The Enemy's Pattern

As God's children and followers of Christ, we are being attacked by the enemy everyday. That ugly enemy is trying everything to get us! That's why whenever we defeat him through faith, we're giving him a major headache. And so, while God is using circumstances to be like Jesus, the enemy is taking advantage of those situations to make us feel down! 

However, as we are increasing our faith by nurturing our relationship with Jesus Christ, little by little we discover the enemy's pattern to tick us off. His strategies are very common!

He wants us to..

feel resentful

feel weak

feel ugly

be isolated

etc

He exposes our..

past

weaknesses

abilities that we lack

etc

The enemy doesn't want us to think that we're righteous & victorious through Christ. He even loves putting fear in out hearts and keep telling us that we cannot do things but we know that those are lies. 

SO WHY pay attention on what he is telling us WHEN WE KNOW THE TRUTH. 

We are perfect just the way we are, not because of the things that we can do but because of the perfect of our perfect Creator. 

QT: Jacob Gets Isaac's Blessing

Genesis 27:1-38  

Jacob Gets Isaac's Blessing

Insights: 

• The stealing of blessing was originally planned by Rebekah (Isaac's wife) and she just forced Jacob to do it. She even instructed Jacob what to do.
• The prophesy in Genesis 25:23 was fulfilled.

The Lord said to her,

"Two nations are in your womb,

and two peoples from within you will be separated;

one people will be stronger than the other,

and the older will serve the younger." (Genesis 25:23 NIV)

If the Bible says it, it will happen. So hold on to God's Word. :-)

• It was very unfair for Esau :( to the point that he got really really mad and wanted to kill his brother Jacob.

Sometimes when we are expecting something especially if it's a promise from other people, we hold on to it and we resent when we don't get it. It was really unfair for Esau's part because it was a blessing that can only be given once. 

Resentful starts when we're too hurt.. Too much anger makes us curse and even kill. So, guard your feelings, don't live by it. Remember, everything we do vibrates in eternity.

• Rebekah instructed Jacob to flee to Laban (her brother) to escape and hide from Esau.

Rebekah though ancient is still a modern figure of motherhood today. Some of the mothers today have favoritism when it comes to their kids. They do everything for their favorite ones even of doing it in a wrong way.

• Isaac once again blessed Jacob and even commanded him to marry a Canaanite woman. Esau learned about this and went to Ishmael and marry his daughter.

Not getting the blessings that we are expecting leads to rebellion. So, do not look at the blessing, always look at the Blesser.

• Jacob was a deceiver! He deceived Esau twice and so was Isaac his father. However, that didn't unqualify him to be used by God. In fact, he saw God in his dream and spoke to him. Aft that dream, he started his relationship witn God.

There above it stood the Lord, and he said: "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." (Genesis 28:13-15 NIV)

When we fall short to God, disobey or sin against Him, we sometimes hide our faces to Him instead of repenting. We feel that we don't deserve anything from Him anymore or He will never use us as an instrument of His greatness. But look at Jacob, God spoke to him in his dream and God sounded like He was blessing a righteousness man. The thing is, God can use you no matter what or who you are in the past as long as we repent and ask for His grace to turn away from sin. God has the power to bless you despite and inspite of you. 

Salamat PANGINOON

Pagkauwi ko sa bahay naabutan ko siya nagmemeryenda habang nanonood ng TV. Umupo ako sa sofa tapos kwinento ko sa kanya yung video na shinare saken ng kaopisina ko about sa interpretation ng prophesies sa Book of Revelations. Pinag-usapan namen ang mga pope, Rome, Christianity, Mark 16, Abraham at kung ano ano pa.

Hanggang sa shinare niya saken kung pano siya simulang magbasa ng Bibliya.

Bata palang daw siya mahilig na siya magbasa ng mga encyclopedia na naalikabukan lang sa shelf ng tita niya. Wala pa silang TV nun pero marame na daw siyang alam. Mahilig talaga siya magbasa hanggang sa magkaroon na siya ng pamilya. Nagtrabaho siya sa isang restaurant bilang bartender/waiter, tuwing break time niya daw nagbabasa siya ng Reader's Digest na binibigay lang din sa kanya sa table ng boss niya. Nakita nung boss niya na mahilig siya magbasa kaya iniiwan lage ung Bible nun, Baptist daw pala ung boss niya nun. Nung una, hindi niya pinapakelaman hanggang sa nalaman niya na talagang iniiwan ng boss niya para basahin niya. Nagsimula daw siya sa Genesis. Ang bilis niyang magbasa kaya madlai niyang nareach yung New Testament. Kaya lang napapansin niya na kaya siya mabilis kasi may ini-skip siya na hindi niya maintindihan, hanggang sa may nagsabe sa kanya,

"Alam mo kasi ang pagbabasa ng Bibliya ay hindi katulad ng ordinaryong libro na pampadagdag kaalaman, inuumpisahan kasi yan ng prayer."

Ginawa niya naman at bumalik siya sa Genesis at sobrang di niya inaasahan ung mga bagay na napag-alaman niya. Simula noon, nawala na yung desire niya na magbasa ng iba pang libro, Bibliya na lang talaga. 

....

Siya: Natutuwa ako na inaaral mo yung Salita ng Diyos dahil mas mabuti iyan kesa sa ibang mga intellectual na libro. At pag magbibigay ka ng kahit ano man dapat ung taos sa puso mo hindi yung pinipilit at kung tutulong ka sa buhay ng ibang tao, wag kang mag-eexpect ng kapalit. Dahil hindi yung taong iyon ang magbabalik sayo nun, ang Diyos yun, gagamit siya ng ibang tao para i-reward ka.

Ako: E bakit ayaw mo pa ren magsimba?

Siya: Gusto mo ba malaman? Kaya lang magkokontrapelo tayo.

Ako: Bakit? Ano ba yun?

Siya: Ibang congregation yung gusto ko. Yung evangelist na iyon sobrang swerte naten dahil nabuhay siya sa henerasyon naten. At gusto ko ang kanyang mga turo, napaka-Bible based hindi katulad ng ibang nagppreach na based on experiences nila.

Ako: O edi magstart ka na magsimba doon. Hindi tayo maggrow ng puru pananampalataya lang kelangan naten ng tao. Puru tanong lang kasi nakikita ko dun sa evangelist na yun, pano naman yung fellowship at application nun sa buhay?

Siya: Kaya nga inaaral ko yung Word sa pamamagitan ng pag-eexplain niya para alam ko kung pano ko i-aapply sa buhay.

Ako: Pero hindi lang Word and prinovide ni God sa aten. Nagprovide din Siya ng circumstances at tao. We cannot do it on our own.

Siya: Basta hindi pa kasi talaga ako handa.

Ako: Eh kelan pa? Ano pa ba hinihintay mo?

Siya: Gusto ko kasi mawala muna yung mga doubts ko e. 

Ako: May doubts ka kay God?

Siya: Hindi kay God sa sarili ko! Gusto ko kasi kapag bumalik ako sa kanya hindi ako born-again kung hindi magsstep-in ako sa new world. Iwan lahat sa old world. Kelangan ko muna ihanda yung sarili ko.

Ako: Papakaperfect ka? Pero hindi naman mangyayare yun, diba? Kaya nga dumating si Jesus eh. Kasi alam ni God hindi tayo perfect.

Siya: Hindi! Gusto ko kasi maging handa muna. Ayoko ng babalik ako tapos hindi naman sincere at ganun pa ren. Mas malaking kasalanan sa Diyos iyon.

Ako: Pero alam niya ngang hindi ka perpekto. Kaya nga may GRACE eh. You just need to decide. Nahihirapan ka lang siguro kasi madame ka ng alam. 

Siya: Kala mo ba madame akong alam? Marame pa akong hindi alam kaya nga hindi ako handa. God will make a way.

Ako: Pero naniniwala ka sa Holy Spirit?

Siya: Oo naman! Sobrang lake ng nagawa ng Holy Spirit sa buhay ko lalo na nung nagkasakit ako.

Ako: See? Sobrang blessed mo nga e. Nagkaroon ka ng second life tapos yung mga bagay at tao sa paligid mo. Grabe ginagawa ni God sa buhay mo.

Siya: Oo nga kaya sobrang nagpapasalamat ako ng Kristyano kayo dahil panalangin ko yun at habang bata pa kayo.

Ako: Edi kung sa tingin mo hindi ka pa super ready, magbasa ka na lang lage ng Bible kasi dun magsspeak sayo.

Siya: Kaya nga lage akong nanood sa TV ng Bible Study.

Ako: Pero magkaiba yun, parang gento yun e. Pagkaen naten ang Word.. Pag nakikinig lang tayo sa iba, parang iba yung ngumuya tapos kinaen mo lang ule. Mas iba pa ren pag ikaw yung susubo at ngunguya.

Siya: Basta natutuwa ako kung ano ka ngayon, just stay where you are.

-

Faith ALONE?

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

When I've accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior and got to find out about salvation, my heart was rejoicing! I am saved by grace through Jesus Christ! All I need to do is to believe and have faith in Him, contrary to the popular religion nation that I still need to earn my salvation by my own strength. Despite of all the sin I've committed, I don't need measure up and perform to earn His love and grace, I just need to sincerely repent and accept Jesus. Only Jesus blood has the power to save and free us from bondage! How amazing is that?! That's why I've been sharing that truth, so other people may experience true life and freedom as well.

HOWEVER,

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

James 2:17

Confusing? Contradicting? Which is which?

Well, those two verses shook my brain up. And so, after my shift, I prayed really hard to the Lord and asked the Holy Spirit to guide me and give me wisdom as I read James Chapter 2. I prayed because like what I've said I am sharing the Gospel to people, so I need to fully understand this whole thing. Plus, I need to be prepared. 

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage —with great patience and careful instruction.

2 Timothy 4:2

Going back, after reading it for like five times, it made me understand that the verse is about FAITH and OBEDIENCE. I understand why God made sure that James 2:17 would be included in the Bible because He knows that it's easy for people to accept the Lord sincerely and publicly declared it without obeying. And I can testify to that, I'm not gonna use other people's garbage, I'll use mine. I was like that when I was a super baby Christian. Saying to the world that I'm a Christian and yet still doing things that are not pleasing in the eyes of my Lord.

Now, I'm not saying that it's FAITH + GOOD WORKS = SALVATION. 

NO! 

When you receive Jesus Christ as you Lord and Savior, God gives you a Spirit that enables you to understand His grace and gives you wisdom. And that Spirit is from God that also raised Jesus from the dead.

What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

1 Corinthians 2:12

Meaning, the kindness, patience, hope and all the good things we're doing is a product of our genuine faith through the help of the Holy Spirit. He is the one coming from God suggesting us to make wise decisions and convicting us whenever we do things that are not pleasing in the eyes of God.

It's like this, Yes, we accepted Jesus one day and we now have faith in Him but it doesn't end there, we still need to OBEY! It's an everyday decision! We gotta communicate with God through prayer, get to know Him more and get equipped by reading His Word, worship Him by fully trusting Him and show that we love Him and understand His grace by obeying Him.

SO YEA, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I now understand that James 2:17 is all about faith and obedience to the Lord. Now, about the contradiction? Well, wait, did it ever say there that "faith without works cannot save you"? NO, right? But it says, it's dead! :)

remember,

ONLY JESUS BLOOD can wash away our sins and save us.

And no matter how hard we measure up, 

WE WILL NEVER EARN SALVATION.

Once we accept Him as our Lord and Savior, 

we are not just called to believe BUT ALSO TO OBEY.

So, BE SENSITIVE WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT that enables us to make wise decisions that are HONORING and PLEASING in the eyes of God. :)