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| Reading the Letter by Thomas Benjamin Kennington |
You show that you are a letter from Christ sent through us.
This letter is not written with ink
but with the Spirit of the living God.
It is not written on stone tablets but on human hearts.
- 2 Corinthians 3:3 (NCV)
...you have persevered and have patience,
and have labored for My name's sake
and have not become weary.
Nevertheless I have this against you,
that you have left your first love.
- Revelation 2:3-4
Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;
his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
as the spring rains that water the earth.
This letter is not written with ink
but with the Spirit of the living God.
It is not written on stone tablets but on human hearts.
- 2 Corinthians 3:3 (NCV)
...you have persevered and have patience,
and have labored for My name's sake
and have not become weary.
Nevertheless I have this against you,
that you have left your first love.
- Revelation 2:3-4
Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;
his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
as the spring rains that water the earth.
- Hosea 6:3
A bruised reed He will not break,
and a dimly burning wick He will not quench...
- Isaiah 42:3
I left Manila at around noon on Monday, the 25th of June. It had been such a wonderful seventeen-day stay, and as I was tidying up the bedroom, removing the beddings for washing, putting my things away, cleaning up the room and the bathroom, preparing it for my leaving, a lingering sense of sadness filled my heart.
My daughter is 27, and at that age, sometimes she acts as if she were the mother and I, the child. Nevertheless, I will always be a mother to her, caring for her, and thinking about her needs. And I guess I will always feel sad when it is time to leave her.
But there is more to it than just leaving a loved one behind. Really, this going back and forth between two cities does something deep to my spirit. It makes me feel like one chapter in my life story is closing, and another just about to unfold.
This is good, because it always gives me a sense of upward movement and growth, a sense that something new is happening. In both cities I have family that I love (my sons, daughters in law, and two grandsons live in Bacolod, my daughter Obedient One lives in Manila), and relatives and friends who are dear to my heart. There are activities that I look forward to. These special relationships nourish and give life to my soul. The events that I participate in engage my spirit, prevents it from stagnating, keeping my spiritual senses alert and expectant.
On the other hand, this now-familiar rhythm of traveling to and fro -- by air, water, and land -- removes from me any sense of permanence... I quickly realize that my life is fluid and is in a constant state of flux and transition.
This gives me feelings of inadequacy for all the things that I know I am supposed to do. There is a sense in which a part of my life remains unfinished, under construction, but also undergoing change and renovation. When it is time for me to leave, many things have to be put on hold for the moment, waiting to be attended to when I return.
I think that personalities who want order, routine, and rigidity in their affairs would go crazy with this kind of life. Any person who wants everything to be under control would find the back and forth movement unnerving.
One spiritual benefit to be gained from all these is that I become utterly dependent on God. He alone is my anchor and my stability.
During the seventeen days that I was in Manila there were many opportunities to meet up again with dear friends.
On June 10, two days after I arrived in Manila, my daughter Obedient One and I attended the Sunday worship at the Community of Faith Alliance Church, the church pastored by my friend Alberto. Because it was their church anniversary, a special worship service to commemorate the event was held. We really had such a meaningful time. What made it so significant was what Alberto spoke about: the bridal paradigm in our relationship with the Lord. How important indeed to go through these endtimes with this in mind, that God is preparing His church as He would a bride, that He may present us to our Lord Jesus Christ -- radiant, spotless, dressed in white, without wrinkle or blemish.
Katrina, a brand new bride, also shared with us the incredible story of how God led her to the love of her life, and how their courtship ended in such a meaningful wedding ceremony.
What moved my heart to shreds and caused me to really break down in tears was when we sang a worship song in response to the kind of love that God has for us, Who Am I by Casting Crowns.
God used that special anniversary Sunday in Alberto's church to set the tone for the rest of my stay in Manila. A few days later, my dear friends Gina (Alberto's wife), Tina, Rosemarie and I had lunch at our favorite Greek resto - Cyma Greek Taverna in Greenbelt 3, Makati City. These are my dear intercessor friends, and whenever we meet up, time just isn't enough for us to share with one another our personal stories of what God has been doing.
My friends and I are in agreement to intercede regularly for our nation's prophetic destiny as we are in our jubilee season, celebrating the planting of the Christian cross in Mactan, Cebu, 490 years ago, by Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese navigator who "discovered" our islands in 1521. These ten years, from 2011 to 2021, are what we consider our season of jubilee, for they mark the 500 years of Christianity in this nation.
Several prophets have received a consistent word from the Lord: that He desires for our nation to be a launching pad for His glory during this jubilee season. For this reason, intercessors for the Philippines are mobilizing everyone to heed this call, doing what we can to make sure that our islands do not miss the important "hour" of divine visitation.
In this season, we are called to take a decisive prophetic stand before the Altar of Incense, that altar of gold in the Inner Court of the Tabernacle where the incense was burned. In the Old Testament, the High Priest took incense from this altar to put in his censer before he could go through the veil to enter the Holy of Holies.
There needs to be enough incense of prayer and intercession, enough brokenness, enough desperation, a critical mass that will move the heart of the Father to hear our prayers and heal our land.
There needs to be enough committed intercessors who will not go to God only when everything is comfortable and convenient, but those who are willing to pull themselves aside, put aside their usual earthly agenda, to seek the righteousness of God and do whatever it takes to promote and advance His kingdom. Our overall personal and family agenda and goals are legitimate and not necessarily bad, for we are also called to be good stewards and trustworthy servants. But the malady of this hour is that people are so overtaken with it that the greater goal of building God's kingdom is relegated to a lower priority.
This was the cry of my heart when I awoke one morning and I sensed God's holy presence in the room.
I could only kneel before Him and repent for the way I had been more words and less action regarding this matter.
I am going back to You, Lord, as my First Love.
On Monday evening, the 25th of June, I arrived in Bacolod City, fully prepared to conduct a two-day mid-year retreat for the Women of Purpose of our church on the last weekend of this month.
I knew God was calling me to be His mouthpiece in the area of motivating and mobilizing people, both in my own country, and people from other nations as well, to be as those who will take time to burn the incense of intercession at the Altar of Incense in these crucial times.
But for one reason or another, I became ill for two days just before the scheduled retreat, and we had to postpone the event.
I took it to mean that God had other plans for the end of the month.
And as it turns out, He was right.
Early this morning, I was glad to join the Negros Island House of Prayer (NIHOP) intercession and worship time together with a group of committed intercessors for our island. The NIHOP is only two months old, but it has been on our hearts for many years. God has planted this very dream in the hearts of many intercessors for this city. For many years, a small group of us prayed regularly at my house, also called the Beulah House of Prayer, for our country and for the nation of Israel. But somehow, the number of people never increased, and I just put the dream of a 24/7 House of Prayer for this city on hold.
I know that the calling and vision to start a House of Prayer have also been given to many others, and together, like a band of warriors, some called to be "bows," and some called to be "arrows," we are marching into the God-given destiny for this island.
The task is so great, and my individual efforts seem so insignificant. But then again, I am continually reminded that it is not about me.
As I end this post, I end it with one of my top favorite hymns - O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go.
This was a hymn that we sang often at the Diliman Bible Church, the church in Manila where the fire of my love for the Lord grew strong during my early years as a young believer. We would sing this with much conviction and emotion, at the top of our voices. Truly, this hymn never fails to remind me of the kind of steadfast and unconditional love that God has for me... That in spite of my feelings of inadequacy and smallness in the face of such a huge assignment in this season of my life, God will never allow my flickering flame to die. Always at the right moment, He re-issues the invitation and the call.
And my heart cry is, Father, raise me up once more to walk in my calling.
Many times I look at myself, at my feeble efforts, at the unresolved issues of my life, at the enormity of the task ahead of me... and I wonder if what I do can amount to much.
Just this evening, God reminded me of this hymn, and as I listened to it several times, there has been a strong confirmation and assurance on my heart. Just say "Yes" to the invitation, and respond to the call with small steps of obedience.
The month of June ends for me on a very encouraging note. And the name I have given this month resonates deep within - The Next Level. I know that is where God is taking me, and that is where I want to be.
My life story unfolds in stages, like the chapters of an open book... my life is a letter openly shared on this blog, for others to read and hopefully learn from.
The video for this hymn, sung so beautifully by David Phelps is also posted at the end.
The hymn was written by a blind Scottish minister, George Matheson. Below is the account of how the divine inspiration was given, written in his own words:
May you receive grace, encouragement, and inspiration as you read this month-end post, and as you listen to this beautiful hymn, my beloved friends.
A bruised reed He will not break,
and a dimly burning wick He will not quench...
- Isaiah 42:3
Today is the last day of June. As I write this my last blog entry for this month, I'm grateful for the opportunity to look back and review the significance of the past four weeks for me.
I left Manila at around noon on Monday, the 25th of June. It had been such a wonderful seventeen-day stay, and as I was tidying up the bedroom, removing the beddings for washing, putting my things away, cleaning up the room and the bathroom, preparing it for my leaving, a lingering sense of sadness filled my heart.
My daughter is 27, and at that age, sometimes she acts as if she were the mother and I, the child. Nevertheless, I will always be a mother to her, caring for her, and thinking about her needs. And I guess I will always feel sad when it is time to leave her.
But there is more to it than just leaving a loved one behind. Really, this going back and forth between two cities does something deep to my spirit. It makes me feel like one chapter in my life story is closing, and another just about to unfold.
This is good, because it always gives me a sense of upward movement and growth, a sense that something new is happening. In both cities I have family that I love (my sons, daughters in law, and two grandsons live in Bacolod, my daughter Obedient One lives in Manila), and relatives and friends who are dear to my heart. There are activities that I look forward to. These special relationships nourish and give life to my soul. The events that I participate in engage my spirit, prevents it from stagnating, keeping my spiritual senses alert and expectant.
On the other hand, this now-familiar rhythm of traveling to and fro -- by air, water, and land -- removes from me any sense of permanence... I quickly realize that my life is fluid and is in a constant state of flux and transition.
This gives me feelings of inadequacy for all the things that I know I am supposed to do. There is a sense in which a part of my life remains unfinished, under construction, but also undergoing change and renovation. When it is time for me to leave, many things have to be put on hold for the moment, waiting to be attended to when I return.
I think that personalities who want order, routine, and rigidity in their affairs would go crazy with this kind of life. Any person who wants everything to be under control would find the back and forth movement unnerving.
One spiritual benefit to be gained from all these is that I become utterly dependent on God. He alone is my anchor and my stability.
During the seventeen days that I was in Manila there were many opportunities to meet up again with dear friends.
On June 10, two days after I arrived in Manila, my daughter Obedient One and I attended the Sunday worship at the Community of Faith Alliance Church, the church pastored by my friend Alberto. Because it was their church anniversary, a special worship service to commemorate the event was held. We really had such a meaningful time. What made it so significant was what Alberto spoke about: the bridal paradigm in our relationship with the Lord. How important indeed to go through these endtimes with this in mind, that God is preparing His church as He would a bride, that He may present us to our Lord Jesus Christ -- radiant, spotless, dressed in white, without wrinkle or blemish.
Katrina, a brand new bride, also shared with us the incredible story of how God led her to the love of her life, and how their courtship ended in such a meaningful wedding ceremony.
What moved my heart to shreds and caused me to really break down in tears was when we sang a worship song in response to the kind of love that God has for us, Who Am I by Casting Crowns.
God used that special anniversary Sunday in Alberto's church to set the tone for the rest of my stay in Manila. A few days later, my dear friends Gina (Alberto's wife), Tina, Rosemarie and I had lunch at our favorite Greek resto - Cyma Greek Taverna in Greenbelt 3, Makati City. These are my dear intercessor friends, and whenever we meet up, time just isn't enough for us to share with one another our personal stories of what God has been doing.
My friends and I are in agreement to intercede regularly for our nation's prophetic destiny as we are in our jubilee season, celebrating the planting of the Christian cross in Mactan, Cebu, 490 years ago, by Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese navigator who "discovered" our islands in 1521. These ten years, from 2011 to 2021, are what we consider our season of jubilee, for they mark the 500 years of Christianity in this nation.
Several prophets have received a consistent word from the Lord: that He desires for our nation to be a launching pad for His glory during this jubilee season. For this reason, intercessors for the Philippines are mobilizing everyone to heed this call, doing what we can to make sure that our islands do not miss the important "hour" of divine visitation.
In this season, we are called to take a decisive prophetic stand before the Altar of Incense, that altar of gold in the Inner Court of the Tabernacle where the incense was burned. In the Old Testament, the High Priest took incense from this altar to put in his censer before he could go through the veil to enter the Holy of Holies.
There needs to be enough incense of prayer and intercession, enough brokenness, enough desperation, a critical mass that will move the heart of the Father to hear our prayers and heal our land.
There needs to be enough committed intercessors who will not go to God only when everything is comfortable and convenient, but those who are willing to pull themselves aside, put aside their usual earthly agenda, to seek the righteousness of God and do whatever it takes to promote and advance His kingdom. Our overall personal and family agenda and goals are legitimate and not necessarily bad, for we are also called to be good stewards and trustworthy servants. But the malady of this hour is that people are so overtaken with it that the greater goal of building God's kingdom is relegated to a lower priority.
This was the cry of my heart when I awoke one morning and I sensed God's holy presence in the room.
I could only kneel before Him and repent for the way I had been more words and less action regarding this matter.
I am going back to You, Lord, as my First Love.
On Monday evening, the 25th of June, I arrived in Bacolod City, fully prepared to conduct a two-day mid-year retreat for the Women of Purpose of our church on the last weekend of this month.
I knew God was calling me to be His mouthpiece in the area of motivating and mobilizing people, both in my own country, and people from other nations as well, to be as those who will take time to burn the incense of intercession at the Altar of Incense in these crucial times.
But for one reason or another, I became ill for two days just before the scheduled retreat, and we had to postpone the event.
I took it to mean that God had other plans for the end of the month.
And as it turns out, He was right.
Early this morning, I was glad to join the Negros Island House of Prayer (NIHOP) intercession and worship time together with a group of committed intercessors for our island. The NIHOP is only two months old, but it has been on our hearts for many years. God has planted this very dream in the hearts of many intercessors for this city. For many years, a small group of us prayed regularly at my house, also called the Beulah House of Prayer, for our country and for the nation of Israel. But somehow, the number of people never increased, and I just put the dream of a 24/7 House of Prayer for this city on hold.
I know that the calling and vision to start a House of Prayer have also been given to many others, and together, like a band of warriors, some called to be "bows," and some called to be "arrows," we are marching into the God-given destiny for this island.
The task is so great, and my individual efforts seem so insignificant. But then again, I am continually reminded that it is not about me.
As I end this post, I end it with one of my top favorite hymns - O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go.
This was a hymn that we sang often at the Diliman Bible Church, the church in Manila where the fire of my love for the Lord grew strong during my early years as a young believer. We would sing this with much conviction and emotion, at the top of our voices. Truly, this hymn never fails to remind me of the kind of steadfast and unconditional love that God has for me... That in spite of my feelings of inadequacy and smallness in the face of such a huge assignment in this season of my life, God will never allow my flickering flame to die. Always at the right moment, He re-issues the invitation and the call.
And my heart cry is, Father, raise me up once more to walk in my calling.
Many times I look at myself, at my feeble efforts, at the unresolved issues of my life, at the enormity of the task ahead of me... and I wonder if what I do can amount to much.
Just this evening, God reminded me of this hymn, and as I listened to it several times, there has been a strong confirmation and assurance on my heart. Just say "Yes" to the invitation, and respond to the call with small steps of obedience.
The month of June ends for me on a very encouraging note. And the name I have given this month resonates deep within - The Next Level. I know that is where God is taking me, and that is where I want to be.
My life story unfolds in stages, like the chapters of an open book... my life is a letter openly shared on this blog, for others to read and hopefully learn from.
The video for this hymn, sung so beautifully by David Phelps is also posted at the end.
The hymn was written by a blind Scottish minister, George Matheson. Below is the account of how the divine inspiration was given, written in his own words:
My hymn was composed in the manse of Innelan on the evening of the 6th of June, 1882, when I was 40 years of age. I was alone in the manse at that time. It was the night of my sister’s marriage, and the rest of the family were staying overnight in Glasgow. Something happened to me, which was known only to myself, and which caused me the most severe mental suffering. The hymn was the fruit of that suffering. It was the quickest bit of work I ever did in my life. I had the impression of having it dictated to me by some inward voice rather than of working it out myself. I am quite sure that the whole work was completed in five minutes, and equally sure that it never received at my hands any retouching or correction. I have no natural gift of rhythm. All the other verses I have ever written are manufactured articles; this came like a dayspring from on high. (Information taken from here.)
O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go
Lyrics by George Matheson, Music by Albert Lister Peace
O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.
O Light that foll'west all my way,
I yield my flick'ring torch to Thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in Thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.
O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow thru' the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.
O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from Thee;
I lay in dust life's glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.
May you receive grace, encouragement, and inspiration as you read this month-end post, and as you listen to this beautiful hymn, my beloved friends.
16 comments:
I always receive grace, encouragement and inspiration from your God inspired writing:) Oh Joy that seekest me through pain,Oh cross that liftest up my head....beautiful...♥
Dear Lidia,
Your mighty testimony makes me shiver. To be near such visions and holiness is almost to great to understand.
The God made plan about a 24/7 house of prayer, is so fitting with my needs.
I am raised by prayers, I thrive while praying and my Christian life is mostly about praying.
So in my head this vision must be the best of the best.
Keep close to God and He will keep close to you.
Oh, I love a great concert, I feel uplifted every time I get to attend the Messiah by Handel.
I also feel the need to get nourished by God's own word. A gifted preacher can make me see and understand new depths in the word of God.
But the blessings, the fights, the tears and the help through small and big problems are solved on knee.
I think your next prayer level will prove to become a rare blessing to many, individuals as well as nations.
I'd never heard the old hymn before, but followed the text as it was sung.
The words that struck me and I copied were the same as the lady above.
"
O Joy that seekest me through pain".
I can't tell exactly why.
HE was well known with pain, for my sake.
All my pains were placed upon him, So that I could go free.
Even when I feel pain, as I admit I often do, I can also feel joy. He has taken my transgressions and suffering upon him.
I give them to him, to carry away.
I wait for his peace and redemption.
God bless you and protect you on your next level.
I pray He see to me too.
From felisol
What a beautiful song! This is the first time I heard it and love it. I too want to say "yes" to the invitation and respond to His call on my life in obedience. As you write that you question your feeble efforts and unresolved issues, I can identify. And yet, if the Lord has called us He will provide what we need and when we need it.
What an encouragement for me to read this post of yours.
Blessings and love,
Debbie
Hi Lidia, Please pray for me and my family . . been feeling very lost and misplaced. Sort of hard to get into prayer again . . . I know its the enemy playing with me. Thank you always for the kinds comments you leave. Blessings, Sandy :O)
It never fails to amaze and bless me, as I read another life letter from you, sister Lidj.
How blessed I am to have found you. You give me so much to put up with in this journey of life and focusing towards the our real home.
The name of the moth is so apt, especially of you journey outside the country and to and from Manila and Bacolod.
Thanks for the hymn too. I love these lines:
"The task is so great, and my individual efforts seem so insignificant. But then again, I am continually reminded that it is not about me. "
I pray for the prayer house that you have established and may the whole islands of the Philippines be blessed with workers like you, Sis..... we need to stand in the gap for our nation.
Alleluia!
I saw you posted this few days ago but I don't want to come here to end up rushing what your heart is saying...So, thanks be to God that I am able to come today and spend time with your June post.
I love all the Scriptures you shared but the second one from Rev.2 pierced my heart. Oh how we think we are doing well only to lag in true spiritual sense.
I remembered the many ways of idolatry prevalent in our country one time I went home to visit my ailing dad in 2007 (the last time I went so I could sense the difficulty you mentioned as you talked about the prayers needed. I will keep you in my prayers and I stand in agreement. I pray for the Lord to send a revival there as I pray for His continued guidance and protection over you. I pray many more will be saved.
I love the lyrics of the song you shared. I pray that we will always guard our hearts and minds and never forget our One True Love. Blessings to you sister Lidia and may you always remain strong in the Lord's mighty power!
Finally, this morning I took the time to read your "June summary". My heart beats with yours. My prayers are for you, Lidia. May you continue to discern and experience the direction and favor of our Heavenly Father. May His Name be exalted forever - whether cross & pain, glory and joy cross our paths.
Wondering how you've navigated the first week of July????? Here it has been high heat and furious storms.
I feel a loss of "permanence" in my own life, no rooting it seems. Of course, I know I'm rooted in Christ and am on pilgrimage to my heavenly home, but since leaving home at 21, I feel somewhat "homeless." I like roots, community, living in a place where everyone knows my name.
These last 2 years of my life have been a huge growth experience for me and for my family. We've never felt at home in this place and there is a terrible ache inside of us to feel like we belong. We know that God will make a way for us and that he's protecting us. Some days, however, the path is unclear.
Thank you for opening up your life and heart and for checking in on me from time to time. I'm blessed by your friendship.
peace~elaine
As always I always know when I come here God will speak to me and I will relate to so much of what He has given you...once again He has.
New level, transition..under construction..He alone is my anchor.
In our home group of adults in their 50's as they poured our their hearts and prayers one things was clear to us all...it hasn't been what we thought it would be at this age...we are all adjusting to the changes we never expected. God knew...we just had a different picture in our minds and we are all learning to tear that old picture up in order to embrace the one He has for us.
Thanks for always sharing your heart...your journey always speaks to me and reminds me God is still at work.
IHOP...I haven't been to IHOP in years...my kids used to go to their conventions
The humility you write about is beneficial for the huge calling in Christ. It keeps us so dependent on Him! I love the way music touches deep places in our hearts.
I haven't been able to visit much in the last few months - I finally had surgery - and my energy level has increased and I feel so much better. This is the first time I've really been able to visit - and your post, well, it spoke to a prayer about a task God has put on my heart - and I just needed an encouraging "push" to say - "Don't be scared. Do it!" Your message did that for me.
When I come over, your heart hospitality so feeds my spirit abundantly!
"You show that you are a letter from Christ sent through us" - what a beautiful way to start a post - with this scripture verse - I am going to hold this close, too!
Wishing you much blessing dear friend in all that the Father calls you to. Thank you also for your prayers for healing. I also want you to know that I am seeing God results in the area you joined with me in prayer over a year ago - and the faith and hope results bring great joy to my heart!
Joy in being your sister in Christ,
Maryleigh
Hey Lidia..I smiled when I read about your dgt sometimes treating you like she's the mom...you the child. My twelve year old sometimes does that to me but I think it's b/c they really love us. Beautiful post.
You asked about the lawyer thing....He hasn't answered my lawyer's response that she replied to his demands. The two lawyers are seeking their firm's head as to their next strategy...me? I'm seeking the head of my life as to His next strategy.
I am following you, oh Lover of God! I affirm His calling to you and anticipate what He is doing. You make me hunger more for prayer, for more of Him. Brenda
Dear Lydia, I very much understand what you describe in this post, especially in regards to feelings of impermanence and all of its blessings and challenges. Once again thank you for your heartfelt words...they truly do good here and touch me deeply and probably many others, many more than you may know about. God bless you through the month of July.
Hi Sis Lidia, I just want to thank you for visiting my site and for keaving a nice comment. I am so happy finding other believers who blogs and share God's words and what God is doing in their lives. I am now one your follower. Anyway, yes NOrway is a beautiful country especially in summertime, but gloomy in wintertime. BUt with God in my life, it is nice day everyday.Hope we can get more in touch.
This song has deep meaning for my husband and I. Our sweet Sarah went to be with Jesus at nine months. The first Sunday back home after her funeral he sat at the piano for the offertory and had no idea what to plan. The words came to him..."Oh joy who reachest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to thee...
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