i "SWR", i will write about SWR1! .....later.

yes, later. haven't given the time to it yet. until then, today's reflection from My Utmost for His Highest is below (emphasis added). It's about the only way for all y'all to have a peek into my head until I have time to write!

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"Yes— But . . .!"
Lord, I will follow You, but . . . —Luke 9:61

Suppose God tells you to do something that is an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against it. What will you do? Will you hold back? If you get into the habit of doing something physically, you will do it every time you are tested until you break the habit through sheer determination. And the same is true spiritually. Again and again you will come right up to what Jesus wants, but every time you will turn back at the true point of testing, until you are determined to abandon yourself to God in total surrender. Yet we tend to say, "Yes, but— suppose I do obey God in this matter, what about . . . ?" Or we say, "Yes, I will obey God if what He asks of me doesn’t go against my common sense, but don’t ask me to take a step in the dark."

Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him that the natural man exhibits. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says. Once you obey, you will immediately find that what He says is as solidly consistent as common sense.

By the test of common sense, Jesus Christ’s statements may seem mad, but when you test them by the trial of faith, your findings will fill your spirit with the awesome fact that they are the very words of God. Trust completely in God, and when He brings you to a new opportunity of adventure, offering it to you, see that you take it. We act like pagans in a crisis — only one out of an entire crowd is daring enough to invest his faith in the character of God.

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............so long as that 'something' is tested by both common sense, and spiritual sense. if you think about it, if common sense was common, we'd all be geniuses! but since we're all not geniuses (myself included)... only my spiritual sense can (should!) guide me through that 'something.'




forgetting what lies behind
setting our hearts on the prize
always keeping eyes on our Lord Jesus
we're running the race to win
all the way to the end
breaking down every sin that would seek to hinder us

and we'll be faithful to our calling
for You are able to keep us from falling
and in Your promise we will trust
we'll be faithful to finish the work You began in us
-"we'll be faithful" (excerpt),

a prayer to be merciful to others

So I've been meaning to share this with you all for a few days.... it showed up in the church bulletin at Prince of Peace this past Sunday. My apologies for the delay.

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A Prayer to be Merciful to Others

We want to be completely transformed into your mercy and to be your living relfection, O Lord...that our eyes may be merciful, so that we may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in our neighbours' souls and come to their rescue.

Help us, O Lord, that our ears may be merciful, so that we give heed to our neighbour's needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moaning.

Help us, O Lord, that our tongues may be merciful, so that we should never speak negatively of our neighbours but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all.

Help us, O Lord, that our hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds.

Help us, O Lord, that our feet may be merciful, so that we may hurry to assist our neighbours.

Help us, O Lord, that, that our hearts may be merciful so that we may feel all the sufferings of our neighbours, we will refuse our hearts to no one, and lock ourselves up in the most merciful heart of Jesus.

You Yourself commanded us to exercise the three degrees of mercy: the act of mercy, the words of mercy, and if we cannot show mercy by deeds or words, we can always do so by prayer. (Diary of Sr. Faustina 1, 78)

caught in the mercy fallout

so it's been a while since i blogged anything that actually had something to do with my life, my thoughts, and my experiences......

and may still yet be a while longer 'til you hear from me.
in the meantime, just pray with me for simplicity and surrender. and sing!

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Hillsong United - Sing (Your Love)

it used to be darkness // without You
i lived my life in blindness // but now i'm found

and i'll sing // sing // i love You so
and i'll sing // because the world can't take away // Your love

found me in weakness // broken
You came to me in kindness // and now I live

i give my life for You, Lord // for all You've done

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"hold me in Your arms // never let me go
i wanna spend eternity with You"
-hillsong united, 'now that you're near'

The Habit of Enjoying Adversity

...You don't need to wait for the answers before you step out in faith. - Hillsong United, "Free"

Though I don't know the way, nor the end...... Oh Lord, I am delighted to obey you in this. To witness... to continue to be witness to such transformation in myself and others through adversity is privilege enough!

.............pambihira ka naman. =)

Today's reflection from My Utmost for His Highest (below). All emphasis added.

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The Habit of Enjoying Adversity
. . . that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body —2 Corinthians 4:10

We have to develop godly habits to express what God’s grace has done in us. It is not just a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved so that "the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." And it is adversity that makes us exhibit His life in our mortal flesh. Is my life exhibiting the essence of the sweetness of the Son of God, or just the basic irritation of "myself" that I would have apart from Him? The only thing that will enable me to enjoy adversity is the acute sense of eagerness of allowing the life of the Son of God to evidence itself in me. No matter how difficult something may be, I must say, "Lord, I am delighted to obey You in this." Instantly, the Son of God will move to the forefront of my life, and will manifest in my body that which glorifies Him.

You must not debate. The moment you obey the light of God, His Son shines through you in that very adversity; but if you debate with God, you grieve His Spirit (see Ephesians 4:30). You must keep yourself in the proper condition to allow the life of the Son of God to be manifested in you, and you cannot keep yourself fit if you give way to self-pity. Our circumstances are the means God uses to exhibit just how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure His Son is. Discovering a new way of manifesting the Son of God should make our heart beat with renewed excitement. It is one thing to choose adversity, and quite another to enter into adversity through the orchestrating of our circumstances by God’s sovereignty. And if God puts you into adversity, He is adequately sufficient to "supply all your need" (Philippians 4:19). Keep your soul properly conditioned to manifest the life of the Son of God.

Never live on your memories of past experiences, but let the Word of God always be living and active in you.

reposts for those in need:
http://bobo929.blogspot.com/2004/01/day-27-defeating-tempation.html
http://bobo929.blogspot.com/2004/01/day-22-created-to-become-like-christ.html

reflections for those in need:
http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php?month=05&day=06&year=06
......what crazy timing.

"There is only one true liberty — the liberty of Jesus at work in our conscience enabling us to do what is right."

a (re)post worth mentioning.

a (re)post worth mentioning.

4am, two hours to go...
with my fist down at Your feet
i was running out of mysteries.
redemption's...scars are bigger than these doubts of mine.

thank you always for continued clarity, father. let my freewill be overpowered by yours. jesus, thank you for substituting yourself in my place...your scars are bigger than all fear and doubt. holy spirit, let your fire fall down.

for the empowerment of our sisters

linkback to Multiply.

In response to this blog: be empowered.....

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Amen to empowering our sisters! The thing i've realized is that the brothers' "responsibilities" in our community (or outside of it) are too.... "advertised." and because of that, the God-given role that our sisters have is either misunderstood, or not understood at all.

Women have so much more power than everyone thinks. Think back to across history: to the greatest rulers and kings and ancient civilizations. Think back to the things that upheld those civilizations: science and economics, war and politics, agriculture, city-building and the need for connection and community... It was mostly men who were involved in the leadership of these things, but history has a place for great women rulers as well (e.g., Cleopatra is the first one that comes to mind, but I'm sure that she isn't the only one). Why did men pursue these things?

To impress a woman. All of "patriarchal civilization" is built on that. "See? I can provide food for the both of us by learning how to work the land. See? I'm well-respected among other people and other rulers of men. See? I know how to fight and defend myself and others... I know how to protect you from people who would hurt you. See? I could gain for you all the riches you desire..."

Women have so much power to manipulate things. (Whoa, here me out first!) By "manipulate," i mean: either to build-up people and community out of love, or to destroy them for selfish desires.

Women are more powerful than everyone thinks. The real question is, "When she realizes the power she that has over me (as a man), how will she decide to exercise that power? Because we both know that there is nothing that I won't do...

[And this is all without taking into account God's plan in forming women... like in our forum, I still stand by it: "God made men and women equals (as partners in returning ourselves to Him!), but He did not make us the same." Hence the 'general responsibilities' that we kind-of just "absorb" from the being in the community... And so with that; amen to empowering our sisters to learn more about the responsibilities that come with the great power that they have.]