Joey's Journal - September 5, 2006

Gracious Father in Heaven, I thank You for the protection, provision and guidance You always bestow on us. How can I not trust in Your Ways? You have not forsaken me as You spoke in my heart. But, there are times when I lose the strength and the focus in Your power and authority. Lord, I pray that during times of my weakness and confusion, send me Your Holy Spirit to refresh and make me strong to combat the enemy. I will give You all honor and praise for uplifting my spirit to You. As I start my day, please Lord, let me have a heart of patience, kindness, humbleness and forgiveness to the people I interact with. Let me always walk with You and follow Your Ways. I also commit my son, Joel who will go for a health check-up today. Father, let Your healing be upon him especially his acute sinusitis. May You breathe in his lungs to clear whatever is causing such problems. May You also watch over Joshua as he becomes more and more adventurous to do things, let Your angels protect him from all accidents. I pray too for my wife not to lose her faith and trust in You. Lord, thank You for watching over her and bringing her safely home. All in Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

My Reading – Psalm 32 Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven

Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of sin. When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped hiding them. ‘I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Therefore, let the godly confess their rebellion to you while there is still time, that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment. The Lord will guide you along the best pathway for your life. He will advise you and watch over you. So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

My Reflection – The rebellion that the above psalm refers to is our disobedience to God, His Word and His Will. It is compared to an earthly upheaval and revolt against the King of Kings. Simply put, it is turning our backs on the Lord’s authority.

We remember that it was Adam’s disobedience that sealed the fate of mankind to be fallen from our Creator. We lost our inheritance to the heavenly kingdom through his sin of disobedience. This rebellion against God has weighted our feet heavy-laden and unable to reach for God. But, because of God’s unfailing love and compassion, He sent Jesus to erase all the sins of mankind and nailed them on His cross. Yes, we were restored by Jesus’ grace and should have stayed there.

However, in our lives now, we continue to sin, to rebel and to disobey God’s laws. Why? Because we live in a place of lawlessness and ‘go against’ God’s authority. But again, our faithful God is giving us every opportunity to confess and repent of those sins before the Second Coming of Jesus. There is still time to ask for mercy and forgiveness. And, by dong this, we will rejoice in the goodness of the Lord bringing us back to His heavenly kingdom.

My Prayer – Father in heaven, I rejoice because of Your unfailing love and compassion to us, we stand a good chance of being with You again. Lord, send Your Holy Spirit to remind us about our disobedience towards You. I know that this has cost us dearly and have hurt You so much. May Your grace teach us to ask for mercy and repent for our rebellion against You, because our hearts are heavy-laden with the fear of losing You. I confess all my past and present sin and disobedience towards You, Lord and ask for Your forgiveness so that I can be restored back to You. I pray al these in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

by : Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 4, 2006

Father, I offer to You my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings of this day. May Your grace of patience, kindness, thoughtfulness, love and compassion be with me today. Lord, let me live my life patterned after Jesus. May Your strength be with me when the enemy attacks with the evil desires and temptations and rebuke his ways. May Your Holy Spirit remind me when I am falling to the devil’s traps and be able to lift my head to You and continue on the path towards You. I thank You for Your provision, protection and guidance in our lives. Lord, watch over us and always be by our side. I pray these in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

My Reading - Psalm 31 Love the Lord, all you faithful ones!

O Lord, I have come to you for protection; don’t let me be put to shame and rescue me for you always do what is right. Be my great rock of safety, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God. I trust in you and am overcome with joy because of your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.

My future is in your hands. Let your favor shine on your servant. Your goodness is so great! You have stored up great blessings for those who honor you. You have done so much for those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world.

Love the Lord, all you faithful ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes all who are arrogant. So be strong and take courage, all you who put your hope in the Lord!

My Reflection – While re-reading the psalm, the phrase that sticks out to me is ‘my future is in your hands’, and I emphasize ‘my future’. Oftentimes, we fail to say ‘my’ and change it to ‘the’. Are we too proud to ask for ourselves, when we pray and we make it like a general request? Our prayers must be personal to the Father, especially when we ask for His Divine Intervention, seeking change in our monotonous sinful life or asking for guidance in the people we deal with or in short, making our future bright. Didn’t Jesus say in Matt 7:7-11 ‘Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.’ (NLT) We need to ask God to start the change in our lives and not the other lives around us. Like prayer, this change has to start with us. And, when we ask the Lord, He will respond in His time. Because of His faithfulness, He will give us what is best future in our lives. Trust in Him completely!

My Prayer – Father, You have mapped out my life for me. I give You thanks and praise for all the blessings You have given to me. I am also asking Your forgiveness for the sins and disobedience I have given You in return. Lord, I confess my sinful ways both past and present; I am terribly sorry for them. Have mercy on me, Father! Let me be restored back to You, acceptable and pleasing in Your presence. I pray these in the Hoy Name of Jesus. Amen.

by : Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 3, 2006

Gracious Father, I commit to You all my thoughts, works, joys and sufferings of this day. May they be pleasing and acceptable to You. I give thanks and praise for Your protection and provision for my family. Also, pray for continued guidance to be on my family as we live Your life of goodness and kindness towards our neighbor. May You always be in our sights to remind us of Your love and compassion for Your children. And, may we look forward to sharing Your heavenly kingdom. Lord, I ask these in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

My Reading – Psalm 30 You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing!

O Lord my God, I cried out to you for help, and you restored my health. You brought me up from the grave, O Lord. You kept me from falling into the pit of death. His anger lasts for a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may go on all night, but joy comes with the morning.

When I was prosperous I said, ‘Nothing can stop me now!’ Your favor, O Lord, made me as secure as a mountain. Then you turned away from me, and I was shattered. I cried out to you, O Lord. I begged the Lord for mercy saying, ‘What will you gain if I die, if I sink down into the grave? Can my dust praise you from the grave? Help me, O Lord.’

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy; that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. I will give you thanks forever!

My Reflection - Have you ever felt and said the important phrase, ‘nothing can stop me now!’? Don’t we feel like we are ‘on top of the world’ when we achieve something great? Normally, we get this feeling when a tough business deal successfully closes, or when our boss rewards our contribution and promotes us to higher position in the company, or when we go on that luxurious only-the-rich-can-afford cruise with the whole family; and there are many more feelings of prosperity. Yes, it is in times of prosperity when we feel great and most often than not, fail to recognize who was responsible for making all these happen.

I know of a business friend who was like this! There was a point in his life that he strongly felt he could do anything successfully whether it was related to work, studies, sports or relationships. Was this the high point of success in his life? No! This was the highest point of fortune, fame and notoriety engulfing him. The material things that make up a successful person were all in his reach like houses, cars, money etc. But, there was one thing he couldn’t do successfully – to thank God for these material possessions. Can we say he was ‘blessed’ by God? Even with his pride and ungratefulness, God allowed him to have these material things. Why?

I believe that this is part and parcel of God’s plan for us that there will be people who will have more than others. And, at times, there is this noticeable wide gap between the rich and the poor, making us think at times – was God fair in all of this? In times of prosperity, we should remember to thank God for His graciousness, allowing this to happen for a purpose. We remember the scripture verse that says ‘more will be asked from those who were given more’ and this could mean using what more we have and helping the poor, giving back to the church and charitable institutions. When we thank God for His goodness in us and return that goodness without reservation or boastfulness to others, it is the time when we can say, we are truly blessed by God.

My Prayer - Lord, thank You for giving the material things in my life. Thank You for answering my desires for these things. Teach me to learn to do what is right with regard to material possessions. I know when You call me, I will leave all these behind. Let Me not be so attached to earthly things because of this. Whatever little or more I have in my life, let me share it with the poor or give to church and charitable institutions. May I follow the example of Jesus as He lived on earth. All these I pray. Amen.

by : Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 2, 2006

O Sovereign Lord! You have made the heavens and earth by your great power. Nothing is too hard for you!’ If we believe this, why do we not obey the Lord?

Part 2 of 2

Background : Jeremiah’s prayer and bewilderment were heard by God. Because he obeyed God’s instructions, God responds to His faithful messenger and further affirms why His plan was to give Israel to the Babylonians and then, redeem it back to its full glory and prominence. God blesses Jeremiah for his obedience and restores him to own the land he purchased before the Babylonian rule.

My Reading - God’s response to Jeremiah’s Prayer The Lord acknowledges that nothing
is really hard for Him! He validates that the wrath and anger He has shown to them was due to their disobedience in turning to worshipping other gods like Baal. He again allows and puts His chosen nation under the captivity of King Nebuchadnezzer of Babylon. God says, 32 The people of Israel and Judah have provoked me by all the evil they have done—they, their kings and officials, their priests and prophets, the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem. 33 They turned their backs to me and not their faces; though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline. 34 They set up their abominable idols in the house that bears my Name and defiled it. 35 They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters [c] to Molech, though I never commanded, nor did it enter my mind, that they should do such a detestable thing and so make Judah sin (Jer 32:32-35)

God’s Promise of Restoration : This is self-explanatory and better read the way God has said it and we should take it to heart. He is really awesome! God says, 37 I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. 38 They will be my people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. 40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. 41 I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul. 42 "This is what the LORD says: As I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them. (Jer 32:37-42)

God’s Answer to Jeremiah’s Puzzlement : 43 Once more fields will be bought in this land of which you say, 'It is a desolate waste, without men or animals, for it has been handed over to the Babylonians.' 44 Fields will be bought for silver, and deeds will be signed, sealed and witnessed in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, because I will restore their fortunes, [d] declares the LORD." (Jer 32:43-44) God, because of His faithfulness and love, would bring back the Promise Land to His chosen nation. And because of his obedience to God, Jeremiah will be blessed by having title to the land he purchased during the Babylonian siege.

My Reflection - I can not help but be amazed by our God! His unfailing love and compassion are very reassuring and He forgives all the despicable sins that we have thrown at Him. The Chosen Nation after He delivered them from the Egyptians and into the Promise Land, a land flowing with milk and honey, started to disobey Him by worshipping other gods and doing sacrifices that defiled God’s Temple. He gave them disaster after disaster so that they will be corrected in their ways. And finally, He rescued them again to bring the 2nd Israel to a better standing than the previous one.

Just like in our lives, we, after accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, go back to our sinful ways much to God the Father’s unhappiness. He has sent His only Son to erase all our sins just like God delivering the Israelites from Egypt’s bondage. Yet, our sinful nature gets the best of us and again we succumb to the temptation of the evil one. The Lord God time and again because of His goodness, sends alarm bells and wake up calls to us to correct and turn away from our sinful ways. Our God is there to forgive us and restore us to that perfect standing with Him. He promises this covenant with us that He will bless us and do good things for us and more importantly, offer us that invitation to once again be with Him in the Heavenly Kingdom.

My Prayer – Father, may You never stop giving us second chances. May we know that Your love and compassion for us includes the invitation to be with You in the Heavenly Kingdom. May we choose to accept the invitation without any reservation because it will restore us back holy and pure in the presence of our Father. May we always know that the Father is faithful to His children and offers nothing but the best for them! All these I commit in Jesus’ Holy Name. Amen.

by : Joey B.

Joey's Journal - September 1, 2006

‘O Sovereign Lord! You have made the heavens and earth by your great power. Nothing is too hard for you!’ If we believe this, why do we not obey the Lord?

Part 1 of 2

Background :
Jeremiah’s message from the Lord was that the city of Judah as well as Jerusalem, will fall to the Babylonian army. King Zedekiah, king of Judah, upon hearing this prophecy, put Jeremiah in prison because of God’s message that the city will fall to the Babylonian army, its king will be taken to Babylon to be sentenced and any resistance to the Babylonians will never succeed. But, the King needed Jeremiah as he was God’s faithful messenger and maybe this prophesy will be reversed and had him imprisoned in the palace courtyard. In another message, God spoke to Jeremiah and was instructed to buy the land that he was entitled to. It was a costly purchase but he obeyed. God’s plan was for him to have title to the land before the siege of Babylon and when the Babylonians have been driven out of Israel, Jeremiah will have full and rightful ownership of this land again, just like God giving the Promise Land back to His Chosen People.

My Reading - Full text of Jeremiah’s Prayer ‘O Sovereign Lord! You have made the heavens and earth by your great power. Nothing is too hard for you! You are loving and kind to thousands, though children suffer for their parents’ sins. You are the great and powerful God, the Lord Almighty. You have all wisdom and do great and mighty miracles. You are very aware of the conduct of all people, and you reward them according to their deeds. You performed miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt – things still remembered till this day! And you have continued to do great miracles in Israel and all around the world. You have made your name very great, as it is today.

You brought Israel out of Egypt with mighty signs and wonders, with great power and overwhelming terror. You gave the people of Israel this land that you have promised their ancestors long before – a land flowing with milk and honey. Our ancestors came and conquered it and lived in it, but they refused to obey you or follow your law. They have hardly done one thing you told them to! That is why you sent this terrible disaster upon them.

See how the siege ramps have been built against the city walls! Because of war, famine, and disease, the city has been handed over to the Babylonians, who will conquer it. Everything has happened just as you said it would. And yet, O Sovereign Lord, you have told me to buy the field – paying good money for it before these witnesses – even the city will soon belong to the Babylonians. (Jer 32:17-23)

My Reflection - Jeremiah’s prayer and bewilderment. He starts by saying that ‘nothing is hard for the Lord’. He had saved His chosen nation out of Egypt, brought them and blessed them to the Promised Land, but because of their disobedience and idolatry, God sent disaster after disaster on them and brought other nations ruling over them. Jeremiah asks God why the sons and daughters are suffering the wrath and anger of God because of their fathers’ disobedience. Also, he is puzzled why the Lord instructs him to buy land now while the city lay in siege and soon to be handed over to Babylonian rule, the purchase and transfer be witnessed by all and the title be hidden in a clay jar and to be exposed much later on. He says, ‘Babylon has laid siege to Judah and soon to fall under its rule yet the Lord instructs me to buy the land’.

In our Christian walk, when God speaks to our hearts, do we follow without questioning Him? Are we leaving everything in His control? Or, do we sometimes question Him and say, ‘is this good for me?’ or ‘would I benefit from this decision?’ We remember that because of Adam’s disobedience, we were detached from God and His Heavenly Kingdom. Thus, Jeremiah obeyed after realizing God was sending him a message, to buy the land even though the Babylonian army was ready to invade Judah. Would we do the same thing? Would we buy a property that will soon be devastated and ravaged under the rule of the enemy? Our human frailty will dictate otherwise. Oftentimes we only think of ourselves and only for our own benefit. We fail to obey the Word of God and more often than not, it results to a bad decision on our part. So, why don’t we start listening to God and obeying His Word which is always for our own good. We have a God who only does what is best for us because of His goodness to those who believe and trust Him.

My Prayer – Father in heaven, may I have complete trust in Your ways. May I leave the controls of my life to You. I know that You want to give the best for us, yet we still question whether it will benefit us or not. Lord Jesus, change my heart to fully put my life in Your Hands! Let me do Your Ways and try to live like You did, obeying the Father.

Lord, thank You for Your protection, provision and guidance for us and my loved ones. May they show their appreciation by living a life more close to You knowing that their lives are in Your hands, a perfect God. May each day bring all of us that special joy and assurance that You Father, are by our side as we live our lives daily. I commit my life to be more and more close to You. All these I pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

by : Joey B.