FIGHT!

I have a confession to make. 

In the past quarter, I have lost a little zeal. Not that I hated God, but I was so tired of waiting on His promises, that I just lost touch. There were days when I totally went without prayer - and it goes without saying that I also stopped reading my Bible. And eventually, life took over and I stopped going to church.

It's not that I didn't want to fight. It was more like I was so tired of fighting. I knew I had to wait on God's time, but I felt like I was fighting the battle on my own - and that I wasn't going anywhere.

When one of my best friends called to ask if I was doing Prayer and Fasting this year, I gave her a whole bunch of excuses (my way of defending the wrong things I do) - one of which was "nagtatampo ako kay God." I don't exactly know the correct English translation for this, but it is one way of saying I was disappointed with God. I was grumbling, in a way.

And I went back to those days when I prayed and prayed, and God never seemed to listen. My prayers would look like they were answered, but then I'd hit a brick wall, and go back to square one. It was very frustrating. I'd cry out to the heavens and ask God what I was doing wrong - even when, in my heart, I knew exactly what I was doing wrong.

Yes, I knew. I WASN'T FAITHFUL. Yes, I prayed, but it was more like prayer out of obligation. I was standing for my marriage, and yet, I was doubtful and not hopeful. I was back to wearing that mask. In my head, I kept reminding God about how I took that leap of faith, and it was as if He retorted with "What faith?"

And so I continued acting as if it was God who was at fault. Don't we do that? Play the blame game? And you know what else was more frustrating? The fact that I knew exactly what to do to get out of my rut, but I had neither the will nor the strength to correct my wrongs.

And so it went on, until I couldn't run away from God anymore.

I don't want another wake-up call. The first one came in the form of A getting Dengue back in October. Many more small wake-up calls came right after - they were pretty easy to ignore, except that they all came with flashing headlights telling me "God is waiting for you! Read your Bible! Pray!"

It isn't easy hiding from God. Especially because He seeks out his lost sheep. Imagine a faithful Father who loves you unconditionally, regardless of how you treat Him. Breaks my heart just thinking of the heartache and the longing I gave Him.

Anyway, this message spoke straight to my heart. And that best friend who asked me about Prayer and Fasting? The same one I gave a hundred and one excuses to about why I was disappointed with God, etc? Well she was in the congregation during this message and she sent me a text about how this message was especially for me. I sat through Church that Sunday (my first one in months!) and knew God was telling me to wake up.

Video courtesy of Victory Greenhills

You won't find a synopsis of the message on this post, nor an explanation on how it spoke to me. That's because I want you to take time out to watch it. It's pretty long, almost an hour in length, but it speaks volumes. If you are in a similar situation where you are lukewarm in your spiritual life, stop running away. Watch this, and wake up.

This battle isn't mine alone. It isn't just yours, either. It is His battle and He fights alongside you and me.

No wake up, calls, Lord! I am wide awake!

Invest for FREE!

What a great weekend! We had an extra long celebration for A, who turned ten last Saturday. Yes, ten! Where did all those years go?

After a long Friday at the office, A and I finally got to catch Hunger Games. I haven't read the book (I started reading Saturday) so I didn't quite know what to expect. Turns out the story line was too disturbing for A (Yes, I've been hiding under a rock and didn't bother reading reviews) and I wasn't quite prepared with her death questions. But God makes all things beautiful! He meant that movie for good. On the way home, I took her Qs as an opportunity to discuss eternity and salvation, and how a relationship with Jesus was necessary for her to overcome death. A has been attending Kids Church and her foundation, although fairly new (a few years), is pretty solid. But our talk about the movie (and a clearer view of how it is to die, yes, thanks to Hunger Games O_o) made her realize what all those Sunday service messages meant. I thank God for the chance to discuss this further with A! What an answered prayer!

Do you pray for your kids? Your loved ones? Do you pray for their salvation? God promises He will save your household from eternal death. All you need to do is believe in Him - that He is Lord and Savior - the only way to Heaven. I have been praying for my kids, for R, and I know this is the best investment I could ever give them. What's more, it is FREE. 

Beautiful Sunday Service yesterday!

Yesterday, as we capped A's birthday weekend with Church, Pastor D confirmed this with his talk! The message this Sunday was about investing in the future of your kids - and how investing in their faith can spell life or death for them. His call to action was for everyone to get on their knees and pray for future generations. To protect them from the sins of their fathers (and mothers!) and introducing them to God. A sound investment that comes FREE, after all, prayer entails nothing but a willing heart open to God.

"My people are being destroyed because they don't know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children." - Hosea 4:6 (NLT)

If you've been reading my blog for years, you will remember this post on Generational Curses.

"...I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected--even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me." - Exodus 20:5 (NLT)

This applies to my little family today, and I have been praying (hard!) for curses to be broken. For my kids to live according to God's will, for God to spare them from punishment. It takes more than just praying for that curse to break though.

You have to walk with God. You can't continue sinning and expect God to save your family from the consequences of your sin. Repent and turn away from evil.

Your children have to know the One, True God that saved them from sin. How do you keep them from the curse of their father's sin, if you don't teach them to love God and shun sin themselves? 

If your family means anything to you, link them to the Church, introduce them to God, invest in their faith!

I've often wondered how my life would have turned out if I didn't know the Lord - if I didn't have parents who took time out to pray for me and my salvation. I've been in the pits, and who knows how I would have dealt with life's circumstances if I didn't have God? I recently got to talk to an old friend, and he had asked how it was with the R situation. After a lengthy update as I haven't seen him in years (we were officemates - R, him and me), he exclaimed how great it was that I had God to hold on to. That my parents took time to pray for me. He wondered aloud about possibilities, had I not been a child of God. I am most grateful for that fact - I am thankful that God has His Eyes on me. And that His mercy allows me to live the way He has planned. I am where I am today, because my parents took time to kneel down and pray for me.

"But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!" - Psalm 103:17-18

ARE YOU STORING MERCY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS? PRAY FOR YOUR CHILDREN. PRAY FOR YOUR FAMILY. MAKE THAT SOUND (and FREE!) INVESTMENT! IT'S THE BEST GIFT YOU CAN EVER GIVE.

~~~

Happy Birthday, A! Momma loves you! God has His Eyes on you. He will never leave you! He has you in the Palm of His Hand. If you stumble and fall, remember this: His mercies are new every morning.