Exchange: My Weakness for His Strength

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Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might
He increases strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
- Isaiah 40:28-31





Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;
Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame;
For you will forget the shame of your youth,
And will not remember
the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
For your Maker is your husband,
The LORD of hosts is His name;
And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;
He is called the God of the whole earth.
- Isaiah 54:4, 5





God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried
into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.

There is a river whose streams
shall make glad the city of God
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her,
she shall not be moved;
God shall help her,
just at the break of dawn.
The nations raged,
the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.

Come, behold the works of the LORD,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!

The LORD of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.

- Psalm 46





The name of the LORD is a strong tower;
The righteous run to it and are safe.
- Proverbs 18:10

It's quite hard to believe... the New Year 2013 we welcomed just a few months ago is now actually halfway through.

I did some math. Out of the 365 days of this year, 181 days have already gone by.

And of those 181 days, I was in my home city of Bacolod for only 73 days since this year began. That means I was in Manila for a total of 108 days in the past six months.

And I'm still here.



Well, there are legitimate reasons for my being here.

In early February my sister arrived from abroad, and I wanted to spend some time with her. As it turned out, my extended stay in Manila proved to be beneficial because our maid had a bad fall; it was good I was around to be of help to her, and to assume some of the household chores that she would normally be responsible for.

From mid February up to the end of March I was in Bacolod to prepare for my 60th birthday celebration.

But in April, I came back here because this time my sister was leaving, and again, I wanted to spend a few more days with her since it's not too often that we have the opportunity to be together.

A physical concern had also arisen, and I underwent a series of laboratory and other medical tests at the Philippine Heart Center.

I was back in Bacolod for only ten days before I needed to return to Manila the third week of May. Our maid was going on her yearly vacation, and while she was away, I kept my daughter Obedient One company... and well, I also became the person in charge of practically all "domestic affairs".

My father's home is quite a big one to look after, and it is a good thing that I had the available time (and the willingness) to do it.

Now that my daughter's maid has returned, I am just about ready to go back to my own home... again.

Deep in my heart I realize that there are many new lessons that Abba Father has prepared for me this year.  He did speak to me in February that I am leaving my season of grief and loss, and I am entering my season of replacement.

Within the past few months, I have also come to understand that this time, I am no longer marking my life in terms of seasons... but by divine appointments.

Seasons come, seasons go... However, in this my 60th year, I want to be guided by divine assignments and God's appointed times.

As I evaluate the events of the past 181 days, it seems that I have been simply flowing with the tide of circumstances... sister arriving, maid having a bad fall and breaking her wrist bone, or keeping daughter company while maid goes on a vacation...

Nothing earthshaking, or substantial.  It all seems so... mundane.

Even my blog posts are down to only one per month these past couple of months.

For lack of a better term, I have become quite "domesticated" these days.

But I just have to believe that nothing is ever wasted in God's economy.

This is my last week here in Manila. In a few more days I will be back in my home city where a different set of circumstances await my arrival. There are also important matters I must attend to back home.

But it truly warms my heart to know that Abba, my Father has His eye on me, no matter where I am... up in the mountain, or down in the valley, God is with me.

As I write, I am sitting here at the front porch of our Manila home overlooking my father's beautiful garden. The past weeks I have tended this garden carefully, pruning bushes and cutting back the overgrowth, weeding, cutting the grass, cultivating the soil, and brushing the brick pavers to remove the algae that so quickly accumulate especially during the rainy months. 

A gentle rain is falling. The atmosphere is so peaceful and beautiful.

The slender branches of the crepe myrtle gracefully dancing with the gentle gusts of wind...

A few birds have taken shelter under the eaves of the garage and are chirping merrily...

The sound of the palm trees and leaves on the trees so comforting and soothing on this early Sunday morning...

A brave bird ventures out in the lightly falling rain, perches itself on a high branch, and gives out few bird calls...

I can sense the nearness of Abba's presence.

Sometimes I approach God as King in His throne room. But right now, I sense Abba's presence as a close friend, waiting to share some things on His heart with me - friend to friend.

Moments like these are so precious to me. I've known and experienced many of them before. But these past months they have been rare.

It's my own doing, really. I've heard the invitation but instead of responding, I have often brushed it aside.

I am also aware of the inner condition of my heart. It has been heavily burdened by many concerns, but I've just chosen to shove them under the rug, so to speak.

In recent years there have been shining moments of inspiration, flashes of spiritual insight, mountaintop experiences... but now I can feel hunger pangs and a growing sense of weariness tugging at the fringes of my heart.

It feels like I've been in the valley too long. The daily-ness of it all is taking its toll on my soul. I thirst for something more... and longing to more fully experience the reality of God in my heart.


In my heart of hearts... that is where Abba Father desires to commune with me.

As Jim Richards says so beautifully: Your heart is part spirit, part soul... the real you, and it is there where your God wants to meet with you and connect with you. Your heart is like the Holy of Holies... a place of intimate worship... where God sits not on the judgment seat, but on the mercy seat. And when you come to God in your heart, you encounter grace and mercy.

This morning I sense my Father calling me back into this deep, loving, and intimate relationship with Him.

Abba is ready to fill my cup, comfort me, give the assurance that I need... but He wants me to confront the issues of my life head on by acknowledging them to Him, and turning them over to His care.

Yesterday was Shabbat, and I spent a huge chunk of time in my Father's presence. Shabbat is God's weekly provision of rest and renewal for those who are in covenant relationship with Him.

Since yesterday, God has been speaking so many words of comfort to my heart. And I want to heed His invitation to connect, to listen to His heart, to allow Him to take the relationship to a higher level, and to respond to Him.

Obviously, someone was not happy with this development. When I woke up this morning, I was in the middle of a disturbing dream... and I felt tired, distressed... but also immensely relieved that it was after all, just a dream.

Waking up to reality never felt better!

What amazed me was that at the same time I was awaking from the bad dream, I also heard a soft melody rising within my heart... the familiar voice of Kathryn Scott tenderly singing these words: At the foot of the cross... where grace and suffering meet... You have shown me Your love...

And not only that... I also distinctly heard these words:

Be still and know that I am God.

I became aware of a battle going on in my heart... and my Abba Father was right there, confronting the enemy and silencing his lies.

He was also beckoning me to sit in His presence... here in the front garden. I brought my devotional things with me, opened my iPod, and listened to the song... As I listened I immediately knew that Abba was indeed pouring comfort into my heart, inviting me to lay every burden down... and to kiss the feet of mercy.


My Abba, You are taking me to a new level of relating to You. Not from my mind, but from my heart. 

Of experiencing the truth and the reality of Your love - in my heart.

You are revealing Yourself to me as Adonai Tzva'ot... Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of hosts.

How awesome is that name! Your militant name... the name that says you are at war against my enemy. Out of your deep love for me.

Thank you dear Abba  for speaking to me... the truth that I can wear forgiveness like a crown...

Trade my ashes in for beauty...

Receive life... for Jesus has died my death for me.

Indeed Your grace and my suffering meet at the foot of the cross!


As the first half of the year and yet another month come to an end, I share another life lesson for my 60th year.

The lesson of an exchanged life.


Be still and know that I am God, I hear the Father saying to me.

Give me your weakness, and take My strength.

Give me your ashes, receive My beauty.

Give me your anxious thoughts, your fears, receive My peace.

Wait for Me. Don't go ahead of Me.



"Wait" is really a remarkable word.  In Hebrew, it literally means "to entwine, to bind together."

To wait on God is "to wrap myself around Him."

To fully trust Him and surrender, abandon myself to His care.

To wait for the deliverance that He alone will bring.

 Even the youths shall faint and be weary,

And the young men shall utterly fall,

But those who wait on the LORD

Shall renew their strength...

Don't do it in your own strength, my Father says.

Let go of your self-effort and self-reliance.

Trust Me... I'm pouring new things into Your heart. 

Wait on Me... wrap yourself around Me... trust in the provision I bring... in My own way... in My own appointed time...

And I will renew your strength.

Renew is another beautiful word. It actually means "exchange."

As I wait on God, my Adonai Tzva'ot, a divine transaction takes place.

He has spoken these words of comfort and reassurance to me:

Do not fear...

For your Maker is your husband,

The LORD of hosts is His name;

And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;

He is called the God of the whole earth.

The Lord of hosts... my Redeemer... the Holy One of Israel... the God of the whole earth...

Wow! He's all that...  and He fights my battles for me. He confronts my enemies on my behalf.

And the victory is sure!

I only have to be still.

He exchanges my weakness for His strength... my ashes for beauty... my fears for His peace and joy.

Exchange. 

A timely word spoken by my Abba Father ... right into my heart as this month ends!

At the Foot of the Cross
by Kathryn Scott

At the foot of the cross

Where grace and suffering meet

You have shown me your love

Through the judgment you received

And You've won my heart

Yes, you've won my heart

Now I can trade these ashes in for beauty

And wear forgiveness like a crown

Coming to kiss the feet of mercy

I lay every burden down

At the foot of the cross

At the foot of the cross

Where I am made complete

You have given me life

Through the death you bore for me

And You've won my heart

Yes, You've won my heart...

Here are a few pictures from this month of June:

With dear friend Pris and her CBSI-Sta. Rosa group on June 18
after I gave a teaching on "A Covenant Response to a Covenant God"

A belated birthday lunch for me with Pris, Charo, Gina, and Tina at Kanin Club in Alabang

A day outing with Rosemarie and Tina to Tagaytay City on June 21

this newly opened flower in our garden will be gone by mid day

---------

Sharing twelve life lessons on my 60th year:

January 2013 - Restoration: A Matter of Perspective

February 2013 - Authenticity: A Matter of Trust

March 2013 - Celebration: A Way of Life

April 2013 - Relinquishment: A Journey of Faith

May 2013 - Abiding: The Anatomy of a Birthday

June 2013 - Exchange: My Weakness for His Strength

July 2013 - Divine Appointments: God's Surprise Visits

August 2013 - Worship: Hidden Riches in Secret Places

September 2013 - Longing for Things Unseen: Escape from Reality

October 2013 - God's Favor: A Season of Replacement

November 2013 - Honor: Creating Space

A Shield of Honor

Sowing Seeds

photo source

Outdo one another in showing honor.
-Romans 12:10




For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield.
-Psalm 5:12




For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor...
-Psalm 84:11




As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
will never cease.
- Genesis 8:22




Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.
A man reaps what he sows.
Whoever sows to please their flesh,
from the flesh will reap destruction;
whoever sows to please the Spirit,
from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
-Galatians 6:7, 8




“I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me
In righteousness and justice,
In lovingkindness and mercy;
I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,
And you shall know the LORD.
It shall come to pass in that day
That I will answer,” says the LORD;
“ I will answer the heavens,
And they shall answer the earth.
The earth shall answer
With grain,
With new wine,
And with oil;
They shall answer Jezreel.
Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth....”
-Hosea 2:19-23

In just a few hours September will say good-bye, and once again, I choose a name for this month.

The word Jezreel readily comes up.

How I love this word! It literally means, "God will sow."

What an appropriate name indeed!

While meditating on the word Jezreel, many thoughts come rushing to the surface of my mind. I share them here with my dear blog readers, my way of paying tribute to this month, in gratitude for the handcrafted lessons that September leaves behind.

It is also my way of doing a spiritual inventory even as I share my thoughts candidly, just as they come... unedited and unadulterated. An honest sharing from the heart, together with the raw emotions I feel in response to how God worked in my life this month.

As the year 2010 was ending, my Father gave me a word about the coming new year. He said that 2011 was going to be my Year of Promotion.

When God speaks a word to me, I usually tuck it away in a little corner of my mind... until something happens that prompts me to pull this word out from its hiding place, and receive fresh encouragement from it.

So the word "promotion" has been hidden in that corner all these months, until this evening.

When I heard the word Jezreel as my name for this month, the word "promotion" also came up.

"Hmmm... a rather strange combination," I thought at first. But the more I thought about the connection between these two words, the more I realized that what has been happening this past month is definitely more than just mere coincidence.

These past four weeks there were many opportunities for me to sow new seeds in the seedbed of my heart and in those of people around me.

There were opportune re-connections that happened as well, where friends I had not seen for a long time suddenly came into the picture again, and God used them to sow seeds of hope into my life!

In Genesis 8:22, God institutes the Law of Seedtime and Harvest. Everything on this earth operates on that law - what we sow is what we reap.

However, there is another law that God also instituted even from the time of creation, and that is the Law of Multiplication. That law states that whatever we sow is not harvested in the same quantity... we reap much, much more than what we sow.

This is surely an encouragement.

However, it can work disastrously as well! If we truly understood this law, we would be more watchful over the kind of things we sow.

People with business acumen know how this principle works. They invest their money in good business ventures expecting to receive a profit from it.

But money is not the only seed there is. Heaven's economy uses other kinds of currencies.

Obviously, actions are seeds. When we sow an act of kindness, kindness comes back to us in many ways.

Thoughts are seeds, so are attitudes. When we sow anger, we do not only reap anger... we reap bitterness... we reap rage. As Hosea 8:7 says:

They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind...

When we sow acceptance and unconditional love, we also reap so much more -- we reap honor, respect, harmony, unity. We can never demand love and gratitude from another person, but love freely given, without strings attached, will always come back to us when we least expect it!

Words are seeds, too.

Proverbs 18:21 clearly follows this law of seedtime and harvest:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.

The words I speak have power to bear the fruit of death... or of life. The choice is mine: the fruit I eat, be it the fruit of death or the fruit of life, depends on the kind of seed words I have sown.

I can speak life and health to my body by the words I declare over it from day to day. My body hears, and my body responds accordingly.

Following the same principle, I can speak life and health to my relationships by the words I speak. Our words do not fall on deaf ears. Even words that are spoken beyond the hearing of another person can reach the spirit and soul of that person.

How this happens can be explained by using a simple analogy, that of sound waves. When we speak, the words are released into the atmosphere and are received as sound vibrations. The vibrations continue, very much like the ripples on the water created by a stone thrown into it.

The fact of the matter is this: the words we speak about another are like arrows. Sooner or later they hit the target, whether we intend for this to happen or not!

I believe that our words do not return to us empty. They come back with the fruit of death, or the fruit of life! They are seeds that have been sown, and it is only a matter of time before the fruits of our words manifest.

It was many years ago when I first understood that the principle of sowing and reaping applies to anything I do, think or say. It is a natural law, but it is also a spiritual law, and I have taken this principle to heart.

Of course I must admit that I have failed many times, but my earnest desire is to keep growing in this very important area. Jesus Himself says in Matthew 12:33-37 --

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good,
or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad;
for a tree is known by its fruit.
Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things?
For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart
brings forth good things,
and an evil man out of the evil treasure
brings forth evil things.
But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak,
they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
For by your words you will be justified,
and by your words you will be condemned.”

These are strong words! Thus, I consider the words that come out of my mouth as sacred matter with eternal consequences. I ask God to help me be willing and quick to admit where I have done wrong, rather than make excuses ... to repent before God, confess my sin, and renounce the power of careless words I may have knowingly or unknowingly released.

And, it always helps to know that God is able to redeem our mistakes, and forgive us our iniquities. All He is looking for is a humble, contrite heart.

In light of what I have just written, this has been an extraordinary month for me and my whole family.

We are facing new lessons, new challenges.

In the natural, it may look like the enemy has gained the upper hand.

But indeed, looks can be deceiving. God has an entirely different perspective from which He views our lives!

I am waiting to see how the events of my life will unfold before my eyes.

As always, my desire is to be a channel of blessing, a speaker of truth, a life-giver to anyone God sends my way.

I am once again being led of God to move out of my cherished positions of comfort and convenience... and to be honest, if I wanted to, I could allow myself to feel weighed down, or disheartened.

If I wanted to.

But I don't want to...

I consider it an honor and a privilege to be taught from first hand experience... to look at the recent events, not with doubt and confusion, but with renewed faith and hope.

In everything I do, the choice remains with me. Am I sowing seeds of trust... seeds of hope, seeds of obedience... seeds of compassion and understanding... seeds of forgiveness?

The kind of words I sow into the life of another person will determine how that person relates to me... the fruit of my relationship with another person is determined by the kind of seed I sow into that life!

The words of Gerry Osbron, the American pastor who has deeply impacted my life during the early years of my life as a married woman, will never be erased from my heart. He said, "When we refuse to forgive a person for a perceived wrong deed, or a perceived act of injustice, we burn the very bridge over which we ourselves will someday pass."

I choose to sow seeds of forgiveness today.

I also choose to sow seeds of honor.

A few days ago, two friends of mine and I got together for an important reason: We wanted to impart words of honor to one another, to build around one another a shield of honor that will protect us from the fiery darts of the demonic spirit of jealousy that the enemy seeks to throw at us more often than we are aware of it.

The spirit of jealousy kills, steals, and destroys.

But imparting honor, speaking life to others builds up our spiritual immune systems. It builds up a strong armor of protection shielding us from enemy attack in this area.

The Dancing Ducks: "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!"

When we speak words of honor to another person, acknowledging that person's Godly character, affirming him or her in terms of the call of God on their life, proclaiming the good things that you know about that one, it is like a shield, and the enemy cannot wreak havoc or bring destruction into that person's life.

Rosemarie, Tina and me: sowing seed words of honor.
These dear friends of mine have given me unconditional love.

Speaking words of honor to another dismantles the lies of the enemy. It is walking in the opposite direction of the enemy. It is walking in the direction of heaven, and propels that person towards His God given calling and eternal destiny.

Arthur Burk writes:

As a basic protection in a ministry, giving honor to each other needs to be a core value.

We have learned to weed out of our language a thousand little things that are dishonoring comments. We don't mean them to be dishonoring since those comments are a part of our culture. [Ours] is a culture rife with dishonor. We make it an art form. Our talk shows are very degrading and dishonoring most of the time. Our public media celebrates dishonor and dishonorable things. Consequently, we have had to come in the opposite spirit in the extreme to learn how to weed those words out of our vocabulary.

Even further than that, we have learned how to express honor. We have learned how to recognize the hand of God in other individuals. In what used to be routine conversations we now recognize the presence of God, His purposes, His hand in circumstances, and His blessings on an individuals life.

An excerpt from Spirit of Jealousy, by Arthur Burk

Truly, it has been an amazing month for me. I have never walked this way before. It amazes me as I realize that just a month ago, I wrote these words on a blog entry (see Re-creating Your Environment):

Honor is the language and conduct of royalty!

Showing honor is the mark of nobility and kingly status! With my words I want to weave a tapestry of beautiful memories to warm the hearts of those I will someday leave behind.

A legacy of honor. That is what I want to leave behind.


Through the recent circumstances of this month God was showing me the value of sowing seeds of honor in the life of others!

And to make everything even more meaningful, God spoke these beautiful words to me tonight:

This, My child, is the way of promotion. The way up is the way down. The land of your wounding is the land of your anointing. I am the God who doesn't sleep. I see what you are going through. No weapon forged against you will prosper, but you will rise up, you will be promoted, to refute every lie that the enemy speaks against you. In this season, call on My powerful name, Father of the fatherless... Defender of widows. I will surely answer. "


My Father reminds me that when I sow in hope, in the midst of my difficult hour, there is a harvest of joy that awaits me. My life story may have several chapters of pain coming from unexpected places... but then deep joy... new growth... and a bountiful harvest come from those unexpected places as well!

Those who sow with tears
will reap with songs of joy.
Those who go out weeping,
carrying seed to sow,
will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with them.

- Psalm 126:5, 6

What a beautiful ending to an unusual month. It fills my cup to overflowing... and with my cup brimming over with these words of honor, words of promise and hope, as September comes to an end, I am ready to face another month.

And by God's enabling grace, I am ready to sow seeds of honor in the lives of those around me knowing that the day will come when God will spread the sheaves from my plentiful harvest before my very eyes!

Sow a thought, reap an act;
Sow an act, reap a habit;
Sow a habit, reap a character;
Sow a character, reap a destiny.

- Charles Reade

A New Season, A New Name

Lydia of Philippi

photo source

On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there. One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us. (emphasis mine)

- Acts 16:13-15

Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless.
If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry.
My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword;
your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.

- Exodus 22: 22-24

Your assignment is not your decision
but your discovery.

- Mike Murdoch

Many of you are probably wondering why this blog has been quiet for the past three weeks. So, here is an entry to let you know what has been happening.

On August 31, I was in my bedroom in our Manila home, waiting before the LORD, asking Him for specific instructions for the next stage of my spiritual journey.

I had reached a fork in the road, a crossroads, and I needed His wisdom and His guidance to show me which way to go.

What He spoke to me was quite unexpected. He impressed on my heart that the season had come for me to begin using my given name, Lidia.

"You are entering your Lidia season," the Lord said. "No longer will you be known as Lidj - you will now be called by your given name, the name I have personally chosen for you."

It was such a defining moment for me when my heavenly Father clearly spoke these words - You are Lidia, a worshiper of God.


Earlier that morning I had felt like I was entering one of the saddest seasons of my life - when it seemed like yet another thing I had held dear in my life was being stripped away from me.

Yet the words God spoke had such a resonance in my heart... in fact, my heart surged with delight when I heard them.

On Friday of that same week, I attended my friend Rosemarie's 63rd birthday. Other dear friends - Tina, Alberto, and Gina were also there. These friends of mine and I have a kingdom connection, in fact we call each other by the name Kingdom Friend.

When Alberto saw me, his face lit up and said, "Hello Kingdom Friend, how are things with you?"

My immediate response was, "I have a new name. From now on, please call me Lidia." And I continued to share with him what has been happening, and what God has spoken to me.

That Sunday, Rosemarie and I attended the small but vibrant Spirit-filled church that Alberto pastors. He claims that he is not the pastor of this church, but God the Holy Spirit.

It is true. As we worshiped that morning, I could not keep my tears from falling. The songs that we sung were the very songs that God used to minister to my heavy heart...

Our Father...

It Is Well With My Soul...

The presence of the Holy Spirit was palpable in that place...

Many of us knelt in worship, and I was not the only one sobbing.

What a wonderful time of refreshing the worship was.

And to top it all, when their worship pastor Macky began to read the text for his message this morning, I was just so amazed. He spoke about worshiping God in the midst of our prisons...

Such a timely message for me... I know that God purposely brought me to that place to hear that specific word for me... for such a time as this.

And yes, Macky not only spoke about Paul and Silas worshiping God in their prison cell with their feet locked up in stocks...

He also spoke about a woman named Lydia, a seller of purple cloth... a worshiper of God.

So, here I am entering my Lidia Season.

I am taking up my position of worship... and definitely, I do not want to worship God from an empty water bottle, a cracked cistern that can hold no water... I want to worship God from a bottomless well!

Macky's passion for Jesus was so contagious!

Macky asked us many incisive questions:

What happens if praise and worship become your default settings?

When odds are against you, will you still praise the Lord?

Will you still decide to praise God -

when you are persecuted on the way to answering God's call on your life...

when you are being unjustly treated...

when it looks like the enemy has won?

God doesn't want us to be just "nice" and "good" Christians... He wants us to live out our purpose and kingdom calling in power and authority!

Praising God is the habit of those who want to walk in victory.

Macky talked a bit about the kind of training that navy seals go through. At some point in their training for endurance, they are "drownproofed" - letting them stay underwater for a long period of time to strengthen them for the war.

Praising God habitually is very much like drownproofing - it will keep us from being overwhelmed.

It spells all the difference between merely surviving, and overcoming!

This, in a nutshell, is where I am dear friends. I am in my Lidia season... where I am choosing the higher path of worship and praise. God is teaching me to fight my battles on my knees...

Down at the feet of my King, bowing before Him in worship, is the highest place... it is the place of breakthrough, it is the place of victory.


From now on, please call me Lidia.

Below are some photographs taken on our way to Boracay Island, September 15, 2011.
God really spoke to me through the beautiful way He painted the sky for me on that trip!


"Daybreak 1"
photo by Lidia

Taken on board the Montenegro roll on-roll off barge
before we disembarked at the Port of Dumangas, Iloilo province


"Daybreak 2"
photo by JT Ascalon


"Daybreak 3"
photo by Lidia


"Promise"
photo by Lidia

I was thrilled to see this rainbow along the way!



And here is a picture of me and my dear friend Desert Flower,
taken on our recent trip to Boracay Island last weekend.

I just had to post this photograph... it is a lovely picture of me
in my new season!

No, it's not about me...
it's about the story God is writing...
a story of faith and obedience...
the story of one woman's sacred pilgrimage
on her way to her eternal destination.


Desert Flower and me in Boracay
photo by JT Ascalon







But He knows the way that I take;
when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

- Job 23:10

Read more about Lydia of Philippi

God of My Surrender

The LORD is my Banner

by Gustave Dore

photo source

Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,

as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness...
- Psalm 95:8

You have given a banner to those who fear You,
that it may be displayed because of the truth.

- Psalm 60:4




And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse,
Who shall stand as a banner to the people;
for the Gentiles shall seek Him,
and His resting place shall be glorious.

- Isaiah 11:10

Exodus 17: 10-17

So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.”

Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner. He said, “Because hands were lifted up against the throne of the LORD, the LORD will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation.”

I arrived in Manila five days ago.

It always feels good to be back. Although I have lived in Bacolod for the past thirty-two years, Manila, the city where I was born and raised, will always be home to me. The last time I was here was two and half months ago, and as I waited outside baggage claim for an empty cab, there was a sense of child-like excitement in my heart.

Traffic was unusually light the afternoon I flew in. From the airport, it only took me less than an hour to reach our home in Quezon City.

I was greeted by my father's Melendrez tree in full bloom!

Whenever I enter our front door after having been away for a time, the first thing I do is to praise God and lift my heart in thanksgiving.

Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits...
- Psalm 103:1,2

Indeed, there are so many things to be thankful for... I never ever want to forget God's benefits. And there is something about being thankful that imparts life to any environment that we enter.

This is the home where my sister and I were brought up by loving and kind parents. The place still holds many beautiful memories for me even though my parents have long passed away, and my only sister resides abroad with her family.

Many changes have taken place in the immediate neighborhood. But the sense of peace and serenity is still unmistakable in this place.

Now this too is home to my youngest child, Obedient One, who started living here five years ago.

Change.

It is an inevitable fact of life.

As often mentioned in my previous posts, we are always in a state of flux.

In transit.

Much as I want to hold on to the beauty, comfort and security of my past, all I have left are the memories. And even those will soon fade with time.

Nothing is ever permanent. The only certainty... the only constant in a world of change, is God Himself.


Gracious uncertainty. That's how Oswald Chambers refers to it.

He writes,

Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life—gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises.

Change confronts us as seasons come and go -- expected or unexpected.... welcome or not... change often enters our lives without asking permission.

And while it is true that we have little or no control over some of these changes, one thing is clear: we are free to choose our response in the midst of a difficult season.

I just love what Oswald Chambers says: As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises.

Yes, indeed. We can position our hearts for the surprises of God.

The choice is up to us.



The Israelites went through a season of major change, and with it many opportunities to grow up, to be more appreciative, to mature... to look at life from a new perspective. The Almighty God was in their midst, and they saw with their own eyes the awesome display of His power.

How did they respond to change?

Stiff-necked and rebellious, that's what they were... choosing to complain at the slightest inconvenience.

The Israelites had just set up camp at Rephidim where they became thirsty and realized there was no water to drink. They grumbled ... complained... and grumbled some more. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for Moses to constantly listen to the whine and the clamor of two million newly freed slaves.

God shows Moses how to get water. "I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." - Exodus 17:6

Water gushed forth... and there was more than enough for every person's thirst to be satisfied. Yet Moses named the place Massah and Meribah, Hebrew words that mean "Testing" and "Contention." Named as such because by their constant complaining and murmuring, the Israelites did put God to the test.

The truth is that you and I are made of very much the same stuff as they.


During the early years of my married life, I complained a lot.

In some of my earlier posts I write of my struggles with perfectionism. Everything had to be just right; it was hard to measure up to my standards. They were quite high.

But somewhere along my journey toward soul transformation, God looked at me with compassion, reached down, and rescued me from this terrible disposition.

Much work remains, but this I know for sure: setting me free from a complaining spirit is one of the best things that God has ever done for me.



C.S. Lewis wrote a little book entitled The Great Divorce, one of the greatest books he has ever written, in my humble opinion. An allegorical tale, the book is written in the same literary genre as Dante's Divine Comedy, and Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

In a few paragraphs Lewis describes how a person may degenerate from grumbler to grumble.

"'... The question is whether she is a grumbler or only a grumble. If there is a real woman -- even the least trace of one-- still there inside the grumbling it can be brought to life again. If there is one wee spark under all those ashes, we'll blow it till the whole pile is red and clear. But if there's nothing but ashes we'll not go on blowing them in our own eyes forever... They must be swept up.'

'But how can there be a grumble without a grumbler?'

'The whole difficulty of understanding Hell is that the thing to be understood is so nearly Nothing. But ye'll have had experiences... it begins with a grumbling mood, and yourself still distinct from it: perhaps criticizing it. And yourself, in a dark hour, may will that mood, embrace it. Ye can repent and come out of it again. But there may come a day when you can do that no longer. Then there will be no you left to criticize the mood, nor even to enjoy it, but just the grumble itself going on forever like a machine...'"

C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce, pp. 75-78

I remember reading this book many years ago and running to God, pleading with Him to deliver me from a grumbling spirit. The process of change in my heart had started even before that night, but praise be to God, He knew how much I needed to read that book at that particular time.

I have since realized that a complaining spirit puts God to the test because each time I murmur against any change, any difficulty, or any unforeseen event in my life, I am actually murmuring against God, making me guilty of the sin of unbelief.

Indeed, a grumbling, fault-finding spirit is rooted in unbelief. A complaint is a message that God is not good enough, or that He is not big... or wise... or strong enough.

God is not enough. Period.

In naming the place Massah and Meribah, Moses was describing the character of that territory.

Lyndon, a dear friend, mentioned this during our Exodus 17 study a few weeks ago: From a mere entry point, a complaining attitude gains a foothold, and eventually becomes a stronghold.

If we are in the habit of complaining about anything we are not in favor of, eventually a spirit of murmuring takes over, and claims ownership of that place.

Finding fault with just about everything becomes a natural response.

Where the enemy has been given a legal ground to stay, he willingly takes up residence.

The kind of acts and attitudes frequently exhibited in a place will eventually define the atmosphere or climate over that place.

A complaining spirit attracts other spirits to come as well - arguing, disputing, discontented, hard to please, demanding, bitter. These kinds of spirit shrivel up and dry up the heart. The environment becomes barren and lifeless.




But there is hope.

If we cry out to God, He comes to our rescue. He will not leave us defenseless.

While still at Rephidim (named Massah and Meribah by Moses), the Israelites are attacked by Amalekites. The two stories connect, and I believe there is a spiritual significance.

We will not go far in our journey if we are carrying a heavy baggage of arguing, disputing and finger-pointing.

We will have to unload... allow God to prove that He is God who redeems and restores.

With hearts weighed down by contention and quarrelling, the Israelites face a dead end.

A battle against Amalek ensues. In the natural, victory is impossible.

The enemy fought dirty, hitting them from behind; the hearts of the Israelites were not right. They had no spiritual energy with which to fight.

Moses knew the problem... and the solution.

He exercises his authority, lifting up his hands to intercede.... until the breakthrough comes.

Interceding... that the deeply entrenched spirit of unbelief, as manifested by a habitual grumbling attitude, may be broken.

Joshua wins the battle against Amalek, but it takes the intercession of Moses, aided by Aaron and Hur, to provide the spiritual atmosphere. With the help of these two men, Moses interceded until the yoke of unbelief was broken. In both the physical and the spiritual realm, it required hard work.

And because of his obedient intercession, Israel was spared.

In this case, intercession was a matter of life and death for the Israelites. Their victory depended on what Moses did.

After the battle was won, Moses did not plant a flag. To commemorate the event, Moses chose to worship God.

He built an altar and called it Jehovah Nissi, "The Lord is my Banner."

A powerful example of what obedient intercession can achieve in the battles that we face.

That place of unbelief was transformed into a place of victory.



This is the cry of my heart today:

My Jehovah Nissi...
shine
your healing light
in the dark crevices of my heart

where hide fear, anxiety, unbelief...
reluctant to accept change...
I cling, hold fast
to old places of comfort and security...

Wash
every stain of fault-finding,
complaining...
and finger-pointing;

Guide...
lead me up the hill
of obedient intercession...


Amalek
the spirit of cowardice,
must gain
no foothold in my life.

Help me build today,
in my heart
that altar of victory...

for You are my Banner,
"God of my surrender"--
my Jehovah Nissi!

Just sharing a few things to be thankful for...

Some parts of the garden have suffered from the severe hot and dry spell we've had in the recent weeks. But despite the erratic weather, the bromeliads are blooming all over the place!

A graphic reminder that life triumphs over death!










One of the joys that deeply touches my heart is our maid Irene who serves us faithfully, keeping our Manila home clean, our garden well - watered... doing the other daily chores with such a joyful and uncomplaining spirit.






It's amazing how much joy a little dog can bring to our hearts!




My daughter Obedient One came back recently from a trip to Hong Kong and Macau. She knows I love to write, and my heart was overjoyed at this gift that she bought for me:

Do everything without grumbling or arguing,
so that you may become blameless and pure,
“children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”
Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky
as you hold firmly to the word of life.

- Philippians 2:14-16

Taking Authority

Then the LORD said to Joshua,
“Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand,
for into your hand I will deliver the city.”
So Joshua held out toward the city the javelin that was in his hand.
- Joshua 8:18

photo source






Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions,
and over all the power of the enemy,
and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

- Luke 10:19




Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron;
You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.

- Psalm 2:8, 9

Then the LORD reached out his hand
and touched my mouth and said to me,
“I have put my words in your mouth.
See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms
to uproot and tear down,
to destroy and overthrow,
to build and to plant.”

- Jeremiah 1:9

As another month ends, I listen to my heart to find the appropriate name for it.

Giving each month a name helps me keep track of my spiritual progress... to own my experiences, admit where I have fallen short, and to face up to the challenges ahead of me.

Naming the month also gives me a perspective to view the lessons learned from the past weeks, as well as a platform from which to launch the strategy for the next stage of the journey.

Living as a kingdom person. This has been my goal and desire for this year.

In January I began meditating on the book of Joshua, one chapter at a time, where I have found many kingdom principles that can be applied in my spiritual pursuits.

This month I have looked closely at chapters 7 and 8.

Joshua 7 records the story of the defeat encountered by the Israelites at Ai. After their glorious Jericho experience, it was easy to be presumptuous, and forget to seek the Lord's counsel about His battle plans for the next city.

Ai represents many things.

It stands for presumptuousness and pride... misplaced confidence... complacency.

For Joshua, the distance between a glorious victory and a humbling defeat was way too short.

Instead of consulting the Lord regarding the next step to take, he listened to the voice of advisers who told him Ai was chicken feed:

"Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.”

Confident of victory, Joshua sent only about three thousand men to fight the battle at Ai.

... but they were routed by the men of Ai, who killed about thirty-six of them.

Joshua thought victory was sure; instead, he suffered shame.

A costly lesson, one Israel will never forget.

God was building His kingdom in their hearts, and when it comes to God's kingdom, righteousness is the top requirement.

Obedience is a must.

Achan had taken from the riches of Jericho after it was conquered, even though they were clearly instructed that the whole city, meaning all its people and their properties, was devoted to destruction.

The LORD said to Joshua, "... Israel has sinned;
they violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep.

They have taken some of the devoted things;

they have stolen,

they have lied,

they have put them with their own possessions.

That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies;
they turn their backs and run
because they have been made liable to destruction.

I will not be with you anymore
unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.”

They have been made liable to destruction.

What a chilling rebuke from the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings.


Unconditional obedience to the Lord's commands is for our own protection.

I cannot compromise my kingdom status by exchanging it for a Babylonian robe and a few shekels of silver!

Obedience.

My life depends on it.


Purity... it's a prerequisite for victory.


Because of Achan's disobedience, the life of an entire nation was endangered. Achan had to be put to death, together with his whole family, a graphic and sobering reminder to everyone that God will not allow His kingdom to be tainted or defiled.

Then all Israel stoned him,
and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.
Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks,
which remains to this day.

Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger.
Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since.

The amazing thing about God is that He does not remain angry forever.

The Valley of Achor was named as such because of the trouble that Achan brought upon Israel. But in another passage, God Himself promises restoration to Israel; the same valley becomes a door of hope.

Therefore I am now going to allure her;
I will lead her into the wilderness
and speak tenderly to her.
There I will give her back her vineyards,
and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.

- Hosea 2:14, 15

We all have our own places of Ai and Achor, but we need not remain there.

God's heart towards His people is always to redeem and to restore.

Once Achan's sin was dealt with, God once again revealed to Joshua the game plan for Ai.

From a place of former defeat, Ai becomes a place of victory.

Achor, a valley of trouble, is transformed into a doorway for hope to enter.


Having learned a valuable lesson, Joshua was careful to obey the Lord every step of the way.

“Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand,
for into your hand I will deliver the city.”

Joshua did so, and Ai was conquered.

Twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai. For Joshua did not draw back the hand that held out his javelin until he had destroyed all who lived in Ai. But Israel did carry off for themselves the livestock and plunder of this city, as the LORD had instructed Joshua.

- Joshua 8:25-27

As a result of Joshua's obedience, not only was Ai conquered, all the plunder of the city was theirs to keep.


May the spiritual lessons God has spoken to me these past weeks be forever embedded in my heart!

Therefore, I name this month Taking Authority.

By complacency... presumption... or disobedience, I could lose the fight, and allow the enemy to take over precious territory that rightfully belongs to me.

God had given Joshua authority, as represented in the spear, or the javelin, that he had in his hand.

The clear message of God to me for the month just ended is to take my stand, and use the God-given authority that I have.

It is easy to lose sight of this...

in a moment of weakness, it is easy to be carried away by the mundane...

to exchange my spiritual birthright for a bowl of stew...

to let my strength wane, to let my energies be dissipated by taking on assignments not meant for me to carry.

Yes, it is easy to be presumptuous... even in the way we interpret God's word, the way we think we understand.

Taking authority means something only when I recognize that I am under a Higher authority. When I humbly stand under God's authority, He opens doors of understanding for me to walk through.


These past weeks my eyes have been opened to my own spiritual needs, and that of my family.

But really, I know that my life is not for the needs of my family circle alone, though the needs are legitimate.

I lift up my church to God.

I lift up my city to God.

My province... my beloved homeland ... other nations that God lays on my heart.

Thailand.

America.

The Middle East.

Israel.


This month the truth was brought home to me. I must be about my Father's business.

And being about my Father's business means

... saying no to complacency and presumptuousness.

... saying no to self-focus.

... saying yes to obedience.

... saying yes to worship and intercession and a deeper intimacy with God.

... saying yes to a deeper understanding of kingdom authority.

I never presume to know all the answers... or the next move... but always willing to have my spiritual senses activated to understand what God is doing.


Ask of Me, the Lord says, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.


My friend Ruby and I were talking about our prayer concerns a few weeks ago. After sharing with her what was on my heart, she said something that stuck.

Do not stop praying until the breakthrough comes.

I pondered over those words. They were a timely reminder to me in the midst of the battles we all face everyday.


It is easy to be sidetracked by what is temporary, and to lose sight of our eternal priorities.

Am I building God's kingdom, or my own?

More often than not, I give a mental assent ... but my heart is not in it.


This month, I was given a ministry opportunity to be manager of the Intercessors for the Philippines (IFP) office in Bacolod City.

After seeking the Lord's heart about it, my initial reluctance gave way to obedience.

“I have put my words in your mouth.
See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms
to uproot and tear down,
to destroy and overthrow,
to build and to plant.”

- Jeremiah 1:9

Now I am looking forward to this new role.

As May comes to an end, I am grateful for the direction that God has given.

Juan and Helen Coromina
Intercessors for the Philippines Prayer Coordinators for the Visayas

It's another step of faith, another step of obedience. But a great opportunity to be mentored by a couple I look up to, Juan and Helen Coromina, Intercessors for the Philippines prayer coordinators for the Visayas Islands of this nation.

Above all, it is a move that takes me to the next level.


As the month was ending, I sensed God saying to me... "This is an invitation to partner with Me in the work I am doing."

What an honor... what a privilege!

Only a fool would say no to such an invitation.

I only ask God that as I stretch out my spear of authority over the places of former defeat in my life, victory and breakthrough will come.

And, I am looking forward to the plunder that God has said is mine as well!






Special family events for this month:

MAY 8 - Mother's Day

Mother's Day fresh flowers from second son, Worshiper. He went to the flower market downtown on the eve of the special day and bought many flowers for me. Yellow was my husband's favorite color. And I really love chrysanthemums and asters. Thank you, my dear son. Your thoughtfulness always touches my heart.

MAY 9 -First Born Son's birthday


This was First Born's 31st birthday. He and his wife work nights, and in this photo, both of them had just come from work. But they do not even look tired, or sleepy. We had a special breakfast at McDonalds, just the three of us.

First Born, God-given, and their son Forerunner (Matthew). The three of them, second son Worshiper, and I had a very special birthday lunch out of town, at a seaside place two cities away from Bacolod, called Balaring. We had a feast of sea food, including freshly caught oysters, and mouth watering grilled squid. Worshiper's wife, Chosen One, and their baby Full of Hope (Elijah) were in Manila at that time.

First-Born son will always have a special place in our family, because he is the son that opened my womb! When Ernie and I dedicated him to the Lord in church the second Sunday after he was born, through tear filled eyes, we sang a special song dedicating this son to God, "Jesus be the Lord of All."

Jesus be the Lord of all
Jesus be the Lord of all
Jesus be the Lord of all
The kingdoms of my heart

Jesus I surrender all
Jesus I surrender all
Jesus I surrender all
The kingdoms of my heart

Dearest First Born Son,
you were dedicated to God from the moment you were conceived.
Your Heavenly Father has a very special plan and purpose for you.
He holds you close to His heart,
He keeps you safe through all the seasons of your life.
I thank God for you!
You are very special.
The kindness of your heart shines through your eyes!
I love you, dearest son!

Other month-end posts for this year:

January 2011: Walking

February 2011: Yielding

March 2011: Beautiful

April 2011: Contending