Is This How It Ends? (1 Timothy 2:3-4)

Is this how it ends? Praying over a loved one in a hospice, searching their tired eyes for any sign of recognition and comprehension, that they would turn to God in their last moments.

Is this how it ends? A friend, wracked with the pain of cancer, sobbing that he is afraid to die, unsure of his final destiny.

Is this how it ends? Shouting over the phone at the person you love, during the last seconds of their life, unsure whether they can even hear you, pleading with them to turn to God and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

I pray for our loved ones who are unsaved, who are still seeking God, that it would not come down to the last minutes of their life for them to make this eternal decision. God is patient and loving toward all of us. Only He will know if you have made that decision to follow Him.

But none of us know the exact moment when we will die. While we are on this earth, we have the luxury of time to make this decision. Don’t squander the opportunity that God is giving to you.

This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 (ESV)

Is this how it ends? If you confess your sins to God and truly repent and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, it is not the end, but the beginning. It is the beginning of eternal peace and blessings with God. It will never be taken away from you. But God will not force anyone to accept His gift of salvation. It cannot be bought. It cannot be earned. It is only by God’s grace that we are saved. And it is only by faith we can turn to Him.

I pray this is not how it ends for anyone.

Peace and grace to all.

It's Time To Let Go (Romans 10:9-10)

When loved ones have passed into death, my pain and grief are multiplied when I am unsure whether they have salvation by accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I have been asked to speak at many funerals and memorial services. Each time I speak, I am keenly aware whether the person I am honoring has made a confession of faith in Jesus Christ. Many times, it is obvious. But there have also been instances when I was unsure. During these times, I prayed to God that in His mercy, He would have drawn the person to Him when they were alive, to the point where they would have repented of their sins and come to the point of acceptance of Jesus Christ.

In spite of these prayers, there was always an uncertainty. My grief and sadness were deep, profound, and painful.  I would agonize over the thought that my loved ones could now be in more pain and suffering than they ever experienced during their life on earth. My soul was not at rest. Recently, in the depth of my grieving for a loved one, I heard God speak to me in a gentle but firm voice, “It’s time to let go.” Reluctantly, I understood and heeded God’s Word.

What took me so long to understand was that if I am grateful to God for His mercy and grace to save me, I needed to also accept that He was in control of all circumstances, for believer, unbeliever, and seeker alike. And although I may desire, with every fiber of my being, that all of my loved ones would come to know and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, it is not in my control, direction, or power. I accept and am eternally grateful to His mercy toward me, allowing me to be saved. I must also accept that all must come to God on His terms and make their own decision to follow Jesus. While I may witness to them and seek every opportunity to lead by word and example, ultimately, it is their decision. I cannot argue a person into Heaven.

...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Romans 10:9-10 (ESV)

I thank God for His grace and mercy to the world. He did not have to take the initiative to save anyone. But He did. The Good News is that all who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved. But everyone must do it for themselves, no one else can do it for them.

If you have confessed your sins, repented and turned to Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, be thankful to God’s mercy and grace to you. And out of gratitude, pray for your loved ones who are not saved, that God would work in their hearts to draw them closer to Him so that they too, may make the same decision to follow Jesus Christ. Witness to them by your life, word, and deeds, that they may see your life and turn to, and glorify, God.

We are souls created to be with God. Don’t ignore the voice within you that is urging you to seek God and be reconciled to Him.

Peace and grace to all.

God Is Holding Us (Isaiah 26:3-4)

In the midst of the sadness and grieving over my father’s passing, God has comforted me through family and friends, in beautiful and unexpected ways. Text messages, emails, phone calls, gifts...all of these reminded me how God has surrounded myself and my family with tremendous blessings.

God is holding all of us-tenderly to allow us to cry, firmly to keep us from despair.

Thank you.

Grace and Peace to all.

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalms 34:18

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.
Isaiah 26:3-4

Why Is Change Difficult? (Matthew 6:33)

Why is change difficult?

I recently attended an educational seminar where the chart above was presented. It attempts to break down the steps needed to implement successful change. If change does not occur, it is because one or more of the steps were omitted. Although originally presented to assist educators who work with individuals with special needs, I found the chart to be illuminating when I applied it my own spiritual progress. Why is spiritual change so difficult for me?

As I pondered the chart, I was struck with the realization that each category could be represented by a Biblical character or event.

The first is the ideal when change successfully occurs. It could be represented when the Holy Spirit descended upon the first believers on the day of Pentecost.

The second is represented by the disciples of Jesus, unclear about their vision and always confused over their true mission.

The third is represented by Judas, with his goals not in consensus with Jesus and who later betrayed Jesus and attempted to sabotage His mission.

The fourth is presented by Moses, embarrassed and anxious over his perceived lack of skills, including poor speech.

The fifth is represented by Naaman, the Syrian, needing more incentives than just the prophet Elisha’s revelation and thus resistant to God’s command to bathe in the river because he wasn’t convinced it was needed.

The sixth is represented by Nicodemus, frustrated that he did not fully search the resources God had given him to truly understand the Scriptures and understand the meaning of a true rebirth.

And the seventh is represented by me. I have knowledge, resources, and vision, but I have never allowed myself to create an action plan to serve God. For years, I would do all the things that I thought were expected of me. I would read the Bible, pray, attend a Bible believing church, fellowship in a Bible study, participate in Christian activities. All of these were important but I lacked an overarching message. I lacked the action plan that only God could provide. I was busy attending to the trees when I needed to see the forest.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

God had to chastise me and bring me to my knees before I saw that my life was an aimless series of actions, performed only to satisfy my selfish needs and project an image of a “good” Christian. I was not first seeking God’s kingdom. I was seeking the “all these things” and hoping that it would lead me to God. I was seeking change by hoping to bypass an important step.

Change may be difficult and painful. But when God wants us to change for Him, He provides all the necessary steps to make the change. He provides the vision, the consensus, the skills, the incentives, the resources, and the action plan! And if change does not occur, we should re-examine our lives and hold it up to the light of God’s truth in the Bible. He always provides everything we need to change for Him.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life. 

Thank You, Dad.

My father, George Shitabata, DDS, passed away on the evening of October 5, 2015. He was 82 years old and was surrounded by his family in Hawaii. The following was my birthday gift letter to him, presented at his surprise 80th birthday party in Honolulu.

I will always love you, Dad.
Thank you for always giving me your very best.

------
Dear Dad:

Vangie and I are so pleased to be able to celebrate your 80th birthday! I sincerely hope it was a surprise for you. But if not, it is still a wonderful celebration of your rich life; a celebration that is richly deserved.

As my gift to you, I recorded several songs for you in this CD, songs that I know you love, and songs that have meaningful messages. The first song, Danny Boy, was requested by you for me to play at your funeral. I will, of course, be happy to play this for you, but a sadness overcame me when I realized that I did not want to wait until your passing to play this song as a tribute and honor to you. So I present it to you, as it will be played for all to hear on that day.

The song has been variously interpreted as representing the pain of a father seeing his son off to war, a wife seeing her husband off to battle, or even Irish revolutionaries departing to defend their nationalistic identity.

Regardless of the true meaning, one theme is constant, it is the pain of separation and the longing for the safe return of a loved one. Through the years, you have always made sure that your interests came second to my success. The years have not diminished my memories of us living together, cooking, cleaning, and learning about the trials of two stubborn individuals seeking to exert their will upon each other. During those tumultuous years, I grew up and you were always there to guide me, firm and with reassurance. I hope that you look upon your children with pride and know that you did your very best. I am a reflection of your best qualities.

But Dad, as much as I love you and have emulated you in my life, my very best qualities are a reflection of my Lord and my God, my saviour, Jesus Christ. He transformed my life over thirty years ago. I learned that religion is not about rules, acting a certain way, or even going to church or to a temple. It is a personal relationship with a real and living God. Over this past year, you have been witness to how mom has dealt with her cancer. You marveled over the peace she has. Yes, she is at peace, not because of any mental lapses or denial of her condition, but because she has the reassurance that she is secure in the arms of her saviour, Jesus Christ. When she first learned of her diagnosis, she told me she was stunned, but then quickly realized that she would now see her Lord sooner than she thought. And this brought her peace and comfort.

God desires all to come to Him and accept His gift of eternal life and salvation. But we must come to Him, on our own will, and recognize our need for a savior, to recognize that nothing we can do, no accomplishments or titles, no amount of money or friends, will ever qualify us to be saved until we come before Him and acknowledge our helplessness and lost state without Him.

As you listen to Danny Boy, please ponder the message of separation and a safe return. Since the day you were born, God has been speaking to you, in many ways and through many people. On this birthday, I pray that you will experience a true rebirth and understand what it means to be in love with Jesus Christ and be adopted as one of His children.

With all my love,
Paul
 

"Wouldn't It Be Better if the Lord Didn't Come?" (2 Peter 3:9-13)

A friend of mine has a penchant to pronounce wry observations about life. With the appearance of another full moon, he emailed me that it would be an excellent opportunity for viewing from our home. I took the opportunity to mention it was another blood moon, When he asked me, “What’s a blood moon?” I quoted the Bible verse in Joel which is repeated in Revelation:

The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
Joel 2:31 (ESV)

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood,
Revelation 6:12 (ESV)

He immediately replied, “Wouldn’t it be better if the Lord didn’t come?”

Taken aback by his comment, I inquired, “Why?”

He replied, “Seems that the sun's turning to darkness and the moon's turning to blood was timed to the coming of the Lord.”

He was right. I used the opportunity to let him know that someday, the Lord will return. But his question left me with a nagging and troublesome thought, “Wouldn’t it be better if the Lord didn’t come?”

As a Christian believer, my life revolves around the promise of Jesus’ return to establish His kingdom on this earth. The earth will be restored to the original promises of God. But I also am keenly aware that when that day comes, judgment will also come.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
2 Peter 3:9-13 (ESV)

God is love. And God is holy. He is patient and does not want anyone to perish. But at some point in the future, known only to Him, He will return to judge this earth. And when He does, there will be no second chances, no last second decisions. Anyone who has not acknowledged Him as Lord and Savior will be eternally separated from Him. There will be no heaven, only hell and torment.

And this is what saddens me. I think of family members, friends, acquaintances-all who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I desperately want them to have God’s gift of salvation. But it is up to them to accept His invitation.

“Wouldn’t it be better if the Lord didn’t come?”

It may be, if only to allow additional time for all people to come to know Him. But God is in control of time, events and history. Our job is to preach the Gospel, telling everyone who will listen about the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

"I've Got a Fever!" (Psalms 107:8-9)

In a hilarious skit from Saturday Night Live, Christopher Walken plays the famed record producer, Bruce Dickinson. He is producing the rock group, Blue Oyster Cult, big hit from the seventies, “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” As he listens to the band play, he asks actor Will Ferrell to be more passionate about playing the cowbell, to the annoyance of the other band members. After several unsuccessful takes, he confronts the band members and utters his now notorious line, “I’ve got a fever and the only prescription is more cowbell!”

http://www.hulu.com/watch/536145

Funny stuff!

I shake my head when I remember how many times I have stated, “I must have something, or else!” I often exaggerate my need at the moment and present it as a dire emergency. And then when I reflect back upon the moment, I realize how silly I was, neither understanding nor caring about what I was saying. For much of my life, my spiritual needs were equally unfulfilled, searching for something I did not understand and for someone I did not know.

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!
For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
Psalms 107:8-9 (ESV)

My spiritual walk was an aimless journey. I went from atheism to a universalist cult to Buddhism. But God was merciful and knew my hunger could not be sated by my own efforts. He had to take the initiative to draw me toward Him by His Holy Spirit. He knew the good things that would satisfy my needs. He gave me His Son, Jesus Christ, the author of my salvation and the object of my faith and love.

I’ve got a hunger and the only prescription is God.

More of Him, less of me!

Amen!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life. 

Why Do You Do This? (Psalms 9:1)

I am thankful to be writing these blogs.  Looking back over my life, there are many experiences that I am both proud and ashamed of, experiences that bring me great joy and others I would rather not remember.  The sum experiences of my entire life come into sharp focus when held up to the truth of God’s Word. Thus, whether I have sinned or have walked in close fellowship with God, I have seen His providence, His guiding hand in everything. And whatever I do, whomever I meet, God, through His Holy Spirit, allows me to glimpse a part of His Glory. And He inspires me to write about it.

I sometimes wonder if I will ever run out of ideas. But these fears quickly dissipate when I allow God to reveal ever more of Himself through His creation. The well of creativity is endless when God is filling it with His living water!

I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
Psalms 9:1

Why do I do this? I wish to share it with my family, my friends, to anyone who is seeking a new or renewed relationship with God. How long can I do this? God willing, until my last breath when I enter into His glorious presence or He comes to take me home. I just pray that I will be able to share His marvelous works with everyone with whom the written Word can reach.

God is Great! Praise God for His faithfulness!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

My Spiritual Legacy (2 Timothy 2:1-2)

What will be my spiritual legacy? What is really important to me? What do I want to pass on?

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
2 Timothy 2:1-2 (NKJV)

The Apostle Paul instructed his protege, Timothy, that he must first be strong in the grace of Jesus Christ. In order to leave a legacy, I must be completely committed to Jesus Christ. If this relationship is not stronger than any other relationship, all my energies need to be refocused upon Him. I would like my legacy to reflect a life of action and unswerving devotion to Jesus Christ. This legacy should first be manifest  in the relationships within my family. From this core, I want everyone with whom I interact to know that I serve God, fear, and love Him. The elements that will be the foundation of my spiritual legacy include:

1. An Active Prayer Life

Pray without ceasing.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NKJV)

2. Reading and meditating upon God’s Word.

Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
Proverbs 30:5 (NKJV)

3. Worshipping and serving God and never taking Him for granted.

Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
Psalms 2:11 (NKJV)

At the end of my life, I want to be able to look back and confidently declare as Paul did at the end of his life…

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NKJV)

From those to whom I pass along my spiritual legacy, I want them to know that as much as possible, I tried to live a life in constant communication with God through the Holy Spirit; nothing would ever take the place of God in my life. And I want to know that I gave them my very best efforts in whatever I did. A wise man once said, “Being rich is not about how much you have but how much you give. When you give, you will be happier.”

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 16:26 (NKJV)

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life.

A Selfish Love (1 John 4:11)

Why is it so difficult to love others?

We hear the pop psychology diatribe that the problem is we first have to love ourselves. While having an important sense of self-esteem is definitely important, this is only looking at part of the truth.

We need to love ourselves because God first loved us.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:11

We may take self-help classes, we may take relationship courses, we may even seek counseling to help us learn how to love others. But all of this will be of no avail if we do not first come to the realization that we need to see ourselves the way God sees us. If we do not, then all of our efforts are truly selfish, because they are directed inward and not outward and upward toward God.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior, then you are no longer separated and estranged from Him by sin, but adopted as a son and fellow heir with His Son, Jesus Christ.

Loving yourself first can only be done by loving yourself as God loves you. The God of the universe loves you and wants to shower you with His blessings! When you truly grab hold of this awe-inspiring concept, all other relationships will fall into place. Because when God is for us, who can be against us?

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

A Valentine Heart (Luke 24:32)

There is a mad rush to to accommodate your loved ones on Valentine’s Day. Forget trying to find a dinner reservation at a popular restaurant, the wise choice is to make it a few days before, or even a week before, assuming your loved one agrees. :) And if you are the flower or candy buying type, get ready to pay up for these last minute gifts!

Why does Valentine’s day always come with images of a heart? One would think that the brain is in charge of all of our feelings and emotions. But whether one agrees or not, the heart has traditionally been used to symbolize our deepest feelings and emotions. We even say things like, “My brain tells me one thing, but I am going with my heart….” when we want to emphasize the sincerity of our intentions.

And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
Luke 24:32

The two travelers on the road to Emmaus, recorded in this passage in Luke, could hardly contain their excitement once they realized that it was the risen Jesus Christ who was speaking to them. And how did they describe their excitement? “Did not our heart burn within us..?”

When we express our love and devotion at the deepest level, we speak of our heart. The intentions of our hearts symbolize our purest desires. But this purity can only be achieved by allowing Jesus Christ into your heart and to indwell within it by His Holy Spirit.

On this Valentine’s Day, let Jesus Christ fill your heart. Allow His love and truth to ignite and burn within your heart, creating a desire that will never be quenched!

AMEN!

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Words that Heal (Proverbs 12:25)

I marvel at the power of a kind or well-meaning word. As a physician, I am keenly aware of the importance of a great bedside manner. The firm and reassuring voice of a physician can go a long way to allay the fears and concerns of a patient. Words can encourage and even heal.

There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health.
Proverbs 12:18

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.
Proverbs 12:25

God reminds us about the healing power of a good and choice word, promoting health and even relieving depression. Take the time to come alongside someone who is hurting and give them an encouraging word. Serve God by being the conduit of His love to others.

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Praying for Rain (Psalm 118:8)

Southern California is a semi-arid to desert climate. So, it is no surprise that water conservation and water resources are an important topic for both government and businesses. The recent years of drought have severely depleted the state reservoirs and have also affected neighboring states. Thus, the recent rains are a welcome relief to the parched land.

And yet, with the much needed rain and partial relief of the drought, comes pain to others. One family that I know, while happy for the rain, is suffering through a leaky roof. They are struggling financially and do not have the ready resources to fix their roof nor is it likely they will be able to fix it during this storm. They have endured this current storm by placing numerous buckets around their home, hoping that by the time they come home in the evening, the buckets will not be overflowing. Other families are evacuating their homes that are at risk for mudslides due to the recent fires which obliterated the ground cover.

Through this past week, I have heard people praying for rain and others praying that the rain will not cause much damage. Some people who are praying are believers while others are seekers or are praying to other gods. Some simply state they are praying because it sounds very pious to do so, without truly believing in God. Ever wonder how God listens to all of these prayers and is able to answer all of them?

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.
Psalm 118:8

God answers according to His timetable and His Will. When He answers our prayers, the answers may not always be to our expectations or liking. But when we presume we know the best answers to our prayers, we place ourselves in God’s position and literally attempt to usurp His sovereignty. God created everything and know all things that are happening and will happen. How limited and small our thoughts of God must be if we think He cannot listen and answer everyone’s prayers. I cannot attend to the immediate needs of my own family clamoring for my attention. But God can attend to the needs of billions of people and He does so with perfect guidance, precision, and efficiency. His timetable may not match ours, but thank God that it doesn’t!

We thank God for the rain and ask God for His mercy for those who may suffer from the rain. God hears and answers all of our prayers, even when we are unfaithful. Trust Him!

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life.

A Ready Mind (Acts 17:11)

When was the last time you really listened to a speaker and pondered over what was spoken? Some researchers state we only retain 10% of what we hear, particularly during presentations. If this is so, the burden is definitely upon the speaker to make a compelling presentation, one that captures the mind and heart of the listener.

These were more fair- minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.
Acts 17:11-12

This is exactly what happened when the Apostle Paul preached the Gospel to the citizens of Berea. They not only listened, they went back and searched the Scriptures, verifying that what was said to them was true. The result? Many of them believed and accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

The internet makes information readily accessible to nearly everyone. There is a great deal of information swirling around in cyberspace. How many of us are willing to verify the credibility of the speaker and the source? And how many of us are willing to test the information against established facts?

If you take the time to listen and read the Bible, you will realize that this is not simply a work of literature. It is the living Word of God. It has the power to transform your life and those around you. And it does so by leading you to the greatest love story the world has ever witnessed. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the Cross and be resurrected so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life. Don’t believe it? Then search the Scriptures yourself. If you are truly searching for the truth, God will reveal it to you.

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life.

You're Fired! (Titus 3:4-7)

Anyone who has been an employer will inevitably face the decision to fire an employee. Regardless of the reasons, firing an employee is never easy. An emotional, professional, and relational investment has been made with the employee. Severing the ties is sometimes like severing the ties with a friend or family member.The reasons for any firing are complex and unique to that individual and employer. But the most common cause is failure to live up to the job expectations.

Through the years, I have kept my heart and mind honest and open to God’s leading to make the final decision. But at some point, I must let go. I continue to pray for that person, even months after the decision, for God to lead them to the right job for their unique abilities and personality.

I know I often fail God. Only through His grace and mercy, does He keep me comforted and secure with His love and salvation. He will never let me go. The reality is I, by my own efforts, will never live up to His expectations. It is only through surrendering myself and accepting His Son, Jesus Christ, as  my Lord and Savior, am I am able to come before Him and be accepted as fellow heir of Christ, an adopted son of God.

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:4-7

I am an employer but I answer to God. He is more than my employer; He is my very life and reason for living. I can only live up to His expectations because He has washed and regenerated me through His Holy Spirit.

Praise God for His grace and mercy!

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Our Prayers Always Before God (Revelation 5:8)

Communication is ever faster and immediate than any other time in history. Cell phones allow us to instantly call anyone, nearly anywhere in the world. Most phones also allow text messaging which provides yet another instantaneous way to communicate. These messages may contain random conversations of trivial information. Some may contain important news. Still others may contain urgent requests, imploring the recipient for help, even asking for prayers. Our email and text programs may allow us to send this prayer or request to hundreds, even thousands of people who are in our contact list. Will any of these prayers ever be viewed or even answered? And even if the prayers are answered, can the answer help the sender?

Ever wonder what happens to our prayers we pray to God?

Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty- four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Revelation 5:8

In this passage from Revelation, the Holy Spirit leads us to this remarkable view of Heaven where we see how our prayers are offered to our Lord Jesus Christ, our High Priest. He now lives to hear our prayers and intercede upon our behalf. The golden bowls of incense are our prayers. Every prayer we utter is brought before Jesus; everything is heard, no matter how big or small we think of our prayer request. God is able to instantaneously monitor, discern, and answer every prayer that has ever been spoken, thought, or offered to Him. And He is able to render a perfect answer to our prayers. The answer may not always be what we are expecting, but most importantly, it is what we need.

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
Hebrews 2:17-18

Technology has allowed us to communicate our needs with others. Although it has accelerated the process, it has not improved the response. We need to trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior so that we can have God’s answers to our prayers. It is only when we pray to God that we are assured of His perfect guidance for our life.

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life.

God Will Bless, Whether We Expect it or Not! (Genesis 2:18)

The infomercial is a clever advertising tool. They present a product that you don’t really need and make it seem like you can’t live without it! For the gullible and those with weak will power, it is the ultimate impulse buy, procuring a blender that can puree 10 different fruits and vegetables into a power smoothies or buying a cloth that can wash your car, your floors, and still be able to dry your pet! And a few months later, when you see this amazing invention neglected in one corner of your house, you scratch your head and wonder how you were ever convinced that this product would be indispensable for your life!

And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
Genesis 2:18

Our God is an awesome God who only gives us what we truly need, when we need it, and where we need it. Even after God created Adam, He anticipated Adam’s needs and our own, and created a helper for him. Adam did not ask for a mate and God had made him master over all animals so that he would not be alone in the garden of Eden. But God understands our deepest needs, even before we know or can even comprehend what that need will be. And why does God do this for us? Because He loves us with an all consuming and perfect love.

His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraces me.
Song of Solomon 8:3

The Song of Solomon describes Christ’s love for His church. The church is the bride and He is the groom. In this passage, the bride, rejoices in the comforting and reassuring love that Christ gives to her. What a tender and beautiful picture of God’s love for His church and His people. He comforts and blesses us by anticipating our needs, whether we expect it or not.

Praise God for His abundant blessings!

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life.

The Straight and Crooked Line (Psalms 119:105)

Every morning, I walk a path from my car to my office. I deliberately park about 50 yards away to give myself time to think about the day’s upcoming activities and to realign my priorities with God’s. As I walk the cement parking lot, my eyes are often drawn to a very prominent crooked crack. If my face were at ground level, the crack would seem to meander aimlessly. But from the vantage point of five feet above the ground, this seemingly chaotic crack now reveals a relatively straight path to the end of the parking lot. Thus, even wide deviations of 6 inches are diminished when viewed from this different perspective. The crack is headed straight and true to the expected end.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalms 119:105

There are so many times when it appears that the path that God is taking me in life is veering off course, meandering aimlessly like this parking lot crack. But it is my lack of patience and lack of faith that hinders me from seeing God’s providence and His sovereign plan for my life. If I could see my path from His perspective and vantage point, it would be quite obvious that He is leading me down a straight and narrow path to do the work of His Kingdom for His glory, and not mine.

I need to be continually reminded that God is illuminating my path and guiding me, in spite of my stubbornness to want go in my direction. Spending time in His word, seeking God in prayer, and living a life devoted to serving Him-this is how I keep on the straight line to God.

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life.

Doubting Yourself or God? (Matthew 14:31)

Peter asked Jesus to command him to walk on the water of the Sea of Galilee and come to Him. He did walk on the water for a few steps, but then, he was distracted by the winds over the sea and began to sink. In desperation, he cried out to Jesus to save him. Jesus responded and asked Peter this penetrating question.

And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “ O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Matthew 14:31

What did Peter doubt? Did he doubt himself and his own faith? Did he doubt Jesus and His ability to save him? Was it both? Neither?

When we doubt ourselves, we are doubting God’s ability to work in our lives and transform us into the image of His Son. Thus when God places trials and tribulations in our path, it is to instruct us, humble us, and drive us to the realization that we need to be totally dependent upon God, each and every moment of our life.

Did Peter learn from this incident? Years later, an elderly Peter wrote,

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
1 Peter 4:12-13

Peter was transformed by his relationship with Jesus Christ. A fisherman with a penchant for speaking without thinking and acting without hesitating. He would boldly proclaim to Jesus that he would never deny Him, even if he had to die with Him. Even after the crucifixion, he was found huddling and afraid with the other disciples until Jesus appeared to them. Once he truly realized and accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior and received the Holy Spirit, he became transformed, empowered, and emboldened. There was nothing that could stand in his way. No obstacle, chains, or persecution could stop him. When Jesus said, “Go!”, Peter finally responded in the manner that met God’s expectations. When he sank in the Sea of Galilee, he sank because he did not allow himself to completely trust in God.  At the end of his life, Peter could now confidently write that all the seeming obstacles and trials that were placed in his path were there for the sole purpose of allowing him to become more like Jesus. And Peter did follow Jesus’ commands, to the last day of his life.

When Jesus says “Go!”, how do we respond? How many transformative moments must we experience before we realize that we need to completely yield our will to Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior? God’s patience with us is limitless. Will you claim His promises as your own?

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life.

When We Forget (Psalm 103:2-5)

Why do we forget? For some of us, it is simply not being careful to review all of our work assignments or failing to write the tasks down in a manner that will allow us to not miss it. For others, it is God’s way of reminding us that our lives are finite and that our memories, like our bodies, are subject to aging and in time, may begin to fail.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Psalm 103:2-5

God knows the frailties of our minds. He created us and someday, He will renew us with an imperishable body and mind and we will stand forever in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. Until that glorious day, we need to immerse ourselves in God’s Word and seek His guidance. God knows our proclivity to forget, not only simple tasks, but also His acts of mercy and goodness that He has bestowed upon us. Who else but God can forgive our sins, heal our diseases, and renew our strength? God has done His part and we must do ours, by continually reflecting upon and not forgetting all of His benefits which He has lavishly bestowed upon us.

Think back over your life and remember all the good that God has done for you. Never forget His benefits!

Love and respect the Lord; seek His will in your life.