Joey's Journal 31 July 2006

Was woken up by Joshua’s cries at 6:30am. Annabel got up to find out what made him cry. Joshua continued to cry and wanted his mom to hold him. I prayed for God to quiet down Joshua and be contented with his mom carrying him. He eventually stopped and was having his pancake with syrup breakfast. Carlyn put me on the wheelchair and parked beside the table. Joel was ready for school and having his doughnut breakfast while watching tv. His mom reminded him to take food and he threw a tantrum and rudely answered his mom. Annabel warned him that if he responded or gave her the rude look again, she will slap him. She went to the room and laid on the mattress. Joel left for school without saying goodbye to his mom. Prayed for him that the blood of Jesus will protect him in the bus and in school for the day.

Joshua was given a bath and also threw a fit, long cries. His mom got up and carried him but he continued to cry and didn’t want to put on his clothes. His mom was getting upset and smacked his backside lightly. Joshua continued to cry each time she raised her voice. I prayed that the Holy Spirit would help Annabel to control her patience with Joshua’s crying and that Joshua would calm down. Eventually Joshua peed on his mom’s house dress and Carlyn carried him while his mom changed. Soon Joshua stopped crying and he played in his room.

I continued to finish my journal for yesterday and Annabel laid on the mattress while Joshua was playing in his room.

Read and finished the book of Colossians. Some after-thoughts are as follows:

1. Apostle Paul as in all his letters to different churches, starts with a prayer greeting to the people of Colosse. He gives thanks and praise that the members of the Colosse church have trusted on the Lord and have loved one another. Why? The answere are on chapter 1, as follows:
   qVerses 5-6 says ‘you do this because you are looking forward to the joys of heaven-as you have been ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News. The same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is changing lives everywhere, just as it has changed yours that very first day you heard and understood the truth about God’s great kindness to sinners.’
   
   Paul speaks of what the Colossians did after hearing about Jesus and His teachings for the first time. They changed their lives and embraced the faith in God and gave full trust in Him. He emphasizes that the same teachings of the Good News is being spread all over the world and would change the lives of different people just like it did them knowing of God’s mercy to all who have sinned. The Good News of the Father, full of love, mercy and forgiveness that is given to us to believe.
   
   My prayer after reading this verse: ‘Lord, continue to strengthen me during times when I am weak and unable to share Your Good News to others. Give me a fresh anointing of Your Holy Spirit to have the right words to say to both believers and unbelievers as I share my experience of you with them. Open their hearts to the Good News you want them to hear and keep it with them so they can live their lives for You, Father. And, lastly, give them the tongues of fire from the Holy Spirit to share what they have heard and have embraced with others. May we continue to live Your Good News in our daily lives for Your greater glory. Amen.’
   
   
2. Paul in v15-17 talks about Jesus Christ is God.
   
   ‘Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before God made anything at all and is supreme over all creation. Christ is the one through whom God created everything in heaven and earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see-kings, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities. Everything has been created through him and for him. He existed before everything else began, and he holds all creation together.’
   
   This is a clear statement saying ‘Jesus Christ is also God’. I thought of some other faith with many followers who believe in a God but contend that Jesus was a mere human being, who lived like a prophet in those days and was not God. I believe that God the Father, who is invisible, sent His only Son to be His visible self or image on earth. This means to be visible, Jesus had to be human. But Jesus as God existed before the Father made anything, before creation itself. I spoke about this bible scripture and sermon last Sunday by Pastor Khong to my caregiver, Carlyn who is an Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) member. INC upholds the belief that Jesus Christ is not God. I asked her to read the verse and listen to the sermon again via FCBC website and open her heart and mind to the truth. I know it would be hard but I will pray for her to believe in this- Jesus is God who was sent by the Father to be human and visible image on earth in order for him to die for our sins and save the world from the grasps of the evil one.
   
   My prayer on this verse of scripture – Heavenly Father, allow my mind and my heart to focus on you as I pray this prayer of belief that Jesus is God. I commit my sister and caregiver, Carlyn, to know more about Jesus and your plan for Him to be both God and human so as the people would see a visible God and through Him, their lives will be changed so that they will attain their salvation. Lord, speak to her heart daily and let her know Your goodness and mercy for those who did not believe this truth. May she willingly accept the belief that Jesus is God through the things she can see happening around her. I pray for her salvation to start today, Lord and may she cherish learning more about Jesus being part of her life. Amen.’
   
   
3. Paul also speaks of the Heavenly Father’s plan for Jesus, His only begotten Son in v19-23 and through Jesus, His forgiveness to us all which has brought us back in good standing with God, without any sin. Finally, Paul warns of not drifting away from this truth but rightfully affirming and standing by it.
   
   ‘For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and by him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his (Jesus) blood on the cross. This includes you who were once so far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions, yet now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his (Jesus) death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you into the presence of God, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. But you must continue to believe in this truth and stand in it firmly. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News.
   
   Sovereign Lord, I thank you for this divine plan of rescueing me from the clutches of the enemy. Oftentimes, I am weak and succumb to the power of the evil one and this I know, offends You. Lord, please do not give up on me when I have distanced myself to you. Bring me back to Your fold of righteousness through the blood of Jesus Christ, my brother and strengthen me not to waver anymore so that I may be worthy to be in Your presence. I give thanks and praise to Jesus for obeying You wholehearted and trusting in Your plans. May I live my life more and more like Him. Amen.
   

To be continued ………Aug 1st.

by : Joey B