BEAUTY

Proverbs 31:30

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain. But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."

My prayer is to be this kind of woman - a woman who fears the Lord; a woman whose priorities are the deep things of God; a woman whose First Love is God. This is difficult especially in the kind of world we have now in which beauty is more likely link only to physical attributes. I am tempted of 2 things. First, to spend much for the externals and second, to think low of self for not being able to meet the beauty standards of this world. There is nothing wrong with physical beauty (it's a gift) but to only be concern of that is wrong - Physical beauty fades! There is much more worthy investment than that.


I Peter 3:3-4

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."

When you are not loving...

Have you ever felt that you were giving so much of your heart to someone...that you felt like you wanted that person to also commit to you the same way you are committing to him/her?

The first part should not really be a problem because when you love someone (even if he/she is only a friend) should be unconditional and sincere. As Christians, we should love as Christ loves. The second part is the problem when you are now beginning to expect something in return of that love that you are so lavishly giving.

Things then start to change between you and the person. You now sense that you need to hold back things from the person... to limit yourself from giving because you feel unappreciated and not valued... you are hurt.

Unfair! Or is it?

Where are you getting that love? If we are getting that love ONLY from within us, it will soon dry up and will have nothing to produce. And instead of giving, we are taking from people we love...

If your problem is the second part, then you are the problem...

We may want to stop for a while and examine the center of our loving. We must redirect our hearts to Christ who loves us unconditionally and confess how incapable we are of loving the same way He did. We must ask for His help to teach us to love unconditionally. Only through that can we be satisfied in loving and reaching out to others. We will do it even for a greater cause - which is for the glory of God. That Christ will be magnified in our loving others.

Unbelief

Many people cannot believe the Bible because they don't understand it. They say that it is just man-made. These people who rejects the Bible are the ones who have not yet read even a single book of the Bible.

Consequently, they do not believe the God of the Bible. They only believe God based on their understanding - based on what they can accept of a God. They don't believe the God who the Bible discussed because they cannot comprehend it. For them it seems not logical...

However, not believing God as the Bible teaches is halfhearted! God does not settle for a halfhearted devotion. God demands a total commitment - a full devotion!

Not to believe even in just one character of God is already unbelief and thus, it is sin.

How would you feel if your friend believes only of certain things about you and adore you for these qualities but disregard your other qualities because he just couldn't see it - he just couldn't comprehend it and so he just dismissed it? How would you feel when you are not accepted as you really are - your 100% you when you made yourself known to your friend?

Don't you think it is an offense to you?

It is offensive to God because He is God Almighty who is the Creator of the universe- your Creator. He made Himself known to us.

First, He made Himself known to us through His creation - Romans 1:20 says "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. "

Second, He made Himself known to us through His word - the Bible. From cover to cover, it speaks about only of God - of His plan and purposes - of His glory.

Third, He made Himself known to us through Jesus Christ - His only begotten Son, our only Savior. God came, drew nearer to us and provided salvation by the death of His Son ...

How can we not believe in the God of the Bible?

We have the time now to repent of our unbelief and receive the truth that the Bible speaks about God and give God our full love and total commitment. We have the time but not all the time... we only have 'now' to do that.

A time is coming when we will see God in all His glory... and yes, all will believe then - all will bow down before Him and confess that He is Lord but you might be doing that NOT in heaven.

In times like this... I need....

There are times when I'd say these lines -



"My work is not fulfilling..."



"I only do this because it is being asked of me."



"I want to do other things."



If I be honest about this, these lines are made out of a self-centered heart. Notice that these senti lines are rooted from a desire to do other things just because I want it or just because I feel like I am not satisfied with what I am getting. This doesn't emerge from a heart that longs to glorify God.



Well, living in this world would really cause me to feel this way because the world has so many things to offer that is pleasing to the eyes. When this happens, I know I've lost sight of God and I am living this life not anymore by faith but by sight. I have to renew my heart regarding this pilgrimage towards the celestial city and to be content with where I am knowing that God is always faithful and will not lack anything good from me. As my Father, He always gives me what I need and for my best.



When I begin to desire for something I don't have, loneliness is created and a sense of discontentment fills my heart. I feel empty. From the world's point of view, I am encouraged to do what I want and what feels good. In a sense, I've tried this but after doing what I want... the sense of emptiness comes back. So, I would do more... but the sense of emptiness still comes back. Nothing can truly satisfy. Parang I am just trying to escape my situation.



The Bible teaches me a different way to have my heart satisfied - to run to God and let Him fill me. Surely, it works! Jesus knows me more than anyone or more than I know myself. He created me for His glory. He gives me peace that passes all understanding and allow me to experience His unconditional love.



Only Jesus can quiet my heart. Only Jesus is worth living for!

Better

I feel better now. Thank God.



I just want to share some reflection I had last week - From FAITHWALK, vol.3 no. 4 (copyright 2004. Published by Communion of Christian Ministries), page 7, The Picture of a Godly Man and I quote,



“ A godly man grieves that he can be no more holy.”



I found parallelism between sinning and getting sick.



One of the things I hate about getting sick is that you feel ugly and lousy. I want to be the best but I couldn’t (ubo-ubo; singa-singa). I am limited by my sickness. I can only work as long as my head doesn’t ache or I don’t cough. In this sense, I hate sickness. The same feeling should be created with the presence of sin in my life (because we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God). I should hate sin. Sin separates me from my communion with God. Sin limits me from becoming my best for God’s glory.

Still sick

It seems like my world stopped! I can't do my scheduled tasks. I can't perform well. Waaaah!!! I miss my life, my healthy life .... ooopppssss ... did I say that? That reveals my heart - I miss my life...



In one sense, there is something wrong with that 'heart'.



I miss my life but do I miss God during the time that I am not sick and so glorify Him in the things I do? Sometimes, I can get so busy performing my tasks even doing things for God but being busy for God is different from being busy with God. The first may mean that I am just busy doing things that are godly - church activities or even spiritual disciplines like prayer and quiet time half-heartedly. The second means I am busy with the person - with God and I am actually doing the first not with my own strength but with God's strength and wisdom.



Or, I may be wanting to get healed because I don't like the discomfort this sickness is bringing me. (What a motive for askin' - Remember Jesus suffered!) I cannot hide the fact that my sickness irritates me...but I can pray and ask God to heal me according to His will and I can remember what Jesus had to go through...it cannot be compared with my ubo, sipon and lagnat.



In fact, even when I am sick, I can live life. I can still glorify God by how I react to my situation and with the people around me.



Psalm 63:3 - God's love is better than life!!! That is why, in sickness or in health, all is well as long as I am in right relationship with God and I am experiencing His love.

Sick, sick, sick

Some things I realize...(or I am reminded of)

• It reminds me that I am not a superwoman like those I see in the movie.
• It humbles me that I cannot do everything and I need help and should not be afraid to ask for it.
• It rebukes me with the abuse I do with the resources I have.
• It disciplines me with how I should go about each day as a good steward of the body God has given me.

UNNOTICED

Within the heart of every human being is the desire to be noticed. We try to do our best and excel for the reward of being acknowledged. We want to feel loved and needed. Whether it is career or romance, it is part of our human nature to want to belong and be appreciated. That is why we work so hard! We perform!



If despite all the things we did, we remain unnoticed and unappreciated; we become bitter toward that person whom we are trying to impress. This is very sad. And the worst part is … we feel bad about ourselves. We think we failed.



The bible teaches the opposite – we are commanded to do things in secret. If we are to give to the needy or to pray, we must do these things in secret and our Father who is in heaven sees these things and will reward us. We are commanded to please not men but God. We can please God as we do things by His strength and for His glory alone.



Jesus Christ Himself was applauded and loved by the people when he performed miracles but He did not entrust Himself to men for He knew what was in men (John 2:23-25) .



I guess it is better to do things for our God who is the Almighty Creator for He alone sees everything. Nothing can escape His eyes – no matter how small the things we do, it is noticed by HIM. Everything is fair in Christ for He is righteous in His judgments. So, we should do our best for the Lord for He alone is worthy. As we do so, we are reaping an eternal treasure where moth and rust cannot destroy. Nothing in this world can compare to that!!!



I wished I've known this earlier in my life....but who cares? At least, I know it now and as my favorite line from the movie Princess Diary I says “...because you saw me when I was invisible” … Yes God saw me when I was invisible to the rest of the world. And I strive to live my life now performing to the audience of One - by faith and by His grace!!!