RANDOM THOUGHTS (International Blog)

Temple of The Holy Spirit

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:13:00 +0000

When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior and became born again, our bodies became the Temple of the Holy Spirit. There, in the inmost chamber of our hearts, is the seat of the Holy Spirit indwelling in our lives. That is why we must keep our bodies clean and free from all filth- physical, moral and spiritual. Strong emotions like anger grieve the Holy Spirit. Remember, He is a Person, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity and is not just a force or an energy bereft of any feelings or emotions. In fact all of the sublime and ecstatic feelings and emotions we receive from God comes from Him. He is God's direct contact to us, doing everything so that we will reflect the glory of God in our lives. What He earnestly desires is to transform us from glory to glory until we reach the whole measure of the fullness of Jesus Christ so that we will glorify God in our lives.

We must be very careful that we do not use our bodies to sin against God. We must never be involved physically with prostitutes because we become one with them if we have sexual relationship with them. We must be aware at all times of the nature of our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. We must be pure in spirit, mind and body. We must keep our bodies physically fit and must avoid indulging in fatty and starchy foods lest we make our bodies sick. We no longer own our bodies. They have been dedicated to the Lord when we became born again and the Holy Spirit made our spirits alive again. When the Lord returns, He will transform our mortal and fragile physical bodies to glorified bodies very much like the body of Jesus Christ when He resurrected from the dead. Let us learn from Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Temple of The Holy Spirit, Lord and Savior, Born Again, Innermost Chamber of Our Hearts, Indwelling, Strong Emotions, Grieves the Holy Spirit, Physically Fit, Avoid Fatty and Starchy Foods, Sick, Mortal and Fragile Physical Bodies, Transformed to Glorified Bodies, Resurrection From The Dead, Galatians 2:20, Word of God, Holy Bible

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

The Christmas Story

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:32:00 +0000

As we partake of the sumptuous dinner on our table, as we exchange gifts and greetings with friends and loved ones, as we celebrate the yuletide holiday in some winter resort, as we make merry during this holiday season, let us pause for a moment to remember the Christmas Story. That Mary and Joseph had nowhere to spend their day while Mary was on the threshold of labor pains; that they were forced to stay in a humble stable and there on the manger, the new born Baby Jesus was lain; that angels heralded the triumphant birth of the Messiah-Son of God; that shepherds were the first to witness the Babe in the manger; and that three wise kings from the East visited the new born King to pay homage and obeisance and to present costly gifts.

The story still continues to this very day. As we partake of the sumptuous meal on our dinner table, millions are starving with nary a food to eat. As we exchange gifts and pleasantries with our loved ones, millions have no place to sleep nor clothes to wear. As we go to our favorite malls to shop and to our favorite winter resorts to enjoy the best of the holiday season, millions are shivering in fear and despair as the sounds of war reverberate in their ears. As we do our things on Christmas, let us pause for a moment to pray for the less privileged of our brothers. The Christmas Story has not ended, it has begun again in our hearts.

What Child Is This - Mercy Me

Tags: God , Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Christmas, Christmas Story, Nativity, What Child Is This, Emmanuel, Manger, Bethlehem, Israel, Joy To The World, Peace, Freedom, Prosperity, Love, Righteousness, Salvation, Eternal Life, Baby Jesus, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Born Again, Word of God, Holy Bible

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Find Us Faithful

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 20:12:00 +0000

I could never understand then why the Lord took me out from a flourishing ministry of teaching salvation seminar, part of our Divided Bible Seminars, at a local church of the biggest Christian church in our country. I also handled Bible Studies at the houses of cell groups. But the Lord took me out from all these and placed me in a ministry involving the internet. I started then groping for light in the darkness of the cyber world. I felt then that the entire system was evil, full of sin and self exaltation, ranging from outright pornography to vain people whose only concern were to strut their own greatness in the internet. I turned to counseling to the sector which I felt needed them most- the sicked people of the cyber world. And I got nothing but tongue lashing and ridicule from most of them. I continued to persevere even when it seemed that my whole efforts were going down the drain. It was really a thankless job. And slowly but surely, I found a niche in the blog world.

We are called by the Lord to be faithful up to the end, doing His will and purpose in our lives. The process may be painful and burdensome most of the time, but the reward comes when we realize that we share in the ministry of those who point the way to the kingdom of God through His Gospel of salvation and hope. And even when the enemy brings down upon us the full fury of his hatred and might and our physical bodies become drained almost to death, we are strengthened by the Lord with His promise that, "when we are weak, then we are strong." I marveled at the resilience and strength of Shiela of Bluebirdy- Life- 4 Hours At A Time and Amrita of Yesu Garden who, although besieged with terrible physical pains and burdensome trials, stood tallest and brightest in the firmament of the blogging world to share the message of the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord to the very end. May the glorious blessings and grace of the Lord be showered upon them to the very end. As the foreword on my blog says, "it is better to light a single candle than to curse the whole darkness." TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Faithful, Salvation, Divided Bible Seminar, CyberWorld, Internet, Pornography, Self Glory, Vain Conceit, Niche, Shiela, Bluebirdy, Life-4 Hours At A Time, Amrita, Yesu Garden, Physical Pains, Burdensome Trials, Stood Tallest and Brightest, Glorious Blessings and Grace, A Single Candle, Whole Darkness, Word of God, Holy Bible

Posted by Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Know Your Enemy

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:23:00 +0000

As we go through this battlefield of life, we must know our adversary- our enemy. He is our accuser, the deceiver, the tempter, the beguiler, the father of all lies and he masquerades as an angel of light. He was once an angel, the highest ever created by God in the highest rank and order of seraphim. He was the most beautiful creation of God, exuding beauty and intelligence far beyond those achieved by any creature of God. In fact, he was the contemporary and intimate friend of Jesus Christ. But he was deceived by his own beauty and intelligence. He loved himself so much that he began to adore himself. He began to hate God and rebel against God to become God himself. He was able to deceive 1/3 of the angelic host and they battled against the remaining faithful angels of God. God's faithful angels were led by a lowly archangel by the name of Michael. Archangels and angels are among the lowest ranked angels among God's angelic host. And to show the awesome power of God against the rebellious group, Michael and his faithful angels defeated them. They were cast off from heaven and were thrown down to the earth and the seas. They were frothing and seething with anger and revenge by seeking to enslave mankind whom they envied because mankind still had the chance for redemption if they are washed by the blood of the Lamb. They enslaved the elementals of the earth, the seas and underneath the earth to do their biddings and to oppress mankind. They have manipulated the minds of men so that men will set themselves up against God just like what they did before in heaven. They became the beguiling pied pipers of this world, enticing men to follow their hypnotic tune down the road to destruction and doom. His name? Satan. "All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Enemy, Accuser, Deceiver, Tempter, Beguiler, Father of All Lies, Masquerades As Angel of Light, Seraphim, Highest Order of Angels, Most Beautiful Creation of God, Most Intelligent Creature, Self Adoration, Rebel Against God, Deceived 1/3 of Angelic Host, Archangel, Michael, Cast Off From Heaven, Thrown Down To Earth, Anger, Revenge, Envied Mankind, Save By The Blood of The Lamb, Elementals, Pied Pipers, Hypnotic Tune, Road To Destruction and Doom, Salvation By Accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, Eternal Life, Word of God, Holy Bible

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Assurance

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:43:00 +0000

There is one all important and lingering question that most men refuse to answer or cannot answer. And that question is, if you die right at this very moment, do you know where you are going to? Most people would just shrug their shoulders and say I don't know. Others would simply and nonchalantly say, I don't care. Not so with real born again Christians. They will tell you with a straight face that they will go to heaven. It is not a question of self righteousness or plain braggadocio. It is merely an assurance on the promise of God that those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior shall merit eternal life. And they believe the word of God and His promises. But where does born again Christians base their confidence on God's promises? The following verses give that assurance:

1. John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
2. Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
3. Romans 10:9 - "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
4. Acts 4:12 - "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
5. Acts 16:31 - "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved- you and your household."
6. Romans 10:13 - "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

I can go on and on citing similar verses but what I am emphasizing is that, we can never be saved by good works alone without Jesus Christ. Anything- offering, sacrifice or good works offered to the Father not in the name of Jesus Christ, will just be an offering in vain and not accepted by the Father. For there is only one way and key to heaven and He is Jesus Christ. "Jesus answered, 'I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Assurance, Lingering Question, Where Shall We Go After Death, Born Again Christians, Heaven, Promise of God, Eternal Life, John 3:16, Wages of Sin, Gift of God, Confession, Jesus Is Lord, Salvation, Name, Name of The Lord, Good Works, Jesus Is The Only Way, Word of God, Holy Bible

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Faithful

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:08:00 +0000

God is faithful. He was, He is and He will always be faithful, for that is His very nature. Unlike man who is largely undependable, God is always dependable for He never change. We appreciate God's faithfulness in His promises. We are all powerless against the wiles, the lies and the supernatural powers of the enemy except for the word of God. God's words have the power to disarm all the powers, lies and cunning of the enemy. To show to the world and to man that God's words are the most effective tool against the enemy, even Jesus Christ Himself used God's words to disarm the devil in the temptation at the desert. God's words have the same power and efficacy as God Himself. This is revealed in the Book of John when it began with the words, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). It continued with, "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

God never goes back from His promises. His promises become supernatural and powerful if we accept them with full faith, trust and confidence. God said that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can command the mountain to cast itself to the sea and it will obey. Even if the physical reality is overwhelmingly against the realization of God's promise, it shall come to pass if we believe in it wholeheartedly and persist in it with the patience of the cascading waves that pound the shores. All our sicknesses have been healed through the wounds and stripes borne by Jesus Christ prior to the cross. We only have to claim the healing with living faith and full trust and healing can be ours for the taking. We can rest in the faithfulness of God when He said, "Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved." TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

Tags: God , Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Faithful, Nature, Man, Undependable, Always Dependable, Powerless, Wiles, Lies, Supernatural Powers, Enemy, Disarm, Temptation, Book of John, Full Faith, Trust, Confidence, Mustard Seed, Patience, Persistence, Sicknesses, Healing, Wounds and Stripes of Jesus, Cross, Name of The Lord, God's Glory, Word of God, Holy Bible

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Deceptions

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:10:00 +0000

Deceptions. Lies. False sense of security. Hollow philosophies that teach man made tenets in life. We see people blinded by the great pied piper following the enchanting music but to where? To their own doom. God created the universe and man with very simple rules but men chose to disobey God and do things their own way. And now that the world is in shambles, precipitating nearer and nearer to its self imposed doom, men are still deceived and they swallow the grand deceptions because they want to follow their own ways rather than the ways of God. And what is the way of God? God created the whole universe and termed it good. Man was the pinnacle of God's creation because he was created in the image and likeness of God. And God termed the creation of man as good. He instructed man to subjugate the earth and become the steward of God's bountiful provisions for man. But man chose to disobey God. He was cursed and driven out of paradise. And the race of man was never the same again. Man, after Eden, was born in a state of depravity. Even when God sent His only begotten Son to save perishing mankind, most men choose to follow their own ways because they refuse to humble themselves and follow God's ways. And now we see a world full of deceptions and lies. And what are some of these deceptions and lies?

1. That the very purpose of man's life is the pursuit of happiness;
2. That anything that seems good and pleasurable for man should be pursued unimpeded;
3. That there is a continuum of life so why bother with this present life;
4. That man must achieve the pinnacle of success no matter what the cost may be and no matter who gets hurt;
5. Let us eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.

Many are deceived by moral sounding philosophies like love, god, universal brotherhood, light, existentialism, gnosticism, etc. And some fanatical beliefs even teach their adherents that they will go straight to paradise if they die in the battlefield fighting for their beliefs. So we see the spectacle of fanatical people sharing death with their victims due to explosives attached to their bodies. But what is the truth really? It is in God's words. And God's words are faithful and true. And God never lies.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Deceptions, Lies, False Sense of Security, Hollow Philosophies, Man Made Tenets, Pied Piper, Doom, Man's Ways, God's Ways, Pinnacle of God's Creation, Image and Likeness of God, Stewards, Divine Providence,
Paradise, State of Depravity, Only Begotten Son, Perishing Humanity, Pursuit of Happiness, Continuum of Life, Pinnacle of Success, Fanatical Beliefs, God is Faithful, God Never Lies.

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

This Is My Story

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:22:00 +0000

Picture of my family taken three years ago before my wife went to the US

My Picture (All our pictures were lost in the flood)

My Wife and I (Taken Ten Years Ago)

My Youngest Daughter Heidi (Taken Three Years Ago)

My Youngest Son Meldrick (Taken Four Years Ago)

I Call Her Princess Heidi

Princess Heidi At A Younger Age

She looks like a boy here, lol

Another boyish picture

She's still a baby here at a previous house

To those who still do not know me, I am telling my short story not to glorify myself, but to glorify Him who has given me miracles after miracles so that others may know and appreciate Him more through my story.

More than three years ago, before my wife went to the US to work, I was scheduled for three major operations that were so immediately necessary. But I had to give them up because I already used forty thousand pesos of the eighty thousand pesos medical insurance coverage from my wife after so many laboratory and check up charges. My wife had to resign and give up her insurance card so she can proceed to the US. I was then scheduled for immediate operation for acute hernia and prostate gland, for acute scoliosis of my lower back and inflamed thyroid gland. Previous to that, I had been through the portals of death so many times because of hypertension and diabetes that I already lost count. And through all these years, God graciously extended my life until now. I no longer see doctors since I do not have the means and they are just so appalled by my serious conditions. I just take my maintenance medicines for hypertension and diabetes. I could say that my life is just being sustained by the grace of God that every morning when I wake up, I thank him for the grace of life. I became the father and mother of my children and have gone through so many crises in life but through it all, God has been so graceful and merciful to me. More than a year ago, our house was inundated by chest deep flood waters and we barely escaped with our lives. But we lost half of our possessions. A year ago, I experienced the most severe pain and trauma of my life when my whole lower body became so painful that I almost committed suicide but could not because of the fear of the Lord and my wholehearted trust in Him. Three days after, I miraculously stood up with no pain at all. I could probably write a whole book to cite miracles after miracles in my life but all I can say is that, He is a faithful God who never leave me nor forsake me. And I totally surrendered my life to Him and live only to please Him and give glory to His name. May His name be praised forevermore.

For a more encouraging and inspirational stories of sheer courage, unflinching faith in God and the indomitable spirit of bravery in facing the extreme pains and traumas in her body because of lupus, fibromyalgia, vertigo and other chronic illnesses, may I refer you to the blog of my dear spiritual sister in suffering - Bluebirdy of Life- 4 Hours At A Time".

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, My Life Story, Glory of God, Major Operations, Medical Insurance, Acute Hernia, Prostate Gland, Scoliosis, Inflamed Thyroid Gland, Hypertension, Diabetes, Portals of Death, Grace of God, Crises in Life, Suicide, Miracles After Miracles, Faithful God, Praise God, Bluebirdy, Sheila, Life- 4 Hours At A Time, Sister in Suffering

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational/Biographical

Fix Your Eyes On Jesus

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:13:00 +0000

Hebrews 12:2a says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith." There is so much distractions in this world, so much false lights that bedazzle and blind our eyes to the true light of the world. We must have a steady focal point for our attention so that we will not be distracted and fall by the wayside like so many blind and blinded travelers on the face of the earth. Only God and His powerful promises can keep us from stumbling and sinking into the quagmire of the world's sinfulness and total depravity. We can live a very simple life, dedicating and surrendering everything to the Lord for His pleasure and glory alone. We can entrust ourselves, our family, our household and loved ones to the love, care, guidance and protection of the Lord. We can pray to God that He covers us, our family, household and loved ones with the precious blood of His beloved Son- Jesus Christ, so that we can be spared and protected against the unrelenting onslaught of the enemy. Prayers for ourselves, our family, loved ones and for those whom the Lord have placed in our hearts as burdens are the mighty force that enable angels to move about and battle the terrible schemes of the enemies. Mind you, most of the traumas, trials, pains and sufferings we are enduring in this world are caused by the evil ones who are so envious of the whole human race because each person still has the chance to be saved if he accepts Jesus Christ as his Lord and savior and surrender his life to Him. Not so with the fallen ones. They were doomed to eternal death together with those they can mislead to their fate. So whatever the situation maybe, however grim and burdensome your trials maybe, just fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Let us claim His divine promises and the battle becomes His for our victory.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Fix Our Eyes on Jesus, Hebrews 12:2a, Author and Perfecter of Our Faith, Distractions, False Lights, True Light of The World, Steady Focal Point, Blind, Blinded Travelers, God's Promises, Quagmire, Sinfulness, Depravity, Onslaught of The Enemy, Prayers, Burdens, Mighty Angels, Lord and Savior, Fallen Ones, Eternal Death, Victory

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

God's Sovereignty

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:27:00 +0000

The reason why some people could not cope up with idea of God is because, they do not have an intimate knowledge of God. They think of God based on their outdated or erroneous idea of Him. They put God in a box and expect God to act the way they want Him to act. Thus, you will hear such words from them as, 'where is God at this moment? Does He not care what happens to us? ' These statements and other statements of hurts and doubts are so common in times of tragedies, personal or collectively. During the Second World War, when people heard of the horrors of the holocaust, and where millions of Jews were gassed, tortured and were made subject of human scientific experimentation by the Nazis, these same questions were heard from many people of those days. But who and what is God really? To better understand Him, let us consider His own words. "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9). Here, God clearly demonstrated the disparity between God and man. If the disparity between ants and man is already mind boggling, think of the disparity between puny man and the Creator of the whole universe who holds the destiny of each planetary system, each galaxy, entire nations and each and every living thing, including man, at the palm of His hand. Then we will realize who we really are in the presence of an almighty, all knowing and all seeing God who knows each and everyone of us by name and who knows even the numbers of hair on our head. Job found out about the all encompassing sovereignty of God and paid obeisance to that all encompassing glory. What is wonderful about our God is that, He is an all good and loving God who would never leave us nor forsake us and is faithful to the very end. Let us thank God for everything He has done in our lives.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Sovereignty, Intimate Knowledge, Box, Misconception , Second World War, Jews, Holocaust, Nazi, Disparity, Mind Boggling, Creator, Universe, Existence, Almighty, All Knowing, All Seeing, Obeisance, All Good, Loving God, Faithful, Word of God, Holy Bible

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Tame Your Mind

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:23:00 +0000

Tame your mind as you would tame a wild horse. A wild horse is very dangerous because it hates to be ridden upon . It will throw off any rider that dares to ride on it and may even trample the rider to death. That is what our untamed mind is. It wants to have a mind of its own, wandering to all places it wants to go. There is a saying that, "an idle mind is an evil mind." And that is very true. An untamed mind wants to think of pleasurable things where the I or the ego is always the center of everything. An untamed mind will relish all forbidden and sinful acts of the mind, savoring all orgies of all pleasurable objects of its fantasies. But an untamed mind is very far from the kingdom of God and its sublime influences. The untamed mind is being manipulated by evil spirits enjoying the pleasures of full immersion to sin of the uncontrolled mind. Since his mind is not surrendered to Christ, it is being reined in and manipulated by the lord of the world- Satan and his cabal of evil spirits. The opposite of the untamed mind is the mind surrendered to Jesus Christ where only good and noble thoughts prevail. Since as they say, "birds of the same feathers flock together," a mind surrendered to Christ will attract like minded minds. Unlike an untamed mind that will gravitate to similar minds that are in full participation to sin and wanton living. Better tame your untamed mind if you have one, for sooner or later, you will realize that it is carrying a one way express ticket to hell.

Tags: Tame Your Mind, Untamed Mind, Wild Horse, Rider, Mind Of Its Own, Idle Mind, Evil Mind, Forbidden Acts, Sinful Acts, Orgies, Pleasurable Objects, Surrender To Christ, Good Thoughts, Noble Thoughts, Birds Of The Same Feathers, Flock Together, One Way Express Ticket To Hell

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Inspirational/Motivational/Uplifting

God Knows Our Names

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:57:00 +0000

God knows the name of each and every person on earth especially His children, or those who accepted His only begotten Son as their Lord and savior. He knows their every moves, each tear that falls from their eyes, each misstep in their lives and all the pains and sorrows they are facing. He knows our fears and loneliness, our dreams and aspirations, our despair and hopelessness. He cries at the saddest moments of our lives and laughs at the glorious moments of our existence. He never gets tired of waiting for each and everyone of us to open the door of our hearts and to invite Him to come in and dine with us. Oh, He is ever so patient, waiting and hoping for the day that the scales from our eyes will be removed and we will see the light. His Son has done His part. He opened the gates of heaven for all men to enter and enjoy eternal life. And the invitation to enter has always been there since the death of Jesus on the cross. His angels collect each and every tear that falls from our eyes and lovingly place them in individual bottles with our names on them. He calls each and every one of us by name. He has numbered all the hairs on our head and has ordained the number of years of our short earthly lives. His angels guard us night and day, admonishing us not to fall by the wayside. In the stillness of the night, when everything is so quiet, you will her a gentle whisper calling you by name. Yes, He knows our names.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Name, Only Begotten Son, Lord and Savior, Tears, Misstep, Pains, Sorrows, Fears, Loneliness, Dreams, Aspirations, Despair, Hopelessness, Saddest Moments, Glorious Moments, Door Of Our Hearts, Patient, Scales, Light, Gates of Heaven, Tears In A Bottle, Stillness of The Night, Gentle Whisper

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

And God Smiled

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:50:00 +0000

Once a little cherubim was looking at God in heaven. God was watching the whole earth and His face was full of sorrow and pain. He was very sad and the angel thought a tear was welling in the eyes of the Lord. The angel decided in his heart to make the Lord happy and bring a smile on His face. The angel swooped down to the earth to search for something that will make the Lord smile. In a medium size church, he heard an outstanding sermon by a pastor and he saw that all the church goers were mesmerized by his Gospel message. They were all clapping so loud because of his earth shaking sermon. The angel decided to scoop the sermon in his tiny hands and brought it to the Lord. When he faced the Lord, he bowed down and opened his tiny hands and the sounds and sights of the earth shattering sermon penetrated the whole heaven . The Lord smiled a little but afterwards He became solemn again. The frustrated angel went back to earth and roamed its four corners to seek what will make the Lord smile. From a little cathedral he saw a huge choir singing a heavenly praise and worship song to the Lord as the whole congregation joined in the mighty song. Surely, this will bring a smile to the Lord, the angel thought. He scooped up the praise and worship song of the choir and hurried up to heaven. Facing the Lord again, he opened his tiny hands and there erupted a mighty song of praise and worship that reverberated throughout heaven. The Lord smiled a little but again returned to His somber expression. The angel became desperate. He roamed the whole earth to and fro in search of what can make the Lord smile. Going back to the first church he came from, he heard a faint cry of anguish and pain. Curious, he swooped down to that church and there at the farthest and darkest corner of the church was a solitary man who was beating his breast and was full of tears. He was crying to God and was asking for forgiveness for all his sins as he bowed down to surrender his entire being to God. Suddenly a flash lighted up in the mind of the angel. He scooped the repentance and surrender of the sinful man and flew straight to heaven. When he opened his tiny hands in front of the Lord, the sob and cries of the repentant sinner reverberated throughout heaven and a wide smile broke out in the face of God as He wipes the tears in His eyes. He embraced the tiny angel as the whole heavenly host erupted in triumphant shouts of joy and singing.

"THERE WILL BE MORE REJOICING IN HEAVEN OVER ONE SINNER WHO REPENTS THAN OVER NINETY NINE RIGHTEOUS PERSONS WHO DO NOT NEED TO REPENT." (Luke 15:7)

Author Unknown

Note: I heard this story a long time ago and it lingered in the inner recesses of my mind. When the inspiration came from the Lord, I recreated that story to suit the heavenly purpose of God. TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, God Smiled, Cherubim, Heaven, Outstanding Sermon, Pastor, Praise and Worship Song, Forgiveness, Repentance, Heavenly Host, Rejoicing In Heaven, Sinner, Born Again, Eternal Life, Amazing Grace, Love, Joy, Peace, Word of God, Holy Bible

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

God Is Crying

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:55:00 +0000

Does God cry? Yes, He does. He did during the death of Lazarus when He saw the multitude of people grieving the death of Lazarus. He was so filled with compassion and mercy, and so He cried. He is still crying today, seeing the magnitude of suffering and pains in the world. But He could only hope that people will see the light and free themselves of those unnecessary pain and suffering. To understand fully how life works, we must fully and intimately know the Creator of life. Let us consider several facts:

1. God is love.
2. God is a God of justice.
3. God created moral, physical and spiritual laws that cannot be circumvented nor disregarded.
4. God demands praise and worship from men through their own free will. He will never force men to worship and obey Him.
5. Man was born in a state of depravity because of the fall of our first parents. Thus, man was doomed to suffer eternal death.
6. Because of God's great love for fallen mankind, He sent His only begotten Son to suffer the penalty for man's sins and regain his original birth right of being born in the image and likeness of God.
7. Thus, Jesus Christ's death on the cross and His triumphant resurrection from the dead afforded man the chance to gain eternal life by accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and savior.
8. Because of Jesus triumph on the cross, man was freed from the shackles of Satan and from all his bondages. Thus, if we receive Jesus Christ, we are assured of abundant eternal life.

Now God is crying because man is unnecessarily suffering because of ignorance and self pride. God wants to help man overcome all his sufferings, pains, and burdens by offering that man exchange them all for the joy and abundance of the Lord. All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, God Is Crying, Death of Lazarus, Compassion, Mercy, Magnitude of Suffering and Pain, Creator of Life, God is Love, God of Justice, Moral, Physical and Spiritual Laws, Circumvent, Disregard, Praise and Worship, Free Will, Man, State of Depravity, Fall of First Parents, Eternal Death, Only Begotten Son, Penalty For Man's Sins, Original Birth Right, Image and Likeness of God, Death on The Cross, Triumphant Resurrection, Bondages, Abundant and Eternal Life, Ignorance, Self Pride, Joy and Abundance of The Lord, Word of God, Bible

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

My Most Hilarious Experience In My Life

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:30:00 +0000

I was working then as an export manager of a food firm somewhere in Makati City in Southern Metro Manila, Philippines. There were three sister companies in our holding firm owned and managed by a flamboyant Chinese businessman. There were probably a thousand employees of the three companies. We used to have our annual Christmas party where all employees of the three companies attended to enjoy the raffles and the contest that provided fabulous prizes. We had a regular team of participants in our company who rehearsed daily for the contest. But less than a week before the contest, the wife of the owner informed me that we have to form another team for the contest to make it more exciting and merrier. Nobody from our remaining employees wanted to form another team because of the proximity of the contest. In desperation I picked up a stout and jolly assistant and we formed a team to belly dance and do the hula. We practiced everyday almost nonstop. I purchased the wigs, hula dresses and the sexy outfits for our belly dancing. Come the day of the contest, we were made up by our female staff and were shielded from the audience by a large blanket that covered us. We were such a hit that everybody were standing and all rushed in front of the stage, taking pictures and having the best laugh of their lives. The judges loved our act and awarded us first prize. Only after the contest and the party were finished and everybody started teasing us did I feel the embarrassment of it all. Oh what we will do to give others a good laugh.

(Note: I lost all the pictures of that event because of the great flood that inundated our house two years ago.)

Tags: Party, Contest, Christmas Celebration, Gaiety, Company, Makati, Southern Metro Manila, Philippines, Flamboyant, Merry Making, Hula, Belly Dancing, Stout and Jolly, Winner, First Prize, Embarrassment, Teasing, Good Laugh

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Laughter/Funny Event/Hilarity

WIP (Work In Progress)

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:52:00 +0000

Do we remember how we were when we were not yet rescued by Jesus Christ from our decadent and evil filled lifestyles? How we sinned on the inside while professing piety and righteousness on the outside? How we enjoyed the orgies of sin in our minds through our fertile imagination? How we indulged in the revelry of sensual pleasures and the pursuit of happiness? How cruel we were to our loved ones, loving only ourselves? But all of that changed when we came to know Jesus Christ and have surrendered our lives to Him. Our dead spirit, steeped in endless sins, was reborn by the power of the Holy Spirit, and we became a new creation in Christ. The battle had only begun then. There were constant struggles as our former selves, steeped in evil habits, tried to reassert itself over our reformed selves. And by the amazing grace of God, we have survived one onslaught after another by the evil one.

How we struggled to keep in step with fellow believers and how we persisted each time we fall to sin, as we were strenthened by the Holy Spirit to keep on going no matter how many times we stumbled. It is not a matter of how many times we fall and get back to our feet again, but it is a matter of finishing the race at all costs. The victor's prize is not crowned on those who started fast on the starting line or on the bend, but on those who finally finished the race however bruised and battered they may be. We must not worry because God is so patient and loving and have given us all the incentives and strength to finish our own individual races. Are we not all WORK IN PROGRESS by the Lord?

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Work In Progress, Decadent And Evil Filled Lifestyle, Piety, Righteousness, Orgies of Sin, Fertile Imagination, Sensual Pleasure, Pursuit of Happiness, Reborn, Power of The Holy Spirit, Constant Struggles, Stumble, Finishing The Race, Victor's Prize, Eternal Life, Love, Joy, Peace, Kingdom of God, Word of God, Bible

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Faith The Dog (A Miracle Dog's Quest For Life)

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:49:00 +0000

Meet Faith the dog- a modern miracle worker whose quest for life will shame people who are whiners and cry babies and whose main preoccupation in life is to blame everybody including God for what and who they are. Faith was born two legged and he was cared for by a family who stood by her through thick and thin and who showed her love and affection far beyond what normal people can give to their fellowmen. Watch the video of Faith at Oprah Winfrey Show and simply be amazed. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

Tags: Faith, Two Legged Dog, Miracle Worker, Quest For Life, Love, Caring, Patience, Perseverance, Family. Bonding, Joy, Happiness, Fulfillment,

Search For Life's Meaning, Zest For Life, Wonderful World, Alive, Comfort

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

sirational/Motivational/Uplifting

The Greatest Book That Was Ever Written

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:12:00 +0000

We have bestsellers now and then. There are classics, thrillers, mysteries, inspirational, fantasies, science fiction, book of world records, self help books, all kinds of books that became best sellers one time or another. But after some time, they fade away and are forgotten. The greatest book and bestseller of all time is the Bible containing God's words. They were written by more than 40 authors, written in the span of more than 1,600 years. They are an amalgam of individual books compiled together in a single masterpiece. It has been translated into all languages and dialects all over the world. It survived the ravages of time and the assault of the enemies of God. It has words of truth written all over it. And although written by different authors who do not always know each other, their prophecies were fulfilled in subsequent books with uncanny accuracies. Almost all the prophecies written in the Old Testament were fulfilled in the times of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. The only prophecies that have yet to be fulfilled are the prophecies concerning the end times or the second coming of Christ. Even with the presence of inconsistencies and doublets in the Old Testament, testament to the different authorship and revisions by different editors, the Bible remains steadfast and true, testament to the infallible influence and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. And God's words are very powerful and effective tools in our walk through life with all the trials and temptations surrounding man. They never change or fade away because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Holy Bible, Word of God, Inerrancy of the Bible, More Than 40 Authors, Written in The Span of Over 1,600 Years, Withstood The Test Of Time, Translated Into All Languages and Dialects Around The World, Accurate Fulfillment of Prophecies, Lamp Unto Our Feet, Light Unto Our Paths, Inspired By The Holy Spirit, Canon, Canonical, Apocryphal, DeuteroCanonical, Old Testament, New Testament, 66 Books, End Times, Second Coming of Christ, Salvation, Grace, Eternal Life

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

No Condemnation

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:50:00 +0000

No Condemnation

Condemnation From Jury of Peers

In our criminal justice system especially in the Philippines and in most third world countries, to be tried, convicted and incarcerated in jails mean a lifetime of shame, ostracism and a second class status among the inhabitants of the country. Ex convicts are looked down upon with fear and derision and they are discriminated upon in most opportunities especially in looking for jobs. They may have been pardoned by the government and society but the stigma of their crimes will forever be indelibly marked in their personalities.

Not so with God. No matter how grievous or abominable our sins maybe, if we accept God's prescription for forgiveness of sins and eternal life, not only are our sins forgiven, they are forever erased in God's reckoning as though we never committed any sin at all. That is the power of God's restoration of our original identity as being created in His image and likeness. The only price we have to pay is to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and savior and surrender our lives to Him. We could never attain salvation through individual or corporate acts of good works or self righteousness. Those who do so would only find their way barred from entering God's kingdom. The Father prescribed only one exclusive way, and that is the way of His only begotten Son- Jesus Christ. THERE IS NOW NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, No Condemnation, Salvation, Grace, Eternal Life, Only Way, Truth, Life, Criminal Justice System, Jury System, Jails, Incarceration, Second Class Status, Discrimination, Stigma, Indelibly Marked, Crimes, Guilt, Justification, Restoration, Lord And Savior, Surrender, Self Righteousness, Love, Peace, Joy

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Dying To One's Self

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:39:00 +0000

To truly reflect the glory of God and to be an effective light of the world and salt of the earth as admonished by the Lord, we have to die to our own worldly self. We have to truly humble ourselves and acknowledge that everything in our lives are truly for the Lord alone. That is total surrender, when we kill any identification to our selfish, worldly and self glorifying self. In other words, we are dead to this world and alive for the Lord alone. And as we continue to walk in the way of the Lord and obey His own will in our lives, then we are opening ourselves to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to change us from glory to glory until we reach the whole measure of the fullness of Jesus Christ. That is the true yardstick of the real Christian. We die to ourselves and we live for the Lord alone. And in the process, we open ourselves to many trials because the work and purpose of the Lord in our lives must be accomplished so that the characters and virtues God wants to develop in us can reach its full fruition. Such is the transforming power of God to those who have fully surrendered their lives to Him. Peter, who was a sinful fisherman and one who disowned Jesus Christ, was transformed into a bold leader of the fledgling church of God after the death of Jesus Christ. Paul, whose hands bore the blood of Stephen and other Christian martyrs, was transformed by God to become the greatest and boldest propagator of the Gospel of Christ to the gentile world. If we truly love God and if we are truly desirous to please Him, then we must die to ourselves and live for His glory alone. TO GOD BE THE GLORY.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Dying To Self, Living For God Alone, Dead To This World, Alive in Jesus Christ, Grace, Salvation, Transformation, Glory, Eternal Life, Bliss, Worldly, Peter, Paul, Christian Church, Born Again, Word of God, Gospel of Salvation, Holy Bible, Love, Joy, Peace

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Overwhelmed (The Day The Music Died)

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:33:00 +0000

It was a very sad and tragic day for the Philippines and the Filipinos. On September 26, 2009, typhoon Ondoy hit Metro Manila, Southern and Central Luzon with such magnitude of waters that caused flashfloods and inundated the area with tons of floodwaters up to the rooftops of most houses.

We were also hit by floodwaters in Bocaue, Bulacan. Water was waist deep inside our house and five to six feet in the streets outside. Good thing we transferred to a house with a 2nd floor still remembering our sad experiences with another typhoon and flashflood two years ago where we lost almost half of our hard earned resources. We were marooned at the 2nd floor of our house and was without power for two days. Only when we got our power back that we learned about the devastation brought about by typhoon Ondoy to our countrymen in Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, Bulacan and Pampanga.

The devastation, death and destruction were so overwhelming that I could not help but cry when I saw the video footages of it all. Ondoy was no respecter of persons. Both rich and poor, young and old, male and female suffered the brunt of that typhoon. Scenes of people crying atop their rooftops shivering in cold and darkness, of people trying to wade through chest deep rampaging waters, of the heroic deeds of soldiers and volunteers who helped saved the stranded victims even at the cost of their own lives.

My losses were minimal compared to those who lost everything including their very lives. Ah, how I remembered when two years ago my family and I fought our way against similar raging waters to seek refuge to a neighbor's house with two floors as we abandoned our one storey house to the mercy of the elements. But the Filipino spirit is undaunted. The resiliency of the Filipino people was there. Tons of donations started pouring in and thousands of volunteers offered help to the victims. Tons of dirt, wreckages, debris, dead people and muddied vehicles littered the streets. It was a cathartic experience for the Filipinos. God showed the dirt and filth of the collective soul of Filipinos as typhoon Ondoy showed and washed away the collective morass of filth and dirt. And we can only hope for a better future where Filipinos will be united and help their brother Filipinos to rise above their woes.

Tags: Philippines, Filipinos, Typhoon Ondoy, Flashfloods, Floodwaters, Devastation, Death, Suffering, Hunger, Deprivation, Catharsis, Soldiers, Victims, Volunteers, Donations, Magnitude of Destruction, Calamity, Drama, Lives and Properties, Resiliency, Hope, Filipinos Unite

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Current Events/Drama

He Departed In Ignominy, He Will Return In Full Glory

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:52:00 +0000

Jesus Christ was humbled all throughout His life as He became obedient to the will of the Father to save perishing humanity. He waived His godly powers and became like man, born of a virgin in a manger together with animals and was visited by shepherds. All throughout His life, He practiced humility and obedience to His Father's will. And when the time came to sacrifice His very life to save perishing humanity, He gladly accepted His cup of suffering from the hands of His Father. He suffered insults, terrible beatings, curses, betrayal from His most trusted allies and an excruciating death on the cross. He suffered death by the most humiliating and dishonorable way devised by the bloodthirsty Romans- an agonizing, slow death on the cross, insulted and pilloried by all who witnessed His total humiliation. And when He uttered the words "it is finished," His whole work of redemption for all eternity was completed.

But Jesus Christ, who was resurrected from the dead on the third day and ascended to heaven on the fortieth day after His death, will one day return to earth. It will be a totally different setting. He will come in full transcendental glory and will be announced by the trumpets of the angels in the four corners of the earth. All mankind will be spellbound by the sheer glory and magnificence of the returning Jesus Christ, who will come not as a humble servant, but as a conquering hero and Almighty God. All knees will then bow down before His very presence in heaven, on earth and under the earth. Even the demons and their cohorts will be subjected by the mighty swords of the archangels to kneel down before the King of kings and Lord of lords. Then all the inhabitants of the earth, both living and dead, will be judged by Him who have triumphed over the cross.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Ignominy, Full Glory, Second Coming, Self Emptying, Kenosis, Gospel, Salvation, Grace, Eternal Life, Love, Joy, Peace, Born Again, Conquering Hero, King of kings, Lord of lords, Eternal Bliss, New Jerusalem, Word of God, Holy Bible

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

T C S (Testing, Compassion, Surrender)

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 22:51:00 +0000

1. Testing- Our God is a God of testings. He does not want blind followers. He wants people to obey Him from their own free will. He tested our first parents and they failed His test miserably. He tested Abraham with a promise and when Abraham believed God, it was credited to him as righteousness. He tested Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Daniel and even the disciples of Jesus. He tests all Christians for their faithfulness to Him and rewards them who pass the test.

2. Compassion- Our God is a very compassionate God. Because of His great love for mankind, He devised a plan to redeem fallen mankind from their own destruction and eternal death. Jesus died on the cross as a ransom for those who will accept Him as Lord and savior thus, gaining for themselves eternal life. Jesus had compassion for the people during His brief sojourn on earth, that is why He healed the sick who approached Him and fed a multitude of people. And even when He was dying on the cross, He was praying for His persecutors because they did not know what they were doing.

3. Surrender- Our response should be- total surrender to the Lord. Our God is a jealous God who will never countenance a rival king on our pedestals. He wants total love, obedience and surrender of the will of all His children to His divine will. And in return, He promises countless blessings and grace fro those who will obey His will. REMEMBER, OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S WILL RESULTS TO BLESSINGS AND DISOBEDIENCE TO HIS WILL RESULTS TO CURSES FROM GOD.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Testing, Compassion, Surrender, Will of God, Human Will, Free Will, Obedience, Disobedience, Blessings, Grace, Eternal Life, Curses, Destruction, Eternal Death, Word of God, Bible, Glory, Love, Joy, Peace

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Do You Eat Dinuguan? (Pork Innards Cooked In Pork Blood)

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:15:00 +0000

Do you eat dinuguan (pork innards cooked in pork blood)? It is so delicious especially with puto (rice cake). I used to love eating dinuguan in my younger days. I remember ordering dinuguan and puto from Goldilocks (a local delicatessen). But when I became a born again Christian in November 2000 and have studied the Bible thoroughly, I stopped eating dinuguan. It was expressly and clearly forbidden by God in Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy to eat the blood of any living thing for the life is in the blood and God considered it sacred. We were asked once by my teaching pastor in our discipleship training whether we eat dinuguan. I answered vehemently in the negative. He was clearly upset by my answer and debated me vigorously on the issue. Perhaps I thought, he eats dinuguan and he wanted to prove that eating it was justified by God. He cited to me the verse where God declared all edible animals, clean and unclean, could already be eaten. I told him that animal blood was never considered as food and the prohibition still stood. I even told him that all viruses and bacteria that any slaughtered animal may be carrying are in the blood and may be transmitted to those who will eat it. (Certain viruses and bacteria withstand the heat of cooking and can still harm those who will eat the blood of the cooked animal). We ended our debate with the pastor clearly upset and agitated by my bold pronouncement and after that I was the object of his displeasure and indifference.

Lately, as I continued my thorough study of the Bible, my attention was caught by the ruling of the Council of Elders in Jerusalem in the time of Paul and Silas after the death of Jesus Christ. The council, counting James- the brother of Jesus, Peter and the other apostles, made this ruling for all Christians in the places visited by Paul and Silas. "You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality" (Acts 15:29). Ah, I feel vindicated after so many years.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Word of God, Holy Bible, Dinuguan, Blood, Pork Innards Cooked In Pig's Blood, Puto, Rice Cake, Biblical Prohibition, Goldilocks, Delicatessen, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Food, Old Testament, New Testament

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Inspirational/Motivational

Testings

melavilaalarilla@gmail.com (Mel Avila Alarilla) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:22:00 +0000

God is a God of testing. He tests those He wants to become His children and followers. We all undergo such testings from God. Our first parents were tested in Eden and they failed God's testing miserably. They were duped and deceived by the evil one who twisted God's words to make an enticing and tempting proposition to them. God warned them that if they eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, of Good and Evil, they will die. The evil one twisted God's words and assured them that they will not die but instead their eyes will be opened to the knowledge of good and evil and be like God themselves. They ate the fruit. Immediately their eyes were opened and they realized that they were naked and felt shame. But at the same time, God's words were accomplished in them. When they ate the forbidden fruit, their spirits, which were their direct link in fellowshipping with God, died and they lost their original birthright of being created in the image and likeness of God. It took God's great love and the sacrifice of the life of Jesus Christ to atone for man's sins and regained for mankind its lost birthright of being created in the image and likeness of God.

God tested all His beloved followers including Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Isaiah, Daniel and even the disciples of Jesus. God is always testing us by permitting us to undergo predestined trials to see whether we will remain faithful to God by clinging to His promises to overcome such trials. If you are undergoing severe trials and carrying heavy burdens right now, take heart and be glad because God is putting you to the test. After you have overcome the test, God's blessings, strength and power will be bestowed upon you. If we are tested, that means God loves us so much He does not want to lose us.

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Testing, Trial, Amazing Grace, God's Words, God's Promises, Deliverance, Blessings, Faithfulness, Persistence, Patience, Trust, Hope, Love, Joy, Peace, Power, Strength, Restoration

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla

Philippines

Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational