God-Centered Worship

“The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble.” — Psalm 99:1

Our worship, though directed towards God, is always self-centered.

From the moment we first cried as babies to the complaints we have today, it has always been about us.

But it is not about what God has done in our lives more than what God has done period.

God-centered worship delights in the victories of God, the diseases healed by God, the lives touched by God,

the failures forgiven by God – even if they’re not our victories, our diseases, our lives, or our failures.

“If we rejoice that He reigns, even when His reign makes us tremble, we can know: 

God is the center of our worship.”

 

Insecure

The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

— Exodus 4:11

“God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.”

 

Inside Out

“Live for Jesus from the inside out, you will be blessed and unbelievers will be impressed.”

“…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

~ Matthew 5:16 (ESV) ~

to make God beautiful is to live a beautiful life.

 

Forever Alone?

“Sometimes just being alone out in God’s marvelous creation is all that’s needed for the scales to be removed from your eyes and for you to silence the harassment and the noise of your day and begin to hear from God.”

“Thus the Lord God….He said, In quietness and trust is your strength.” – Isaiah 30:15

Sometimes His most meaningful touch on our lives comes when we are alone. 

So better include in your schedule time to have a forever-alone-moment with God.

 

Stoic Heart

One thing that I appreciate about a stone is its hardness. A stone may be small like a mustard seed but once it gets into your eye, expect some infections. It can be so big, as well; big enough to take refuge from it and big enough to use it as a weapon against your foes.

Now, no matter how big or small a stone is, this small heart of mine desires to acquire such hardness. Hardness that makes it numb for things that don’t really matter anymore. Hardness that covers a soft spot against abuse and malpractice of emotions; and hardness that can only be softened by love… and nothing but pure love.

For no one can fully understand a man’s heart not even its steward. But fear not for God assures us that though the heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, like a puzzle that no one can figure out, it is God who searches the heart and examines the mind. He gets to the heart of the human. He gets to the root of things. He treats them as they really are, not as they pretend to be. (Excerpt from Jeremiah 17:9-10, MSG)

 

ill-deserved Grace

Will you choose your god who wants you to give up everything you have, even your very life for you to be saved?

Or will you choose my God who gave up everything He had, even His very life so that you could be saved?

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8

 

Embracing An Enemy

 

“Forgiveness is not an emotion…. Forgiveness is an act of will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.”

— Corrie ten Boom

 

A Letter from the Hotel

I once was a man, well to-do and content.

I had great friends for whom my time was well spent.

I had a power that would send people seething in envy.

But then again, I never realized that to me my life was only lent.

♦ ♦ ♦

I reveled in the streets as if no one was there.

I laughed and was merry as if I had no care.

I got what I want, even if others were hurt.

I thought, “This is the life!” until I fell for a snare.

 ♦ ♦ ♦

I fell and fell hard with the Spectre on my back.

It didn’t let me go, never gave me any slack.

I cried out, begging for a second chance.

But still the car crashed into a tree off the road’s track.

White-masked men said I do not have any hope.

I lost too much blood; my body can no longer cope.

Is this all true? Am I really leaving the world?

Before I knew it, darkness entangled me like a rope.

♦ ♦ ♦

Flames burst into power as I found myself weeping.

Loneliness and Fear were embracing me; fruits of anguish were they reaping.

How could I have let life fly past me by?

I found out too late that it was Elyon whom I should have been worshipping.

♦ ♦ ♦

I am still a man, however, am suffering because of time stupidly spent.

I have no friends here; all are crying in torment.

Only he has power and I am experiencing his wrath.

But then again, you are still living, so don’t waste your life that’s only for rent.

♦ ♦ ♦

“This is the testimony in essence: God gave us eternal life; the life is in his Son.

So, whoever has the Son, has life; whoever rejects the Son, rejects life.” 

— 1 John 5:11-12 (MSG)

 

Fiat Voluntas Tua

Great men aspire to leave a mark upon history, a legacy that would bring honor and praise to them.

And their will is sometimes done.

Great godly men don’t care even if no one knows them for as long as people, through them, would know Him.

And God’s will is always done.

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

Matthew 6:10 KJV

 

What to do?

“Wherever the Providence of God casts us, we should desire and endeavor to be useful; and,

when we cannot do the good we would, we must be ready to do the good we can.” 

– Matthew Henry

“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is your power to do it.”

– Proverbs 3: 27

 

“If you can’t do the good you would, do the good you can.”

 

Taste God’s Goodness

 To crave for God’s goodness is to crave for growth

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. 

1 Peter 2:1-3 (NIV)

… and this growth is necessary for life.

 

What makes you beautiful

“External beauty is ephemeral. Internal beauty is eternal. The former is attractive to the world;

the latter is pleasing to God.”

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.”

– Proverbs 31: 30 

“Without question, this is any woman’s most powerful quality —- True Character.“

– Charles Swindoll

 

Enrollment is now going on

“God’s schoolroom is we get to grade our own papers.

He doesn’t test us so He can learn how well we’re doing.

He tests us so we can discover how well we’re doing.” 

– Charles Swindoll

“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves.” – 2 Corinthians 13:5

Whatever examinations we’ll take, we’ll learn and discover ourselves more in God’s schoolroom.

So better….

Enroll now!

 

My Father…

Our Heavenly Father truly is…

a priceless gift to keep;

a timeless treasure to chase;

and a certain kind of grace to embrace.

 

Make it a Habit!

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.” 

— 1 Chronicles 16:34 (NLT)

“…Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

— 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)