God of the Overflow

Pagsanjan Falls

Pagsanjan, Laguna, Philippines

photograph of actual painting by my cousin Lisa Perez

The thief does not come
except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
I have come that they may have life,
and that they may have it more abundantly.
- John 10:10




You prepare a table before me
In the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
-Psalm 23:5




But we all, with unveiled face,
beholding as in a mirror
the glory of the LORD
are being transformed into the same image
from glory to glory,
just as by the Spirit of the LORD.
-2 Corinthians 3:18

Last night I attended the Rosh Hashanah worship celebration with a thousand other intercessors affiliated with Intercessors for the Philippines. Rosh Hashana marks the start of the Jewish New Year, and began at sundown of Sunday, September 16 and ends at today at sundown. These are the first two days of the Jewish month of Tishrei, the first month of the Hebrew calendar.

Rosh Hashanah is celebrated by Jews with great solemnity because it is believed that God judges the world for the coming year, and that His judgment of every individual is written in His book on  this day. Thus these days are considered a window of time to make it right with the Creator, that the year ahead may be good, sweet, and marked with favorable outcomes. For this reason, Rosh Hashanah marks the start of the ten Days of Awe, an intense period of soul searching, repentance, and returning to God. Within these ten days, God's "sentence" on your next year can still be reversed as one returns to Him and makes an appeal.

This ten-day period ends in another appointed feast called Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement. On this day, Jews believe that the sentence is final: no more appeals will be accepted. 

We are not living in Israel, and we are not Jews, but as "Gentile" Christians who have been grafted into the original olive tree, we do take Israel seriously and believe that Israel's prophetic destiny is being fulfilled right before our very eyes. We can observe the feasts as reminders of our high calling as children of the king, and live a life that is pleasing in His sight. 

I have been interested in the feasts of the Lord for many years, but it is only in the past year or so that I have gained more in-depth understanding about them.

There are seven feasts that God has instituted and which God calls, "My feasts." 

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

"Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them:

'The feasts of the LORD,

which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations,

these are My feasts...

holy convocations which you shall proclaim

at their appointed times...'"

- Leviticus 23: 1, 2, 4

These feasts are really intended by God to be observed by the whole world.  Israel is only the stage for them to be acted out, to help the rest of the world understand their deeper implications and spiritual significance.

It is quite remarkable that although the Jews have been dispersed to many areas around the world, the great majority of them have kept their culture and tradition intact. Indeed, the feasts have continued to be observed by Jews the world over.

True followers of Jesus are called "the new Israel," not in the sense of replacing the original Israel, but in the sense that we now are also part of God's prophetic plans for this nation and race by virtue of our faith and trust in the Messiah.  In doing so, we have been grafted into the original olive tree. Yes, we who are the "new Israel" are truly privileged to participate in these appointed feasts of the Lord with greater understanding.

Leviticus 23 explains these feasts, starting with the weekly Sabbath, which is the foundation for all the feasts. The first three feasts - Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, were all fulfilled by Jesus Himself in the spring of AD 32 - with His death, burial, and resurrection. The Feast of Weeks, which falls on the fiftieth day after the Feast of First Fruits, has also been fulfilled, in the summer of AD 32, with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Only three remaining feasts await their fulfillment -  the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles, all of which are fall feasts.

Using these feasts as a timetable, the world is now standing between the Feast of Weeks and the Feast of Trumpets, and we are waiting for the events to roll as prophesied, and then Jesus will return.

Last night's celebration was very memorable for me. This is my very first time to ever participate in a Rosh Hashanah worship celebration. There were beautiful dancers, elegantly robed, and the presence of the Lord was thick and palpable in our midst.  There was joy at the start, but as the leader began to explain the deeper significance of the Days of Awe as a ten-day period that we could observe in fasting and earnest soul-searching, we felt a holy awe come into the hall, and many of us went down on our knees in repentance for personal sins.

It is true that the blood of Jesus has already been shed, and our sins have been paid for. But this is the Bridal Season, and there is a divine provision for us to make ourselves ready for the coming of the Lord, to reflect on our walk with God, our priorities, and the spiritual condition of our hearts.

It is not understood by all that the church is not synonymous with the Bride. 

But in Revelation 19:6-8 we read:

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
"Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear."
(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God's holy people.)

The bride has made herself ready.

The bride puts on, as her wedding gown, the "righteous acts" that she has done.

We are clothed with the righteousness of Jesus when we come to place our faith in His finished work on the cross... BUT, afterwards, the bride who has made herself ready will put on the fine linen garments that symbolize her own righteous acts.

The church is not the bride. The bride is the remnant within the church who has persevered and who has overcome.

This realization really takes my breath away.

I know I'm not the only one. But for now I take a long hard look within me, with all my good intentions to be more close to God... yet how often do I become distracted or half-hearted?

I know there comes a time when it will be too late to clean up our lives... too late to obey, even if we wanted to.

We can't fool God. And I got to thinking, "If it all depended on me, and my self efforts, where would I be when the bridegroom arrives?"

But praise God! The price for my redemption has been paid. Yeshua HaMashiach has purchased my salvation! Last night, I really knelt before God in humility and repentance for falling away from my First Love again and again. Help me, Lord, help me to be vigilant. Help me do my part.

Towards the end of the celebration, there was a Jewish wedding dance, so beautiful in its portrayal. So well-rehearsed were the dance moves, the eyes of the bridegroom and the bride were fixed on each other - so in love were they... and this stirred our hearts to truly be as a bride who has made herself ready for her bridegroom!

Several faith declarations for our nation were made to seal the Rosh Hashanah night of worship.  The shofars were blown at the end of each declaration.

Clearly, things are moving up for our nation, and God is now responding to the seeds of prayer that have been sown by intercessors for this nation in the years that have gone by. After the lawmakers impeached our Chief Justice in a near unanimous vote a few months ago, a new one has been appointed by our President. Our new Chief Justice is a Christian.

The economic landscape of our nation is also changing. In August, just last month, the Philippines has become the strongest performing economy in Asia. And what is even more remarkable is that our nation was able to lend US$1 billion to the IMF in June of this year in a move to help beef up the sagging coffers of the organization (see: PH commits $1B to Beef up IMF Coffers).

I'm really bragging... not about what we can do on our own limited means, but about what God can do, if we put our trust in Him. 

We are on our way to a revival; the signs of the times within our islands point to it. We are beginning to see indications of it. And really, as someone who has prayed for this nation for the past  fifteen years or so, I am excited.

As I come to this new season of seeking God, and really becoming an overcomer bride as the last quarter of this year is about to be ushered in, I choose to worship God as the God of the Overflow.

God revealed Himself to me as the God of the Overflow in an amazing way. After Ernie and I encountered a life changing financial bankruptcy ten years after we were married, we both reached rock bottom in our faith... and as I have mentioned in one of my earlier posts, when we reached rock bottom, we found that God was right there waiting to catch us, and draw us to Himself.

These were the very conditions that God was waiting for - bankruptcy... rock bottom... dead end. But God is never hampered or limited when His children end up in a bind. 

Craig Hill once said something that has really changed my outlook regarding life: "Where there's a vision, there will be provision."

And this is the very change in outlook that God began in Ernie and me when we reached our lowest point in our marriage. We asked God to reveal His vision for us. And He not only did that, God also revealed Himself to us as the God of the Provision.

We learned what it means to trust Him to be the God who is More Than Enough. The God of the Overflow.

I know some dear people who literally want to keep old stuff around, just in case it comes in handy for some future use. Surely there are benefits to doing that, but one downside to that mentality is that eventually the whole house becomes a junk collection. It could also hinder us from walking in the new season God is opening up before us.

It's all about trust. Maybe the time has come for us to unclench our fist and let go of that last coin.

Trusting in the God of the Overflow means that I can let go of the past, because I am looking forward to and expecting new provisions to come in. I have to make room for new provisions... and often, that can only happen as I let go of old provisions that I have held on to, just in case.

God is the God of Abundance. In Him I lack nothing.

In this season of Rosh Hashanah, I approach God not in dread or fear that my new year will given a bad sentence. Rather, I am approaching Him as a Father who loves to bless, a Redeemer who loves to grant new opportunities for me to grow and move up to the next level.

I am tired of self-righteous, me-focused religious talk. I am asking God to help me break free from old cycles, old mindsets of self-provision and subtle self-praise.

Less is actually more. Downsizing enables us to travel light. And I need to look at life from the vantage point of abundance, not from a fear of losing what I have.

My heavenly Father also loves to delight His children, and grants them the desires of their hearts.

God is not a Scrooge who is stingy with His goodness. He withholds no good thing from the one who walks uprightly. God's heart is an eternal wellspring of pleasure and delight.

One reason that the ram's horn is blown at the Feast of  Trumpets, is to commemorate the way God provided a ram to take the place of Isaac on the altar.

God is Jehovah Jireh - the God who Provides.

God loves to provide guidance, and a way out.

But my heart has to be made humble...

trust God enough to let go of plans that are not aligned to God's purposes for me...

emptied of self to receive what God wants to give.

"Make good use of what I have provided you - time and new opportunities I allow to come your way. Walk in your calling and in your assignment, I hear the Father speaking to me. 

The Father is helping me see my whole life from an entirely different perspective. He is helping me choose my priorities as well... in the words that I speak, in the prayers that I pray, in the activities that I engage in.

L' shanah tovah!  This means, may the year ahead of you be good, and sweet!

And I trust that it will... because I have put my faith in God whose heart flows over with love for you and me.

And on this important feast, we pray for Israel and all the Jews, that the scales from their eyes will be removed, and they will come to know Jesus as the Messiah, their Redeemer, Savior, Lord and King!

Jars of Oil

Earthen Vessels

oil pastel on canvas painting by Jun Jamosmos

photo source

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,

And the day of vengeance of our God;

To comfort all who mourn,

To console those who mourn in Zion,

To give them beauty for ashes,

The oil of joy for mourning,

The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

That they may be called trees of righteousness,

The planting of the LORD,

that He may be glorified.

- Isaiah 61:2-3

And the manna was as coriander seed, 

and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. 

And the people went about, and gathered it, 

and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, 

and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: 

and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.

- Numbers 11: 7, 8 (KJV)

Then the LORD will be zealous for His land,
And pity His people.
The LORD will answer
and say to His people
"Behold, I will send you grain
and new wine and oil,
And you will be satisfied by them;
I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.
- Joel 2:18, 19


 
O pour on me Your holy oil
The Spirit of the Living God
Fill my cup Lord I lift it up
Until I overflow
(lines from the song A Resting Place by Paul Wilbur)

I arrived in Manila on August 17. It was good to spend seven weeks in my home city of Bacolod, but now I am enjoying being with my only daughter again.

Over the past weeks God gave me many opportunities to experience His love and goodness, and now it's time for another end of month writeup.

But before sharing some of the lessons I learned for the month just ended, let me put the events of the past weeks in their proper context.

A year ago, I entitled my end of August post When the Cloud Moves.  One day before August 2011 ended, I had to go on an unplanned flight back to Manila to help mediate in a relational situation between my daughter and my sister.  Of course my heart was heavy, but I held on to my Father's hands, and He gave me peace.

Always, in everything, whenever possible, my desire is to be an ambassador of peace.

And on that post I had written these words:

What an unexpected ending to this month! And yet, I had no doubt that things were happening for a purpose. I knew God has my life and my timetable in His hands. There was no inner struggle, only an ongoing prayer for Him to help me be a messenger of His peace... 

My choices define who I am...

Like the Israelites who moved when the cloud moved, I once again make the decision as this month ends that I would rather be guided by the cloud of God's presence more than anything else in this world.

Clouds in the Bible often stood for many beautiful things... protection, favor, guidance.

Above all, clouds stood for God's glory. Whenever Moses communed with God in the Tent of Meeting, the cloud of God's presence covered it.

The pillar of cloud always went ahead of the people to make sure that they knew which way to go.

And now, God's cloud is once again moving in my life... and there are important decisions that need to be made. read more...

On the last day of August, one year ago, I was on my knees asking God for clear guidance. I was standing on a crossroads marked by pain and uncertainty, and I needed God to give me the assurance that my heart longed for. I didn't want to lose my way.

His answer to my prayer was unexpected, but clear.

"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.

God spoke those words to me exactly a year ago. On August 31, 2011, I entered what I called my Lidia Season, and worship and praise became the default settings of my life.

Yes, twelve months ago, I made the choice to live up to my name, a worshiper of God.

These were words written in one of my September 2011 posts, entitled   A New Season, A New Name:

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!

Where am I today, twelve months after that personal encounter with God?

Many of you who have been following this blog know that in September of last year, my daughter Obedient One and I had to leave my father's house in Manila and look for another place to stay. In a couple of weeks, God led us to a tiny studio, not too far from where we used to live, and that was where I received the beautiful promise from God of my very own Rehoboth.

This word is a very special word for me. In Genesis 26 is found the story of Isaac redigging the wells that his father Abraham had dug.  The first two wells, met with strife and contention by the herdsmen of Gerar, were aptly named Esek meaning "dispute", and Sitnah, which stands for "contention."

Isaac decides to leave the vicinity, in search of another spot to dig a well. In moving away from dispute, contention, and strife, this man displayed nobility of character, wisdom and maturity.

I chose to do the same. I told myself, "Strife is not my portion, contention is not the land where I want to dwell."

Isaac re-digs a third well, and the result is peace. He names it Rehoboth... a beautiful word which literally means "broad places."

Rehoboth also means "room enough."

Isaac makes this declaration: "At last the LORD has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land."

It was in February 2008, while Ernie and I were still living in Chiang Mai, Thailand, that God first spoke this word to me.  "I am bringing you into a broad, spacious land, " a promise laid so gently on my heart by my heavenly Father.

And ever since, that Rehoboth chapter in my sacred journey has never been forgotten.

 

I embraced that new season of my life - my Lidia season, my Rehoboth season. In the midst of painful circumstances, I sang my songs of worship... and I never doubted that there was indeed a Rehoboth waiting for me.

Rehoboth. A place that was abundant, life-giving, and where there was room enough for love, mercy, grace, compassion, and kindness to flourish.



The painful relational issue I mentioned above has been resolved and the healing oil of forgiveness, acceptance, and understanding has been poured into our hearts.

My daughter and I returned to our family home before February ended this year, under new arrangements.

But I am still looking forward to my Rehoboth. Because deep within my heart, I understood that Rehoboth is not a theoretical, mystical place. I received it as a literal word with a physical fulfillment.

When God gives a clear word, His desire is for it to be followed through with obedience. When there is a promise of fruitfulness and abundance, God is looking for the right kind of soil on which to plant the seeds of His promise.

Obedience is never given as an imposition, it is offered as an invitation.

However, obedience in God's kingdom is mandatory, that much I know. For one who desires to truly live as a kingdom person, obedience is not optional. Many are called, but few are chosen. We allow ourselves to be among the chosen when we obey.

Indeed the servant who always obeys is the one considered trustworthy!

The heart that loves is the heart that obeys.

When we love God, we do what He wants, not out of a sense of duty, but with a sense of delight.

It is so easy to take God's promises for granted, because He never imposes obedience on us. Rather, He extends it as an invitation. We are free to make the choice.

I never want to miss out on the blessings that God so freely gives; it is always my desire to be found obedient.

I share these lessons not as someone who has passed the test with flying colors, but as someone still in the process of learning to overcome. To be honest, it has not been easy. There are distractions, and of course, a hundred and one different things call out to me all throughout the day.

What reins me back in is the gentle invitation of the Father to draw near. To re-focus. To remember the priorities I have set.

When the year 2011 was about to end, I received a prophetic word from a fellow intercessor, Juan Coromina. After a time of prayer a few days after Christmas, Juan told me that he senses God telling him to tell me that the oil in my house will never run dry.

This brought tears to my eyes because the truth is that as a widow, my financial standing, by this world's standards, is not very secure. There are a number of reasons for me to be weighed down by uncertainty and a sense of lack. Yet I have always chosen to live each day with a joyful and thankful heart, and with a sense of God's riches and abundant provision, never from fear of lack.

But for Juan to release those prophetic words to me just as the year is ending meant so much to me.

About a year after my husband went home to heaven, I received an email from an African pastor, one of Ernie's friends at the Haggai Leadership Institute. His email was brief and direct to the point: he wrote that the teaching in their church that morning was on 2 Kings 4:1-7, and that God had clearly impressed on his heart that it was God's word for me as well.

 
Elisha and the Widow's Oil (2 Kings 4:1-7)
 A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.”

So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”

Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.”

So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.”

And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”
 

I took that message to heart, and I have held on to this Scripture passage all these years.

On August 16, the night before my scheduled flight to Manila, I attended the weekly Bible study at my sister in law's house. The Scripture passage being studied was 2 Kings 4:1-7.  God's word never comes to us accidentally. God's word is always on time, and is sent for a specific purpose.

Elisha asks the widow what she has.

"Nothing... but a jar of oil," she replies.

All the widow has of substance is a jar of olive oil. She doesn't think it's much, but in God's scheme of things, it's enough.

The widow was being set up for a miracle, but she had to do something. She had to go out and borrow many empty jars from her neighbors, go back inside her house, shut the door, and start filling the jars with oil.

And the widow's jar of oil did not stop flowing until the last vessel was filled.

I know that I am that widow in the story. And I have often asked God what my jar of oil is.

But the instruction was specific. Go into the house and shut the door behind you.

The principle of the shut door is the principle of praying in secret. I may not know what my jar of oil is... but if I understand one part of the equation, that is a good starting point.

When I first heard this word spoken to me by that African pastor, I focused on the oil. That night, at the Bible study with Lyndon, my eyes were opened to the principle of the shut door.

God was giving me a direction: "shut the door behind you and start filling the jars with oil."

Let the oil of intercession flow. Wham! The realization hit me full force.

It had been a struggle the past weeks. I could sense that there was a block, a hindrance... almost as if a physical wall was in front of me, keeping me from any effective intercession, even though I knew it was my calling, and my assignment.

But I am determined to obey, and the promise is sure: the supernatural supply of oil will never end until the last vessel is filled.

Oil has had a beautiful significance for me these past years. It's been four years since Ernie passed away. And really, I have moved on. The grief has been processed and I have come to terms with the reality of his death. But I guess there is still a sense in which the grieving never ends. There are still some nights, or even during the day, when I become aware of an ache, a longing for my dear husband, especially because he was such a sweet, gentle, and kind man, and we had a beautiful relationship. I really miss Ernie, even after four years.

I'm not even asking for comfort at this point. God's already taken care of that.  It just feels good to express what's on my heart.

How can I best describe what I feel? I feel like I have no sense of belonging. That's how it feels. My children love me, but I do not belong to my children. My friends care for me, but I do not belong to my friends.

Only a husband who is committed to me in covenant love can give me that sense of belonging.

But God sees my need. He knows and understands how I feel.

He cares.

And He has been faithful to pour into my heart the oil of joy instead of mourning all these years. That steady supply of joy has given me the strength I need to move on.


Oil also speaks of provision. God promises to send new wine, the oil, and the grain...


God has spoken to me time and again through the circumstances of my life, through a prophetic word, through a passage in Scripture. So many beautiful promises.  And God is faithful and true to His promises. I never have any reason to doubt Him.


The month of August speaks to me of obedience and provision.

With God, I am sure of this: a promise given is a promise kept.

My name for the amazing month of August is ... Jars of Oil.

I end this post with a beautiful video about the five wise and the five foolish virgins in Matthew 25, part of the bridal entourage waiting for the bridegroom to arrive. Five were ready with an extra supply of oil, but the other five were not. Paul Wilbur's narration and singing is anointed and powerful. I invite you to take time to listen to it.

The Watchman
by Paul Wilbur

God has placed a watchman on your walls
oh Jerusalem
They will not be silent day or night
Of the Lord they make constant mention
They will give no sleep to their eyes
Until God establishes grace
There will be no peace in their nights
Until the Lord makes Jerusalem a praise
He has sworn it by His strength

If you lift up your voices and call on the Lord
He will come
And the nations will see that salvation comes
from Zion
Oh no more waiting the anointing of God
has begun
Oh blind eye will see as the captives go free
If you lift up your voices He’ll come

Behold the Lord has proclaimed this to
ends of the earth
And though there’s fear in your
streets tonight
Something’s already birthed
Tabernacle is rising right now
In the hearts of those who believe
There’s the sound of a freedom shout
Rising up from under your feet

If you lift up your voices and call on the Lord
He will come
And the nations will see that salvation comes
from Zion

Oh no more waiting the anointing of God
has begun
Oh blind eye will see as the captives go free
If you lift up your voices He’ll come

Beyond Cancer's Scars

"This is my prayer . . . that my story might serve as a soothing balm to your suffering season. That you would feel less alone in your struggle and that you, like me, would allow God to use your pain to shape the souls of the generation that sits beneath your influence.

"Your story in God’s hands advances his kingdom. Write it, speak it, feel it, and, most importantly, live your story forward. The best is yet to be! With Jesus, the best is always yet to be."

- F. Elaine Olsen

...all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

- Psalm 139:16b

Inside each of our hearts is a life story waiting to be written... told... painted... or sung.

Not just one story, but a series of mini-stories that make up the chapters of our individual books.

Each of our life is a masterpiece in the making. Breath-taking. Extraordinary.

Heaven is that eternal, forever place where we will sit with unveiled faces before one another and watch all these stories played out and come to life before our eyes.

But until then, God allows us a glimpse into one another's lives, in the here and now.


Elaine Olsen has a beautiful story to share.

It has been my privilege to meet her and become one of her friends on blog world.

She is one such masterpiece, and she shares her life with us in her latest book, Beyond Cancer's Scars.

Elaine is an overcomer. She refused to give up, she refused to give in.

Against all odds, she held on... persevered... and overcame.




I invite you to buy a copy of her book, and read for yourself Elaine's journey to hope and transformation.

Beyond Cancer's Scars: Laying Claim to a Stronger Spirit - book release

Heal Our Land

"No to RH Bill" protest signs put up by pro-life students at the University of the Philippines Diliman campus

photo source

When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain,
or command locusts to devour the land,
or send a plague among My people,
if My people who are called by My name,
will humble themselves and pray
and seek My face
and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven,
and I will forgive their sin
and will heal their land.

- 2 Chronicles 14:13-14

These past months we have been praying for rain.

Not a literal rain, but a heavy outpouring of spiritual rain.

For our nation is suffering from a spiritual drought.

And we are on our knees for God, the Divine Rainmaker, to have mercy and touch the lawmakers of our nation.

We have been praying the God will give them guidance and wisdom, and above all, a heart that will seek His heart before they decide in favor of the Reproductive Health Bill.

We are praying against the passage of this bill.

However, our hearts break as we are also aware that a large group of evangelical Christians are supporting and campaigning vigorously for this bill to be ratified.

The body of Christ here in the Philippines is divided over this important issue.

It has made me think these past days about the unity of the Godhead.

In John 17,  we read the beautiful prayer of Jesus for all Christians, "those whom You (God the Father) have given Me (Jesus, referring to Himself), for they are Yours." (verse 9).

One of His specific prayer is for unity - "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." (verse 21)

Does God have a divided heart over this issue? Can God be in favor of and also be against it, at the same time? I don't think so.

How grieved God's heart must be to see people who are called by His name, marching not only down the physical streets of our cities, but marching down the cyber highways of the various social media internet sites... with different messages.

What an affront to His holy name indeed!

His word tells us that when He shuts up the heavens, or when locusts devour the land, then we who call ourselves Christians need to humble ourselves, come together, and seek God's heart about this issue. And then after having done so, we need to have only one united stand.

Satan's modus operandi is to divide and conquer. Where there is division and disunity, the door is wide open for the enemy to come in and wreak havoc, discord, and destruction.

I try not to discuss political matters on this blog. But there are times when it cannot be avoided, and I am called to make my stand known.

So here is my position regarding the RH Bill.

I am not in agreement with it for the reason that it goes against my heart. It doesn't give me a sense of peace, but whenever I think of the RH Bill and its implications that our group has studied and sought God's wisdom for, a sense of dark foreboding fills my heart.

In our ministry, the Family Foundations International, we promote a culture of life and blessing. We want to lead families to establish a culture of blessing in their homes and churches and communities.

But this much disputed and controversial bill is not pro-life, even though its proponents blatantly say that it is. It secretly promotes a culture of death... and that is why I feel I have to come out in the open to use my little space on the cyber highway to speak what is on my heart.

Let the following issues be made known and studied. Then I encourage every one who comes to read this post to lift up a prayer in behalf of our nation. That is all I ask.


We strongly stand against the RH Bill for the following reasons:

1.   It will wittingly or unwittingly promote, if not legalize, the killing of the unborn at conception, in violation of the Bible and our Constitution.

HB 4244, The Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health and Population and Development Bill, the consolidated version of all Reproductive Health (RH) Bills, proposes in Section 3 (e) that the State shall “promote without bias all natural and modern methods of family planning that are medically safe and legal.”

In the market right now, at least five (5) drugs and devices have abortive functions (they prevent the zygote, that is, the already unionized sperm and egg, also known as the fertilized ovum, from reaching and being implanted in the uterus, so that it will just die and be expelled.)  These are depoprovera, RU 486, IUD, Norplant, and the morning after pill.

This is clearly killing a human life.  The Bible teaches that a fertilized egg (the union of the sperm and the egg) is already human life.

 Your hands have made me and fashioned me,

An intricate unity...

- Job 10:8

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

  - Psalm 139:13, 14

 Surely I was sinful at birth,
    sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
- Psalm 51:5, 6
 

The flushing out of a fertilized egg by drug or device is abortion.  The blood of the poor innocents on the skirts of a nation is one of the surest ways of cursing a land.

Also on your skirts is found

The blood of the lives of the poor innocents.

I have not found it by secret search,

But plainly on all these things.

- Jeremiah 2:34

It also violates Section 12, Art. II, of the 1987 Constitution which guarantees the protection of the life of the unborn at conception, equally with the life of the mother.

2.   It will escalate and promote immorality, because it calls for the distribution of free condoms, IUDs, etc., in public schools and barangays without need of parental knowledge, consent or advice.

3.   It will teach “sexuality education” beginning at grade 5, with emphasis on sex as a universal human right, even outside of the framework of marriage.

4.   It will weaken, if not destroy, marriage because it gives any partner a right to avail of any artificial method of birth control (prevention of pregnancy) without need of spousal knowledge or consent.

5.   It will weaken parental authority because under the Bill, the youth can avail of free artificial methods of birth control which the government will distribute or make available, either as free, or as over-the counter, drugs (meaning, without need of doctor’s prescription), without requiring them to seek parental consent before doing so.

6.   It will trample on freedom of conscience because it will require all health care providers to inform and administer any of these methods, drugs and devices of birth control, and in cases of refusal on religious grounds or conscience, they are still required to refer the patient or person to a doctor, clinic, institution or person that administers these services. Refusing to do so is punishable by imprisonment of six months or a fine of Php 50,000.

7.   It will pave the way for gay, lesbian, and homosexual unions and “marriages” in the future, because it already guarantees the right of every person for respect and against discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, or gender-preference.

8.   It will threaten the most precious resource of a nation, that is, its people or future generations.  (In the Bible, the population of a nation is the glory of the king or the prince.)

In the multitude of people is a king's honor,

But in the lack of people is the downfall of a prince.

- Proverbs 14:28

It must be noted that rigorous population control legislations like the RH Bill imposed in so-called Christian nations or democracies will effectively reduce Christian populations, while leaving other religious populations like Islam to grow unabated because they do not approve of RH bill or similar measures.

9.   It is harmful to women.  Overwhelming studies have shown that drugs and devices of artificial methods of pregnancy or birth control have resulted in much higher incidences of cancer among women.

10.  The government should pay attention to the top ten killer diseases of the country. Reproductive-related diseases and/or deaths are not in the top ten. (See 2006 report of the World Health Organization in the Philippines).

11.  The surest way of addressing poverty is education and job-generation or employment promotion, not the killing of the unborn at conception. (See ADB report entitled “Key Indicators for Asia and Pacific 2010").

12.  The RH Bill has not prevented sexually-transmissible diseases from escalating in Thailand, which has even more stringent similar RH measures in place.

This is what we believe:

If we want this country to be spared from divine judgment, if we are to stop a curse from attaching to this land, if this nation is to be blessed, we must do everything in our power by God’s grace to see to it that the RH Bill is not ratified and passed into law.

Father I pray that you will open the hearts of everyone who has the power to pass the laws or to influence the lawmakers and public opinion.

Remove the veil of blindness over our people. Come and reign in our midst as we bow down to worship You and You alone. May our unborn never be sacrificed at the altars of the false God called Convenience, or Success, or Materialism, or Apathy, or Greed. 

May we never give the spirit of death any legal ground to gain access into our land. Protect our present and future generations.

You are our Sovereign God... seated on the eternal throne, and we plead before You now, to please spare our nation from the evil schemes and demonic assignments coming from the Kingdom of Darkness.

Let Your bright light of life and hope shine over our nation, dear Lord. Sun of Righteousness come with healing in Your wings!

He Will Satisfy Your Soul

early morning worshiper

photo source

If you take away the yoke from your midst,

the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

If you extend your soul to the hungry
And satisfy the afflicted soul,
Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,
And your darkness shall be as the noonday.

The Lord will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Those from among you
Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.

- Isaiah 58:10-12 

Last Saturday at the Negros Island House of Prayer we prayed for the Philippine Legislature which was going to decide this week whether or not to pass the Reproductive Health bill, better known as the "RH bill."

This bill has been controversial and has spawned a lot of mixed feelings about it.

Those in favor of it believe it is the only solution to our nation's high population growth. However, many of us are concerned that if it is passed, it will pave the way for the legalization of abortion and same-gender marriages.

We were on our knees, pleading with God to spare our country from the evil schemes of the enemy.

As of this writing, the said bill has actually moved forward, with the House of Representatives voting Monday night to end all debates after seventeen months of discussions which have sharply divided the chamber.

Yes, we are on our knees... asking God to let righteousness reign and thwart all evil schemes of the enemy that could inflict great damage and further weaken the moral fiber of this nation.

We are in a war for the mind and the heart of the Filipino people...  

The enemy is crafty and he fights dirty.

But we do not lose hope.

And we need to be prepared to discern his tactics and to outsmart him.

We are in a different kind of war.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal 

but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 

 casting down arguments and every high thing 

that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, 

bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ...

- 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

We are learning as we go deeper into intercession that it is not wise to engage in spiritual warfare without adequate worship.

  

Our warfare must proceed from worship.

Worship and intercession go together, not only because worship is our protection as we enter enemy territory. More importantly, it is in worship where we grow in intimacy with the Father; it is in intimacy where the throne room secrets and kingdom strategies for our warfare are given.

If we go to war without worship, much of what we do is done in our human strength... and is bound to fail.

Without adequate worship we will be worried, upset and distracted about many things.

Worship gives us the focus that we need. 

Worship arms us with strength, God's perfect timing, and divine guidance.

There is a time of war... and there is a time of peace. I truly believe that the peace part is when we are on our knees before God, getting to know His heart, gazing at His face, drawing near.

The past days unrelenting rains have fallen over areas of our Luzon islands, including Metro Manila. Flood waters have affected more than 90 towns in Luzon, and 11 areas have been placed under a state of calamity.  

Much closer to home, my grandson Forerunner is in hospital for vomiting and diarrhea. He was admitted early Monday morning when the doctor noted that slight dehydration was setting in. His condition has improved remarkably and hopefully, he will be discharged within today.

For these important prayer concerns, I am choosing to go the way of worship.

Worship brings my soul into peace.


My prayer:


My Father, I kneel before You this morning in worship.
Guide me continually,
Satisfy my soul in drought,
Strengthen my bones;
Make me as a well watered garden,
...like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

Help me build the old waste places;
Help me raise up the foundations of many generations;
I so desire to be called the "Repairer of the Breach,"
the "Restorer of Streets to Dwell In."

As I worship you, dear Lord, spare our nation from evil laws. 
Expose the enemy and teach us how to outsmart him.
Forgive our lawmakers and people for grieving your heart. 
But in wrath, remember mercy dear Father. 
Spare this country from further calamities... 
As we humble ourselves before you, forgive our sins, and heal our land.

And dear Father, Jehovah Rophe... thank you in advance for the complete healing and full recovery of my precious grandson, Forerunner.

Amen.

Let me share with you two songs of worship. One is a beautiful instrumental music entitled "He Will Satisfy Your Soul " from the CD Holy! Piano and Orchestra by Terry MacAlmon. Terry traveled to Prague, Czech Republic, for the opportunity to record with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

The other one is an awesome song of heavenly worship, written by Terry MacAlmon after the Lord gave him a vision of angels, elders, and throngs of the redeemed bowing in worship. He saw thousands and thousands of little children in white robes dancing before the throne, in his spirit someone whispered that these are all the aborted babies of the world, fully alive and made whole, dancing with joy and thanksgiving before their Rescuer. It is a song born out of that heavenly vision, the song of the angels and elders before the throne of God.

To Delight in Hiddenness

Touch of Faith by Simon Dewey

about the painting

about Simon Dewey







In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me,
And made Me a polished shaft;
In His quiver He has hidden Me.
- Isaiah 49:2



‘I will go before you
And make the crooked places straight;
I will break in pieces the gates of bronze
And cut the bars of iron. 
I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden riches of secret places,
That you may know that I, the Lord,
Who call you by your name,
Am the God of Israel.'
- Isaiah 45:2,3 (NKJV)
 


If then you were raised with Christ, 
seek those things which are above, 
where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.  
 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.  
 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 
- Colossians 3:1-3 (NKJV) 


 I tell you the truth, 
unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, 
it remains alone. 
But its death will produce many new kernels—
a plentiful harvest of new lives.
Those who love their life in this world will lose it. 
Those who care nothing for their life in this world 
will keep it for eternity.
^{- John 12:24, 25 (NLT)}

Since the first day of this month, I've been on the lookout for a pattern in the little events of my daily life that might serve as a clue for me to discern the spiritual realities that the Father is revealing.

At first, there was nothing recognizable... but after a while, I became aware of a recurring theme; I began to pay attention.

On July 6 and 7, a group of us from our church spent two days at Jing's beach house in Pontevedra for a mid-year retreat. It was a time of separating ourselves from our usual activities to sit at the feet of Jesus, and to listen to His heart to receive instructions for the second half of this year's journey.

Mayang, Arbee, Arlene, April, Jing, Elena, Sony, and me

There were only six of us who were available for this overnight retreat, but it turned out to be a wonderful and intimate time of being in God's presence. We spent time in worship, and we looked at some important principles about prayer and intercession.

Because I was the teacher for this retreat, the privilege was mine to be the first to benefit from what God wanted to impart to us.

The underlying principle in prayer and intercession is to have the correct mindset. Prayer is not something that we do, it is a relationship that we enter into.

God has chosen to delegate the running of His kingdom and bringing His purposes to pass through us, His sons and daughters. We enter into prayer as kingdom persons, as sons and daughters of the King!

God created everything through His spoken word. And because we are created in the image of God, we too are able to create realities and environments through our spoken word. It's quite awesome.

Understanding this has truly changed the way I look at prayer. God speaks the word, and it comes to pass. And when He chooses to get something done, He passes it on to His people who will in turn speak it into existence.

This is why an intimate and close relationship with God is vital to a life of effective prayer. When we have a close relationship with God, when He knows He can trust us, He reveals throne room secrets and kingdom strategies to us (Psalm 25:14), and we have the authority to bring these to pass, through our words which have creative power.

Thus, it is important to speak life words, and not death words.

One thing stands out to me as I consider this important matter of prayer. Jesus says that when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. (Matthew 6:6)

Oswald Chambers says, "Do not have as your motive the desire to be known as a praying man. Get an inner chamber in which to pray where no one knows you are praying, shut the door, and talk to God in secret."

I can truly understand why this special instruction is given about prayer. It is so easy to congratulate ourselves when we begin to do these spiritual acts, to be motivated by the praises of men, to want to be acknowledged. In anything we do, be it spiritual or secular, if such a distinction can be made, there is always that temptation to assume an air of self-importance, or to have self-fulfillment as a subtle goal.

And I see why humility and effective prayer always go together... because pride will always try to get in the way.

Another thing. While I have been teaching on prayer, I must readily admit that it has been a personal struggle for me - more so these days than ever before. Of course I understand why this is so. Satan knows how important prayer and intercession are to the life of God's people, and the enemy devises traps and schemes to distract and to ensnare.

Still I am amazed at how clearly God has spoken to me these past four weeks. 

Stay hidden. That was His word for me this month. 

Today as another month comes to an end, the name for it, To Delight in Hiddenness, resonates in my heart - not in an obtrusive or demanding way, but in a quiet, unassuming manner.

There is a yes within me as I hear this word.

Hiddenness is not the way of the world, it is the way of the cross.  It is having the heart of a servant, one that is not quick to claim credit for one's contribution or bright ideas.

Catherine Doherty writes these beautiful words: Let us always wish to remain hidden in one way or another. For ours is the apostolate of the alleyways, of the lonely places of the world.”

Hiddenness and humility walk hand in hand.

 How refreshing the waters that flow from a person's humble heart!

And sometimes God will use a difficult relationship to teach humility. In these recent months, I've had a hard time with someone who is so needy, always needing affirmation, always needing to feel important. While not openly expressed, I can sense the self-pity, the self-focus, the subtle pride as a result of unresolved pain and years of unfulfilled needs. My natural response is to move away from such a relationship. The friendship feels more like a duty than a delight. But I want to impart grace... to sow seeds of kindness... yes, to humble myself ... and be an agent of healing in this person's life ....

I have my own version of unhealed emotional wounds... and blind spots. God help me to be hidden in You, and see others through Your eyes...

The Touch by Connie Baten

photo source

Last week, during our Bible study with Lyndon at my sister in law Sue's, we looked at the story of the woman who had an issue of blood. The story is found in Mark 5:24-34.

And a huge crowd was following Him and pressing upon Him. And a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years and suffered much under many physicians and spent everything beyond her means and was not helped but rather became worse: having heard about Y'shua, as she came from behind the crowd touched the fringe of His prayer shawl; for she was saying "If I could just touch His prayer shawl I shall be saved." And immediately the flow of her blood dried and she knew that her body was healed from the plague. 

And immediately Y'shua perceived in Himself that the power left Him. Turning in the crowd He was saying, "Who touched My prayer shawl?" And His disciples were saying to Him, "You see the crowd pressing around You and You sau, 'Who touched Me?'" And He was looking around to see the one who did this. 

And the woman, who was afraid and trembling, since she knew what happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him all the truth. And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you" you must continually go in peace. You are cured from your affliction."

This is one of my all time favorite passages among the miraculous healing stories of Jesus. Many years ago, I sensed that God was giving me this passage as an assurance that the physical healing I was seeking for was on God's timetable, and that it was just a matter of time before my request was granted.

The painting by Simon Dewey shown at the beginning of this post is the wallpaper in my laptop, a constant reminder of God's promises.

Each time this story is mentioned in a Bible study, or a sermon given in church, for whatever reason I encounter this account, there is a surge of faith in my heart. I know God is calling me to attention.

Again, it is a story of staying hidden... being inconspicuous.  The poor woman had every reason to stay out of sight. Because she was hemorrhaging, she was considered unclean. In fact, if she was caught touching Jesus, she would be in great trouble with the religious authorities, for her mere touch on a rabbi or priest would result in contamination.

But her desperation drove her to do what was not allowed. She sought to do it quietly, without anyone taking notice.

Personally, I hate crowds. They have a claustrophobic effect on me. Nevertheless, necessity has taught me to get over this feeling. I've known what it is to be cheek to cheek with other women on the trains of Metro Manila, and stand with someone's hair blowing in my face, my purse literally plastered against my chest. On busy mornings, there is not an inch of space left between passengers.  Fortunately, we have "Women Only" cars in our metro rail transit, and Filipino women are generally hygienic and sweet smelling.

In the process of getting on and off the trains, there will be jostling, and pushing, and it doesn't make sense to ask, "Who touched me?"

It is easy to remain hidden and unnoticed in such a setting.

Which is probably what this woman in the story wanted to happen. She could get her healing and then quietly fade out... disappear into the crowd.

I admire this woman for her quiet and dignified desperation. She pursues her own healing and doesn't make a big issue out of it. She doesn't seek to draw attention to herself, she doesn't parade her predicament before others in self-pity.

I also admire her for her faith. Never mind that she is forced to go down on her hands and feet, getting her garments dusty and soiled. But what else is there to hold on to? Already a social outcast, she is well aware of her shameful condition. She's got nothing else to lose, really.

But what really touches me is her kind consideration of Jesus. She would not physically touch Him, so as not to render Him unclean... she would only touch the hem of His tallit.

So she touches Jesus, and a spirit to spirit connection is established. He will not let her get away so easily. Such faith needs to be acknowledged, and rewarded.

Jesus doesn't humiliate her. Rather, He honors her... and uses a term of endearment to address her: Daughter.

Such a tender moment. I can't help the tears. This story is for me... I have reached out, many times... but once again I am reminded to hold on...

To keep believing...

To wait in hope.

There is a time to stay hidden... but there is also a time to come out in the open... when light shines, when faith is rewarded, and the waiting comes to an end.



As July ends, I thank God for the past four weeks of peace and quiet that I have enjoyed with my family and friends:

Celebrating Shabbat on Fridays...

going out with my grandson Forerunner on a rainy day... hugging my younger grandson many times during the day...

enjoying Chosen One's cooking...

Granola bars by Chosen One

... rejoicing with God-given for her job promotion... tending to my garden...

a cup of coffee with Miriam at Starbucks... ministry team building on Tuesday nights... 

looking forward to lunch each week with the women at church to study the book of Daniel...

our Thursday lunch devotional group, at Elena's garden

Bible study Thursday evenings at Sue's...

interceding on Saturday mornings for our nation and for Israel... looking forward to Sunday mornings to worship and to listen to good preaching... Sunday lunch with the whole family...

spending time in God's presence just as dawn is breaking... daily lifting up my family, my loved ones, my nation, before Heaven's throne of grace...

Nothing really spectacular, yet I know something eternally significant is taking place.

To delight in hiddenness...

Rock flowers cephalophyllum tricolorum in the early spring
found growing in Karoo semi-desert, eastern Cape Town, South Africa
Photo by Rev. Thomas Scarborough

photo source

This evening we had a special dinner to celebrate our newly renovated Family Foundations International (Philippines) office. We got rid of all the clutter, and had new cabinets installed. After all the carpentry was done came a fresh coat of paint, in such yummy colors - pistachio green and light taupe... and the result is a brand new look. The sense of newness gives us a feeling of readiness to venture out into new territories. It's time to plant new seeds, and prepare ourselves for the harvest.

The past weeks have really been good ones.

Praying in secret...

Putting on the cloak of humility...

Asking God to love the unlovable through me...

Pursuing His heart in a quiet way...

Planting seeds of kindness...

Delighting in hiddenness...


Goodbye, July! It has been a lovely month, indeed.

In quietness and confidence shall be your strength...

- Isaiah 30:15