all the best
I am blessed

Verse 2:

All along the road less traveled, I have crawled and I have run
I have wandered through the wind and rain until I found the sun
The watching eyes asked me why, I walked this narrow way
I will gladly give the reason
For the hope I have today
(chorus)

Bridge:

You've given me joy
You've given me love
You give me strength when I want to give up
You came from Heaven to rescue my soul
This is the reason I know
I know
(chorus)

I have linked this post with Spiritual Sundays. Please head on over  there if you want to soak in His Word and love, emitted by fellow brothers and sisters. This is a warm place to visit, hosted by sisters Charlotte and Ginger.

This Is How You Know Me

"When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth." - Ephesians 3:14

I haven't gone to work for almost 2 weeks, so nothing exciting yet that I could share with you from the prison. This morning, as I was praying, I asked the Lord, "How do people know You Lord?"

Images of pyramids, tower of Babel, tall churches, and rich possessions flooded my mind.

Tower of Babel

And this was what I heard:

"For so many years, people have been striving to build those, thinking they can reach Me by doing so. Or if they have accepted Me, have used the talents I have given them and become successful, they think that's how it works to have a relationship with Me."

"Look down, not up, My child. That is how you know Me. Look to the ground. Look at the bottom of your heart."

After dropping off my child at school, I was so anxious to know more. The intensity of this truth growing wild, ready to explode like a volcano. The reality of what the Lord said. So opposite and so high from man's wisdom, yet so simple...

"Look down..."

"Bow down..."

"Stay humble..."

"Know humility..."

"That's how you know Me..."

Farmers must know that. As they grow things from the ground. The hard labor it takes for them to grow their crops. They need to be patient. They need to be strong. They must learn to trust and lean on God more as the seasons abruptly change, affecting the outcomes of their harvest. That they must be thankful no matter what the outcome of their harvest is. Learning to rely on God, strengthening their character through all the trials they go through from seeing their fields of grains or whatever crops they are growing...

I remember my grandmother's story about the rice, the staple food in Asian nations. That whenever the rice is coming out, growing up, and when the grains are becoming heavy, as they reach a higher height, the grains tend to fall over...

Rice grains bowing low to ground

"Stay humble," that's what she told me.

Humbleness...Marked by meekness...A modesty in behavior, attitude and spirit...Not arrogant. Not proud...It is humility...

Joshua found himself bowing down to the Lord when he did not consult God and relied on his army's strength to defeat the small city of Ai. Instead, he lost. They tore their clothing and threw dust on their heads as they mourned before God. Like Joshua and his men, we should humble ourselves before God so we can hear His words. We should turn to God for His direction and help, not only when our lives fall apart, but much more when we are doing well in our lives.

How about Saul? Whose popularity made him proud and arrogant while David remained humble?

The tower of Babel? People built this tower as monument to their own greatness, something to be seen in the world, not to honor God. This may never be done again. But it is still possible that there is a hidden monument in our lives. Things that call achievements to ourselves, not to God. They may not be wrong to have them but when they replace God as number One in our hearts, then that's when it becomes wrong.

And Paul? The most influential among the apostles yet was deeply humble. Because he knew that his power and transformation came from God, not his own doing.

"Lord, I want to know You but how can I humble myself?"

"How can I learn humility?"

Humble people know...They live their lives knowing Christ, realizing their sinfulness and understand their limitations. They also recognize that their talents and gifts or strengths come from God and are willing to use them as Christ leads.

Knowing humility is having a life completely surrendered to Christ's Lordship. It's bowing down in front of Him. It's emptying one's heart so that it can be filled by His love.

"For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored." - Luke 14:11

"Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing, he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." - Philippians 2:5-11



"For dust you are and to dust you will return." -Genesis 3:19 [emphasis mine]...

Seek You...But You Found Me First

 "Never cease striving until you have seen God face to face." ~ Oliver Cowdery

"You need a filling," the dentist added before I shoved open the dental office's front door after my regular check up this morning.

I sort of expected that now, getting used to this routine.

What is there in our lives that don't have anything missing?

From physical things to spiritual, it seems that there is always "something" missing.

Before I discovered this less-traveled path "off the beaten trek", I was missing a lot of things. I was walking in darkness for so long that I was missing the true light that could guide me. I was pursuing different roads, finding meanings into my life, that I was missing that only road that offers eternal purpose. All those roads were tiring and meaningless.

I was seeking for something or someone to fulfill that void in my heart.

The truth is, it is only the Lord Jesus Christ Who can fulfill those voids in all of our hearts. Living a life fulfilling God's plan for you and I is the only way to have true meaning in our lives. When we draw nearer to God, He doesn't empower us so we can have all we want to have and all that we want to be. He empowers us so we can have what He wants for our lives.

This was a song I wrote on February 2, 2006, "Seek You...But You Found Me First..."

I was walking for so long in the darkness
'Til a light shone on me
The road I traveled became clear
I knew right there my destiny

I want to seek and find You, Oh Lord
Draw me near to You, I will be strong
I want to seek and find You, my God
Hold me closer...into Your arms

My heart's one desire
Is for You to mold me and make me new
Fan the flame and my hunger for You
So I can talk and walk like You do

I want to seek and find You, Oh Lord
Draw me near to You, to Your Word
I want to seek and find You, my God
Give You thanks and praise...with all my heart

[Seek You....but You found me first...oh my God...]

If you are tired pursuing those things that do not fulfill any void in your life...If you hear Him calling you to return to Him and repent for your sins...If you have taken all the known roads in your life that seem to be going nowhere....Don't turn your back....He is seeking another "lost sheep..."  Because He loves you. Because He doesn't want any one to go to hell. Don't seek those things that do not last....God bless and may you have an open heart and mind as you are reading this now. 

The Lone Cypress Tree

"We live by faith, not by sight." ~ 2 Corinthians 5:7

I woke up this morning, feeling better from the symptoms of sinus pressure and right ear pain. I ended up going to the Urgent Care yesterday and the doctor told me that it was a good thing I did because my right ear was starting to get red, that was why I was feeling pain on my right jaw, close to the ear. He said he could tell my allergy was bad just by looking at my eyes. He gave me a nasal spray and a 3-day course antibiotic. Which I took immediately as soon as I got them on my hands.

With faith, I asked the Lord to bless those medications and at the same time, thanked Him for all His provisions and bringing in His children who love to intercede right away.

Thank you to all of you for your encouragement and for immediately folding your hands together and bending your knees to lift me up to His throne of grace.
This morning, for some reason, I started going through these old photos as I opened the cabinet on top of the computer monitor and saw this picture I took from one of my family's vacation in Central California:

The verse caught my eye right away! And the truth to it just penetrated my heart!

"If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." ~ Isaiah 7:9

And the picture brought me back to that day when the Lone Cypress Tree had my jaw almost dropped to the ground in awe because of its beauty. It was by itself on that huge piece of rock, overlooking the ocean with unpredictable, strong currents sometimes. The thought it evoked of how it continue to thrive despite the roots being so far from the water and had to thread through those pieces of rock. Yet, for so many years, it was gazed at by millions of visitors that made the place famous.

And how true it is, that in our lives, if we remain standing on the Rock, living by faith will make us fare better than by fulfilling rituals or rules. Because God commanded believers to live by faith not by sight! As we do so, this challenges us to grow more in faith and to live in obedience to God each day. And as we face many unpredictable currents of trials, it is only by standing firm on this Rock that will make us weather any storm.

"For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith."
~ 1 John 5:4 [NLT]

"But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind."
~ James 1:6 [NLT]