Christine

Meet my sister. Christine just recently recovered from a bout with Stage 4 Dengue. She had just come home from work one day and could not get up nor walk the next day. It was just after Typhoon Bopha (Pablo in the Philippines) had hit that she fell ill. She was taken to the Holy Child Hospital in Dumaguete City where she stayed in a ward for three days before her platelets dropped to 20,000 and she started convulsing and her blood pressure dropped to 40/60. She was then transferred to the ICU ward at the same hospital.

Three years ago, Christine had made bad decisions that put her in a difficult light with the rest of her family. She had done what the prodigal son in the Bible had done so to speak.

Three years ago she had thought to herself that all family was lost, from her brothers, aunts and cousins.

Three years ago she was remembered as irresponsible.

I was woken up by Christine’s hired help, Nene – someone that has been with her and our Mother who has been recuperating from a stroke that has left her half-paralyzed. News was that Christine was at the ICU and it was not looking good.

Just weeks before the news I have had just recently opened up lines of communication with my relatives. I thought to myself when the news was broken to me that God had a plan all along, to allow me to be in contact with family, perhaps for my relationship’s sake with them, perhaps for Christine’s; perhaps for the both of us.

To make a long story short, through the prayers of her family and of friends from EveryNation in Dubai and Bahrain, church members in Victory Dumaguete and all those that have read my every tweet for prayer support, Christine’s health has greatly improved. I truly believe that God has not only healed Christine physically, but emotionally as well as spiritually. You seen when God heals, He brings perfect healing.

Jesus said, “Go ahead—see again! Your faith has saved and healed you!” The healing was instant: He looked up, seeing—and then followed Jesus, glorifying God. Everyone in the street joined in, shouting praise to God. Luke 18:43 (MSG)

Just as it has been with Jesus’ healing, so it has been with Christine. Not only is the healing on a superficial level, but extends throughout every facet of her and her family’s lives.

I am happy to share that, that once that was lost has now been found and has returned to her rightful place in her family.

If there is anyone in need of healing of any sort, pray with me this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I humble myself before You and desire to receive Your mercy, grace and healing. Forgive me of those things that I have done that may have grieved you. I thank you for Your everlasting love and your mercy and I invite you to come into my heart and to be the Lord over all of me. Thank you for making me whole again as only you can, thank you for healing me of what ails me. Amen.”

Of trust, obedience and actions

From Pastor Rick Warren‘s Devotional entitled Biblical Obedience: Love + Trust + Action.

“In the middle of all the hustle and bustle of this season, let’s pause and think back to the first Christmas. Have you ever stopped to put yourself in Joseph’s shoes? Here was a guy who found out his fiancé was pregnant, claiming she was visited by an angel and that it was God’s baby. And she wanted him to believe her!

In an instant, Joseph’s whole world was turned upside down. This was not the way his life was supposed to turn out. It just didn’t make any sense.

Do you know the feeling? Maybe your finances suddenly take a turn for the worse, or layoffs are looming at work, or you’ve just received news of a health crisis in your family. How are you going to handle it? What do you do when things in your life don’t make sense?”

Obedience these days seems to be a strong word, even getting a negative attribute. Obedience seems to be a word that can be given the attribute of being forceful, but it isn’t. Just as it was written in the bible about the “fear of the Lord and… the knowledge of God”, the word for fear here is really reverence, a word rooted in love.

I love how The Message phrases John 14:15 – “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you.” And what God is really telling us through the Bible is to  “Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got! (Deuteronomy 6:5 MSG)” Jesus furthers this command and adds another layer that speaks of love: that we must love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

It all starts with love. When I was a child in my father’s house and he asked me to do something, I would do it. Not because I feared my earthly father – though at times he could be truly worth fearing, but because I loved and adored my father much to the envy of my mother at that time.

It must be the same with how we respond to what God commands us to do.  “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15 NIV) Sometimes God’s commands will not make much sense to us for we only see a small portion of the whole, so have faith. God will not ask you to do something that will ruin you. Our parents only wanted the best for us growing up, what more of God who is our Heavenly Father who conceived us in His mind long before we were even conceived in our mother’s womb. Isn’t His will for us perfect and pleasing? All we need to do is obey.

For today and the rest of our time here, may we all lovingly follow our Heavenly Father who has given us all things, through our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ.

Read more by following this link: Biblical Obedience: Love + Trust + Action.

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May you be blessed by God’s word today from the Life Application Study Bible Daily Devotional as I have been.

“By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.” Hebrews 11:3, NLT

God called the universe into existence out of nothing; he declared that it was to be, and it was. Our faith is in the God who created the entire universe by his word. God’s word has awesome power.

When he speaks, do you listen and respond? How can you better prepare yourself to respond to God’s word?

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To those of you that have read a post reblogged from athousandsingledays about Lizzie and her family, I would like to share some pretty amazing news. The author is very happy with how all efforts are being made around the world and how people have stood up and prayed, shared their story and donated. She wrote:

Thank you so, so much for your encouragement! Lissie is doing well. I saw her today and she applied for a lovely home big enough for her and her children today. We have raised enough money so far to get her in to that home if her application is accepted. Amazing things happening here, hundreds of donations so far!!!

To read more comments and to get more updates regarding Lizzie’s family: http://onethousandsingledays.com/2012/12/02/her-children-will-have-a-home-for-christmas/

Every Nation Missions December 2012 Update

For more information about Every Nation you may visit their website at http://www.everynation.org

via Every Nation Missions Update December 2012: Israel & Vietnam – YouTube.

We are excited to share how Every Nation Philippines has been making inroads in the nations of Israel and Vietnam. In 2013, we look forward to breaking new ground in Timor Leste, Tibet, Egypt, Kazakhstan, and Sri Lanka. Please join us in praying, giving, and going for 2013!