Dared to Move

We are in the process of looking for a new house. Sounds exciting? I would say not so much. We've seen more homes than I can count with all my fingers. Not only that, homes in the market costs more than I can count with my all my fingers.. hands and feet combined- over 20,000 times. And if we do find a house within budget that could accommodate us, how tumultuous would it be to pack and move, pack and move, pack and move... Catch my drift?

Eitherway, change has to happen. And why? Because our humble home- has become too cluttered. 9 people plus a dog doesn't necessarily scream too much space. In fact, if I were to entertain your imagination more, its like the home of the seven dwarfs invaded by giants (trust me if you've seen my family, I'm not exaggerating). So with all of us, you can only imagine what our house looks like. It can get REAL messy- REAL fast. I credit my parents for keeping all of us from living in a pig sty.

Point is, this not only happens in our external lives- the mess, the clutter-it exists in our internal lives as well. We find it real hard to change things in our lives- even when we know it is for good. We usually keep past hurts, pain, anger, jealosy, greed, lust- and many other things hidden in us. Much like my mom keeps old typrewriters, paper shredders and junk from garage sales hidden in our house full of people.

²¹"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, ²²deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. ²³"All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."Mark 7: 21-23

Tell you what though, as long as we let God into our hearts- He will stay long enough to change it. Because if there is another thing God is great at- it is as a decorator of our hearts.

²⁶"Moreover, I will give you a ^A)">new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the ^B)">heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. " Ezekiel 36: 26

Good news is- God can help change these portraits of hurt and anger into a canvass of grace. The stonewall of jealousy and greed will be shaken and restored to be replaced with bricks of love. However, this change, this "re-decoration"- is not always pleasant. But God has high aspirations for each of us- God envisions a complete restoration.

^"6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

How has God been changing your heart lately?

Do you feel cluttered? Is life getting too messy? Then it's time to pack and move, pack and move.

Mighty to Save

Everyone needs compassion,
Love that's never failing;
Let mercy fall on me.

Everyone needs forgiveness,
The kindness of a Savior;
The Hope of nations.

Savior, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.

Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

So take me as You find me,
All my fears and failures,
Fill my life again.

I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in,
Now I surrender.

Savior, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

Shine your light and let the whole world see,
We're singing for the glory of the risen King...Jesus (x2)

Savior, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

Savior, you can move the mountains,
You are mighty to save,
You are mighty to save.
Forever, Author of Salvation,
You rose and conquered the grave,
Yes you conquered the grave

Losing Touch

^"18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. ¹⁹Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more." Ephesians 4:18-19

Have you ever imagined yourself losing your sense of touch, of feeling? Sadly so, millions of people become victims of medical conditions that damage the nerves. This is called peripheral neuropathy. Neuropathy is associated with varying combinations of sensory changes. Oftentimes, a loss of sensitivity. Those who are affected sometimes become insensitive to any type of feeling- sometimes including pain. Without any sense of touch or pain, they develop all sorts of complications including bed sores and sometimes even losing some extremities.

I have seen this happen all too many times working in the medical field. The sad condition people go through who have this type of illness. But what I didn't know and have only realized until recently, I suffer from it as well.

I suffer from spiritual insensitivity. I become impervious to guilt everytime I commit a sin. Every time I made excuses for my own behaviour, the more I separate myself from God- I turn my heart to stone. Trapped in sin, I only crave for more, making excuses along the way.

In the verse above, Paul was urging the people to "no longer live as Gentiles do"(Ephesians 4:17). Now I am no Bible expert but from my understanding, Gentiles were associated with pagan cultures at that time. Paul continues on saying that the Gentiles have separated their life from God and in ignorance due to the hardening of their hearts, they have indulged themselves in impurity.

As I read the beginning of this passage in Ephesians, I realize, in a way, that I have lived as the Gentiles did- hardening my heart to God. I have lost my sensitivity to sin.

But as I read on, Paul says that:

" ²⁰You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. ²¹Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus." Ephesians 4:20-21

Yes, I do know Christ. And at one important point of my life, I did accept His grace, His love. So what is keeping me from living a life worthy of His grace? You all know this: SIN

If we have heard the good news of Jesus Christ, then according to Paul, we are called to:

"..put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24

We should break free from the bondage of our old selves- from sin. We could start by opening our hearts to God in confession. For with God, forgiveness is always available.

"⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

Friends, physical insensitivity can sometimes ultimately lead to losing an arm, feet or both- Albeit no pain but at the expense of your life. Spiritual and moral insensitivity enables one to live a life of guiltless indulgences- but at the expense of your soul.

Be Still

 ¹O God, do not remain quiet;
         Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still.

Psalms 83:1

The author, Asaph, was pleading to the Lord for help. He was pleading in desperation because other nations were conspiring against Israel and they intend to destroy God and His people. Asaph was distressed with the problem and was begging the Lord for His saving hand but the Lord was silent.

Have you ever experienced times wherein we are in desperate need of help, we cling to the Lord tightly and it feels like nothing's happening? I did. He may be silent but the Lord is   always at work. His timing is perfect whether He answers or not. Looking at the entire chapter of this verse, Asaph remained in the Lord even though he did not get an answer. Instead of complaining, he continued to pray and trust in the Lord. At the last part he said (Psalms 83:18),

18That they may know that You alone, whose name is the LORD,
         Are the Most High over all the earth.

Sometimes we might feel that God is absent. God is not within us with our troubles, pain and suffering. We can never understand how God works but it is certain that He works for the good of His people. When the Lord is quiet, He is working. He is making a perfect entrance in our experience so that we may stop and ponder that He is our Savior. David said in one of his Psalms (28:7),  ⁷The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.

When the Lord is silent, He wants to see how we will trust Him. When the Lord is silent, He wants to see how much we will depend on Him. When the Lord is silent, He is still faithful. When God is quiet, will we turn away from Him or have faith like Asaph?

¹I waited patiently for the LORD;
         And He inclined to me and heard my cry.
    ²He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay,
         And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. Psalms 40:1-2