To My Generation

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To my generation,

You will not pass away until you have known the Lord!

To my generation,

I may be small to the world and may mean nothing to the world, but I will be a mighty warrior of the Lord.

To my generation,

I will not leave this earth, not until I have served the Lord and accomplished His assignment for me.

Laugh at Him

While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler.  "Your daughter is dead," they said.  "Why bother the teacher any more?"  Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."  He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.  When they came to the home of the synagogue ruler, Jesus saw a commotion with people crying and wailing loudly.  He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing?"  The child is not dead but asleep."  But they laughed at him.

- Mark 5:35-40

I confess that at times, I am one of those people who laughs at Jesus' words.  I can't help but laugh when God tells me something that He would do to my life that seems impossible.  It's just absurd. Crazy. LOL!

Two Partings

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So when people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them.  Now the Jordan is at the flood stage all during harvest.  Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing.  It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off.  So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.  The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

- Joshua 3:14-17

FYI: There were two partings of the sea done by God. First, when the Israelites got out of Egypt and crossed the Red Sea.  Second, when the Israelites were about to enter the Promise Land, Canaan, and crossed over the Jordan River.  What God did once He can do it again.  God is faithful to His promise.  His power never runs out.  God is reliable and He can fulfill His promises in many ways that we could ever imagine. Most of the time, His ways don't make sense to us, but it is not our duty to understand all His "absurd" ways of doing things.  It is rather our duty to trust in His ways.  After all, He is God.  He knows what He is doing, and He is all the time in control.

Hallelujah, Father God!  Mighty are Your ways!  Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah, Father God!

[Journal entry: February 5, 2012]

Latter Rain

The Latter Rain is coming and it will be outpouring.

I can sense its coming and I will see it and receive it.

The outpouring of God's Spirit. The revival. It's coming soon.

I praise You, God! Praise You! Praise God! Praise God!

[Journal entry: November 7, 2011]

He is Not Here. He Has Risen!

The day that changed everything. He is not here for He has risen. Jesus conquered death and in Him is life. A glorious resurrection Sunday everyone!

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Mark 16

 1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”

 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

 6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

No Limits

God, where would I be if not for You? What would I have been doing if not for Your saving grace? Before You created the earth You thought of me.  Father God, I know my finite mind cannot contain Your greatness.  Father God, I know You are big. But how big are You? I cannot imagine. I cannot really fathom. :)

My own yardstick could not measure how big You are.  My yardstick could not measure how Sovereign You are. My own gauge could not measure or weigh Your power nor could I calculate the vastness of Your mercy and faithfulness.  And what about Your love?  I know that we could not exhaust it.  And Your forgiveness and grace?  Definitely it could not outnumber the grains of sand.

You are in a different league. You are YOU...You are God.

Father God, as I read through Isaiah 40 again, I am reminded of Your greatness and glory.  Your omnipotence cannot be compared to anything.

12Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?

15Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.

17Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.

22He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers.  He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

28The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.

[Journal entry: October 12, 2011]

A Quiet Confidence in God

My hope is in the Lord and my help comes from Him.  He fails not to rescue those who love Him. Today, I am encouraged with these verses:

Psalm 46

1God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

2Therefore we will not fear,

though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3though its waters roar and foam

and the mountains quake with their surging.

4There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5God is within her, she will not fall;

God will help her at break of day.

6Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;

he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7The Lord Almighty is with us,

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8Come and see the works of the Lord,

the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;

He breaks the bow and shatters the spear,

He burns the shields with fire.

10Be still, and know that I am God,

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.

11The Lord Almighty is with us,

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

[Journal entry: November 16, 2011]

Standing Firm, Unwavered

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace,the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, o king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.

- Daniel 3: 17-18

The king commanded to the people to bow down and worship the gold image he built.  But these three friends of Daniel stood up to their conviction not to.  They would worship only one God and that is the God of Heaven.  They made a bold statement that whether God would rescue them or not, they will never bow down to other gods except to God.  Wow! That's integrity.  An indestructible one.  Fully tested into the blazing fire. Literally!

What if it were to happen to me?  What if I were one of those who will be put into fire for not following the king's instructions? I'm thinking if I were one of those men, I'd probably be afraid.  But God's mercy and power would be displayed for I believe He would strengthen me and give me courage to stand up to my conviction: to worship God alone.

These men showed incredible faith in God that He is able to save them from fire.  And if not, these men would never change their minds from worshiping the Lord.  These men are worthy of respect and honor for they have shown great faith and total dependence on God.

[PRAYER]

Father God, You are real and alive and You are able to save Your people from danger, even from death.  I pray Lord that You would strengthen my faith in You so that when my faith is put to test like this, I will stand on my unwavering conviction to worship only You.  Great is Your name!  Mighty is Your name! You alone deserve worship and honor!  In Jesus' name. Amen.

[Journal entry: June 2, 2011]

Nothing is Impossible

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." - Mark 10:27

Yes, Father God, all things are possible with You.  Nothing is impossible with You. Nothing is too hard for You.  There is no illness so incurable that You cannot heal. There is no relationship so broken that You cannot restore.  There is no debt so big that You cannot pay.  There is no need so big that You cannot provide.  There is no person so sinful and dirty that You cannot forgive.  There is no problem so big that You cannot solve.  When everything seems impossible and when everything seems endless, YOU lift a finger of Your hand and do what is impossible to us!  You are the God of impossibility! Nothing and no one can stop YOU!

Not even death could stop you, God! Not even death! Death is not a dead end.  And You have proven it 2,000 years ago on the cross!  Thank You, God for You have sent Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross.  Through His death and resurrection we gained life in Him.  See, not even death could stop You. Not ever! You are the God who says who You are!

We were once dead, but through Your Son, Jesus, You offered us new life! Who in this universe could ever do that? Nobody.  It is only YOU!

Praise You, Father God!  I exalt Your name! You are worthy of our praises! You deserve all glory and honor!

[Journal entry: September 26, 2011]