GOD OVERANSWERS PRAYERS

Guys,

I want you to take time reading and meditating this message (c/o Ptr. Win). I'm soooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooo ooo blessed!!!really. This is all worth your time. God is truly awesome! Thanking my KING, my DADDY for this mighty revelation! To God be the glory!

One of the most often-heard phrases in the church is, “God answers prayer!”  Yet that is only half the truth.  The whole truth is, “God overanswers prayer!” I want to act now as a lawyer before you.  I’m going to build a case that will prove to you that in every generation – all through the Bible and continuing to the present day – God always overanswers the prayers of His children.  He continually gives much more than we ask for – and often things we wouldn’t think to request! I’ll go straight to the biblical record to make my case.  It is built on precedent after precedent in history – all proving God overanswers prayer!   1.       God Overanswered Israel in Hosea 14! Here is a very clear picture of how God not only answered prayer – but overanswered! Hosea prophesied to Israel, “You’re backslidden – but you’re still God’s people.  Now return to the Lord and pray.  “Take with you words, and… say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously…” (Hosea 14:2) Their prayer was simple.  All Israel asked God to do was to take away their sin and receive them graciously.  “Lord, have mercy.  Cleanse us – receive us back into Your grace.” Yet God not only forgave their iniquities – He not only cleansed them and received them back graciously – He also added blessings beyond imagination! “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him.  I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.  His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.  They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.” (Hosea 14:4-7) Now the dew of heaven is the presence of the Lord.  Up to this point there had been drought – everything was dying because God’s favour had been taken away.  But now, because of true repentance and a heartfelt prayer, God said He would cause life to spring up on all sides.  Israel not only would be forgiven, but revived as well!  They would grow, become well-rooted, spread out, thrive! All they asked for was mercy, forgiveness and acceptance.  But instead, God opened the windows of heaven and poured on them blessings they dared not even hope for!  God largely overanswered their prayer! Beloved, God has done the same for you!  When you repented, all you asked God for was a clean heart, forgiveness and peace.  Yet look at how He overanswered you: He gave you a hungering heart – a thirst for more and more of Jesus!  He gave you eyes to see and ears to hear!  He gave you a love for His body. He has put in you a hatred for sin.  He has protected you from a raging, mad devil.  He has flooded your soul with hope, joy, and gladness! Jesus has become as your morning dew!  He waters your soul daily with His word.  And you are growing – you’re not dead or dying, but very much alive in Him! You asked only to be saved and cleansed.  But God has poured out blessing upon blessing to you!  He has overanswered you!   2.       God over answered Solomon’s prayer! “Give therefore Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this Thy so great a people?” (1 Kings 3:9) Solomon prayed, “Lord, all I want is wisdom to know how to handle Your people.  I only want to be a just king and lord over them.”  It was a simple, direct request.  But God answered Solomon’s prayer in an incredible way: “And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.” (1 Kings 3:11-12) Here we see how anxious God is to overanswer unselfish prayers!  Solomon asked only for an understanding heart of discernment.  But God not only gave him the heart he asked for – He also promised to make him wiser than anyone else in the history of mankind! Yet God didn’t stop there.  He told Solomon: “And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.  And if thou wilt walk in My ways, to keep My statues and My commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.” (1 Kings 3:13-14) What an incredible response!  God added to Solomon’s wisdom blessings, honor and riches such as no other man has ever received.  And on top of that, He gave him a prolonged life: “I will lengthen thy days.” Another prayer greatly overanswered!   3.       God Overanswered Israel regarding the Ammonites! “Moreover, the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight…so that Israel was sore distressed” (Judges 10:9). Ammon had been used by God to correct Israel’s sins.  And now their army was marching toward Israel!  God’s people were perplexed and downcast – and they began to confess their sins: “And the children of Israel said unto the Lord, We have sinned: do Thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto Thee; deliver us only, we pray Thee, this day.” (verse 15) They were so haunted by their sin, they couldn’t conceive of asking God for anything more than just to spare them.  Theirs was the simplest of prayers: “Lord, deliver us just this one time!  Don’t let us be defeated or overrun by our enemy!” They prayed for a single victory.  But God had something more in mind, and He overanswered their prayer mightily!  Not only did Israel get protection – they got the upper hand!  They totally subdued the Ammonites! “So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the Lord delivered them into his hands.  And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities…Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel” (11:32-33). Not only did God deliver Israel – He also gave them the courage and the direction to defeat the Ammonites!  They subdued them from that time on - and they were never troubled by them again!  They had total victory! That is just how God wants to overanswer His people today!  Most Christians pray, “Lord, just give me victory in this one battle.”  But the Lord responds, “I’ll give you that – yet I have much more in store for you!  I want to subdue your enemy so you won’t have to get just one victory at a time.  I want you to have total victory!” Beloved, He wants to give you power not just to overcome – but to subdue every enemy!  He wants you not just to conquer sin – but to be more than a conqueror!  Not just to have life but life more abundantly!  Not just to have joy – but joy unspeakable and full of glory!  Not to be free of fear just for a day, a week or a month but all the days of your life!   4.       God Overanswered David’s Prayer for Life!  “He asked life of thee…” (Psalm 21:4) David’s request was simple – He asked God to save him from dying.  And God answered his prayer: “…and Thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.” (verse 4) But God went much further in overanswering David’s prayer.  He not only gave him life – He also put a crown on his head, making him king of Israel!  And He poured out on him honor and majesty: “…Thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head…honour and majesty hast Thou laid upon him” (verse 3,5).  David exclaimed, “Lord, You’ve really laid it on me!” Yet to top it all off, God added “exceeding gladness”: “For Thou has made him most blessed for ever: Thou hast made him exceeding glad with Thy countenance” (verse 6). It is no wonder David wrote, “…with Him is plenteous redemption” (Psalm 130:7).  He said, “Lord, You not only saved me – but You poured out Your redemption on me!” The Old Testament patriarchs and prophets knew all about this most generous inclination of God.  They knew He delights in being plenteous, abundant, overflowing with blessings to us.  Isaiah said: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7). God not only forgives sin – He overanswers our cry for forgiveness with abundant mercy and pardon!   We Should Not Be Surprised by God’s Delight in Overanswering and Overgiving – Because Men and Women Often Do It as Well! People have overanswered in their giving – how much more our God! “A Godly husband and wife in Shunem prepared a prophet’s chamber in their home for Elisha to use.  Elisha was so grateful he sent his servant Gehazi to ask, “You have cared for us – what can we do for you?”  But the wife answered, “Nothing.” The servant came back and told Elisha she didn’t want anything.  But something in the prophet’s heart wasn’t satisfied.  He said, “She’s done so much for me!” Suddenly the servant remembered: She was childless and desired a child.  That was it!  So Elisha called her: “And when he had called her, she stood in the door, And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son.” (2 Kings 4:15-16) Elisha got hold of God, the Lord heard his prayer – and the woman birthed a son!  Although she never asked for anything, she got the desire of her heart! Perhaps you remember Naaman, who was healed of leprosy.  Elisha told him, “I don’t want anything from you.  This is a free gift from God.”  But later Gehazi, in covetousness, stopped Naaman and said, “My master has had a change of heart.  He would like to have “a talent of silver, and two changes of garments” (2 Kings 5:22). Now, a talent was a lot of money at that time.  It probably could have bought a whole farm.  Yet Naaman immediately answered, “…take two talents” (verse 23). The Lord had so touched Naaman – he was so happy and blessed – that he desired to overanswer the request!  Something in his heart wished to bless Elisha! I ask you – how is it we can credit men like Elisha and Naaman with overgiving and yet believe God is any less kind and loving toward us?  We often act as if He’s stingy!  We think we have to pull things out of Him, to agonize before we can get what we desire.  No – our Father loves to give to us!  He loves to overanswer our cry! “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?” (Matthew 7:11)   Now Let Us Go to the New Testament and Consider an Even More Glorious Vision of God’s Overanswering Nature! Consider the following examples: 1.       What about the man, sick with palsy, who was brought to Jesus on a bed? “And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed.” (Matthew 9:2) This paralyzed man sought Jesus for healing – but Jesus overanswered his prayer!  “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee…(Then saith He to the sick of palsy) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house” (verse 6). The sick man asked for healing – but Jesus gave him much more.  He added the greatest gift He could possibly give!  The man got his healing – but even better, he received forgiveness, eternal life and good cheer to replace his years of sadness! Jesus had known all along what He was going to do; He knew this man would walk again.  But He said, “First, I want to bless you – I want to overanswer you.  Yes, I’ll heal your body – but I’ll also heal your soul and your mind, Now take up your bed and go home!”   2.       What about the thief on the cross? The thief who hung next to Christ asked only one thing of Him: “Remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom” (Luke 23:42).  His request was simple: “Think about me.” Jesus truly overanswered this man’s request: “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise” (verse 43).  He said, “I’ll remember you – because you’re coming with Me!” Talk about an overanswered prayer!  This evil thief could not even conceive of being saved.  But he was told he would be waking up in a few hours in paradise – beside Jesus!   3.       What about the crippled beggar who asked alms of Peter and John as they entered the temple? “A certain lame man…seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms” (Acts 3:2-3).  Again, a simple request – just a little money.  Yet what a glorious answer this beggar got! Scripture says, “Peter fastened his eyes upon him” (verse 4).  The beggar probably thought, “I’m going to get a quarter – maybe a dollar.  This may be my lucky day.”  Instead, he got something all the money in the world couldn’t buy – a new body! “Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk…and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God” (verses 6-8). This beggar not only was healed – he also received an outpouring of the Holy Ghost!  The spirit of praise came upon him, and he danced and worshiped.  That surely is an overanswered prayer!   4.       Cornelius prayed diligently for a revelation of God’s word – and God marvellously overanswered his prayer! The Lord had spoken to Cornelius about Peter in a vision.  So the centurion sent three servants to Joppa to fetch Peter, “to hear words of thee” (Acts 10:22).  This was his only request – to hear the gospel: “We want to hear the word of the Lord.” Yet look at how God overanswered his request: “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.  And…on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God” (verses 44-46). It was as if God was so excited He couldn’t wait for Peter to stop preaching – and He moved in to overanswer!  The people standing nearby not only got the Word – they also got the Holy Ghost!  And not only tongues but water baptism!  “And (Peter) commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (verse 48). Cornelius only wanted the gospel – but God poured out heaven on him!   The New Testament Is Filled With Promises Proving God Loves to Overanswer the Prayers of His People! The most familiar promise of all is Ephesians 3:20.  We all know it well – yet few of us live as if we believe it: “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us…” God isn’t able just to answer our prayers.  He wants to do for us exceeding abundantly above all we can even imagine!  He wants to answer us not according to our puny requests, but according to His riches and might.  He wants to give till it runs out! The Bible tells us elsewhere He is inclined to answer us with abundantly more: “Give, and it shall be given unto; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over…” (Luke 6:38). “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.  But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10) “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:4). “…the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy…” (2 Timothy 6:17). God is virtually begging us to ask for great things! We like to call the Lord “our King.”  But do you pray large requests worthy of our King’s greatness?  A king is obligated to care for his subjects.  And his people honor him by asking largely, believing he has all they need and will provide it abundantly.  Dear saint, you can’t call God “King” and then accuse Him of letting one of His subjects continue in need! A well-known philosopher approached Alexander the Great to make a request because he’d done a good deed for him.  He asked the king for a gift of one hundred talents – a fortune in silver – for his daughters. Everyone present was aghast.  But Alexander had a big smile on his face.  He said, “Give it to him!  It is a request worthy of King Alexander.  It is worthy of my wealth and my ability to give!” I ask you – have you embarrassed God by your puny requests?  “…prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10)   We Can Grieve God – Even Anger Him – By Not Asking! We think it is spiritual to say, “I just worship the Lord – I don’t think ask Him for anything.  Whatever He wants for me is good enough.”  That may sound holy – but it is not, according to the Word of God! Over and over Jesus implores us, “Ask!  Ask in My name!  Ask, and you shall receive.  Ask anything – whatsoever you ask.  Ask what you will.  You have not because you ask not.  God gives good things to those who ask.  He knows what you need even before you ask.  Ask the Father in My name, and He will give it to you…” But we don’t have the faith to ask! “And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” (Isaiah 65:24)  God says, “You don’t have the faith or courage to ask for what I really want to give you.  So I’m going to beat you to the punch!  I’m going to answer you before you even ask, because your thinking is too small.  I know your request won’t come near to what I want to do!” “Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.  But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.” (Isaiah 7:10-12)  Ahaz’s response may have sounded holy – “I won’t tempt God.”  But it angered the Lord!  It was hypocritical – because God knew Ahaz had lost his faith long before then! Ahaz represents the backslidden church – Christians who have lost their faith in God, who don’t believe in His great resources, “They say, “Don’t ask God for healing.  You’re tempting God.”  That sounds good – but it is hypocritical! Ahaz didn’t want to have his faith tested – because he didn’t have any!  And many Christians today don’t ask God for anything because it will test a faith they don’t have! You see, Israel needed deliverance.  So God invited Ahaz to ask for confirmation of His faithfulness by any sign the king could think of – from heaven to hell.  But Ahaz already had planned to call on King Tigath – Pilneser and Samaria for help.  God said, “No!  I’m going to fight your battle.  I want you to trust Me!”  “…Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?” (Isaiah 7:13) The Hebrew word for “weary” means “disgust.”  God was saying, “How long are you going to keep disgusting Me because you’re afraid to stand on My word?  When will you ever learn that I have everything you need – that I will take care of you because I’m King and Lord?” Isaiah told Israel, “You didn’t ask for a sign – but God is going to give you one anyway.”  “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign;  Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (verse 14). Beloved, this was the greatest overanswer of any prayer in history!  The people cried, “Send us a deliverer,” hoping for some man, but God answered, “I’ll give you a man.  And yes, He will be a deliverer – for all mankind!” God answered by promising Immanuel! In Jesus Christ – Immanuel – we have God’s most glorious overanswer of all.  He is the fullness of God.  In Him all riches and blessings abound.  He is our great resource.  And in Him is exceedingly abundantly more than we could ask or think! Scripture says, “And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.” (1 Samuel 3:19) This verse means Samuel’s prayers as well as his prophecies – none of them fell to the ground!  Not one prayer went unanswered.  Every word of God’s promises that Samuel repeated in prayer was a seed that brought forth fruit exceeding abundantly! Dear saint, when you go to your secret closet, remember: “…he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)  Always quote that verse – work it into your system, praying: “I come to You, Jesus, because I know You are God Almighty.  You have all the resources I’ll ever need.  You are beyond my comprehension in greatness – but I believe You reward those who diligently see You!” Bring all your requests to God.  Pray, believing He delights to overanswer you in His own way and time.  Start asking today for the healing of those whom you thought were hopelessly beyond help.  Trust Him for your hopeless financial situation, your unsaved loved ones.

Shedding Former Things By Os Hillman

"But after the men were healed, God told Joshua, 'Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you'" (Josh 5:9). 

God is calling thousands of people out of Egypt, out of their old lives of bondage. He's calling them to become new people, living out His plan for their lives in the Promised Land, a land flowing with milk and honey. God wants Christians to take their places in the financial marketplace, the corridors of commerce, the capitals of information and entertainment, and the halls of government.

When the people of Israel crossed over the Jordan River and set foot upon the land of promise, God told Joshua to make flint knives and revive a ritual that had fallen into disuse: circumcision.

The rite of circumcision, of course, is the surgical removal of the foreskin (prepuce) of the penis. This rite was established as a sign of God's covenant with Abraham in Genesis 17, but it had not been practiced during the 40 years that Israel wandered in the wilderness before reaching the Promised Land. Joshua obeyed God's command and had all the Israelite men circumcised at a place they called Gibeath Haaraloth (a rather graphic name that means "hill of foreskins").

The rite of circumcision is painful, bloody and personal, and the Israelite men were incapacitated until the wound had healed. With the removal of the foreskins, the men of Israel became a new and different people. They were no longer slaves of the past; they were free people with a future. It was time to put aside the old way of life and to put Egypt behind them and enter the Promised Land with confidence and power.

The people of Israel would go on to fight 39 major battles before the Promised Land came under their control. The Israelites couldn't compromise with the evil and idolatry that was in the land. God told them to destroy it. As believers, we will always be in a battle against evil until the war is won.

God has designed a bright future for us - and it's ours if we accept His calling and cling to Him as He reshapes us and remakes us.

Shedding Former Things

I Corinthians 1

Greetings from Paul

1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.

 2 I am writing to God’s church in Corinth,* to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus,* just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

 3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

 Paul Gives Thanks to God

4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus.  5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way—with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge.  6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true.  7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.  8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.  9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

 Divisions in the Church

10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters,* by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.  11 For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters.  12 Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,*” or “I follow only Christ.”

 13 Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not!  14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius,  15 for now no one can say they were baptized in my name.  16 (Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don’t remember baptizing anyone else.)  17 For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power.

 The Wisdom of God

18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.  19 As the Scriptures say,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise

and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”*

 20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish.  21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.  22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom.  23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.

 24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles,* Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.  25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

 26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy* when God called you.  27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.  28 God chose things despised by the world,* things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.  29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

 30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.  31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”*

Fasting and Prayer By Os Hillman

"So, after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off" (Acts 13:2).


There are times in our lives when major decisions require a concerted effort to press into the heart of God. In Acts, chapter 13 we find a situation in which the disciples were worshiping during a time of fasting. During this time God spoke to them with some specific instructions. It was a strategic time in the church in which Barnabas and Saul were being set apart for the work God had called them. Fasting was an important aspect of hearing from God.

Angie and I have often set aside times of fasting and prayer whenever a major decision has to be made. Fasting is a physical demonstration to God that we are serious about wanting an answer. It allows us to be totally focused on the issue at hand. The physical aspects of fasting contribute to our mind being more in tune with the spiritual dimensions of life.

In 1997, before I was married to Angie, I was troubled over where I was in my life. It seemed nothing was moving forward. I was struggling with whether to rebuild my advertising agency, or focus on the new calling God seemed to be raising up. I assumed my fast would be a few days. However, as each day went by I did not feel I was getting direction. I extended it for a few more days. By the time I was on my fourteenth day I decided to fast for forty days.

It just so happened that the last day of my forty day fast was the first day of a conference I had planned to attend months earlier. That night an intercessor from South Africa came forward with a word of prophecy for someone in the audience. The minute he read his words, I knew they were directed at me because the scripture verse he used had been a passage that God has used consistently in my life during my journey recently.

The next time you have an important decision to make, consider setting aside a time of fasting and prayer to gain clarity on your decision.

Source:  Fasting and Prayer

The Rhema Word By Os Hillman

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" (Ps. 119:105). 

Rhema is a Greek word that means "living". The Bible is often spoken of as the "Living" Word of God. It means that God will speak to you directly and personally through the scriptures. There have been many times in my life when God gave me specific direction or confirmation of a decision through His rhema Word.

My wife, Angie, had only been a Christian for about six months when she began to read the Bible for the first time. She had heard people talk about how God spoke to them through the Bible and she thought they were crazy. Until one day it happened to her. She was in the midst of a Bible study and read in Mathew 7 that you could ask and receive. Immediately she thought, "I'll ask God to bring me a husband or someone to fill the gap." The very next verse she went to in her Bible study was "be still and know I am God." She knew that God was speaking directly to her through his "living" Word that she was to wait.

Two years later, the Lord had done a mighty work in her life and she asked for a husband a second time. Days later, she got a note from someone that had Psalm 27:14 written at the bottom of it. She knew God was answering her prayer for a husband. With great anticipation she opened her Bible only to be greatly disappointed. The verse read, "Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Again, God spoke to her personally through His Word. After that, the Lord taught Angie to fall in love with Him and she did not date for seven years.

Then one day the Lord spoke to Angie in a still voice during her quite time: "I'm about to bring you your husband and it will be the best thing that ever happened to you." She was shocked and refused to write it down. However, thirty days later she and I met. Nine months later we were married.

Angie views the Bible as God's love letters to us. You can fully expect Him to speak through His living Word regarding specific situations. It is one of those mysteries that God does from time to time.

As you read your Bible, be aware of the rhema Word of God. He may speak to you in specific ways you never thought possible.

Source:  The Rhema Word

Hebraic Thought By Os Hillman

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding" (Psalms 111:10). 

Education is a high priority in any society that wants to advance. Education should be sought after by every believer in Jesus Christ in order to better understand God's ways. However, education that is not mixed with faith and obedience will result in programmatic religion.

In the early Hebraic church, wisdom was gained by obedience. Hebrews learned that wisdom was gained by knowing and doing the will of God and that it often did not line up with logic. However, as the church became impacted by the Greek culture through the influence of scholars like Socrates and Aristotle, knowledge-based systems became more influential in the way education was taught and applied. Greeks believed that the way to gain knowledge was based on reason and analysis.

When Joshua walked around the city of Jericho seven times blowing his trumpets, he was exhibiting a Hebraic model of decision-making - pure obedience. Logic and reason played no part in this decision. When Elisha instructed the army general to go wash in a lake in order to be healed of leprosy, it confronted his intellect. This was Hebraic thought rooted in obedience.

The Church has moved into a more knowledge-based and programmatic system of operation over the centuries, rather than obedience-based methods that are motivated by a heart fully devoted to following God. We've replaced obedience with reason, logic, and slick marketing for attractive programs to entice people into our churches.

Ultimately, God desires us to take the Hebraic approach when making decisions. He wants us to make decisions based on our heart's desire to follow Him.

Source:  Hebraic Thought

It's THEIR Turn!!!A Father's Day Tribute plus AVP

Time flies so fast. It was just last month that we celebrated Mother's day; and today, 20th of June, it's time to celebrate Father's Day!!!yipee!!!

First and foremost, let's remember all the things that our Heavenly Father has been giving to us since the time we came into this world: His enduring mercy and love; His never-ending patience in forgiving us from all our iniquities and transgressions; His forever blessings and more!But the most awesome, amazing, extravagant love that I will never ever conceive (actually) in my entire life is when He sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, for the atonement of our sins (John 3:16). What an amazing Father we have!

I've just searched for some Biblical passages that shows our heavenly Father's extravagant love to His children:

Matthew 6:31-32
Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

Matthew 7:11
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

1 John 3:1
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

2 Corinthians 6:18
I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.

May I also add this very wonderful and touching composition entitled "A Father's Love Letter":

Father's Love Letter


My Child,
You may not know me, but I know everything about you�Psalm 139:1
I know when you sit down and when you rise up�Psalm 139:2
I am familiar with all your ways�Psalm 139:3
Even the very hairs on your head are numbered�Matthew 10:29-31
For you were made in my image�Genesis 1:27
In me you live and move and have your being�Acts 17:28
For you are my offspring�Acts 17:28
I knew you even before you were conceived�Jeremiah 1:4-5
I chose you when I planned creation�Ephesians 1:11-12
You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book�Psalm 139:15-16
I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live�Acts 17:26
You are fearfully and wonderfully made�Psalm 139:14
I knit you together in your mother's womb�Psalm 139:13 And brought you forth on the day you were born�Psalm 71:6
I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me�John 8:41-44
I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love�1 John 4:16
And it is my desire to lavish my love on you�1 John 3:1
Simply because you are my child and I am your father�1 John 3:1
I offer you more than your earthly father ever could�Matthew 7:11
For I am the perfect father�Matthew 5:48
Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand�James 1:17
For I am your provider and I meet all your needs�Matthew 6:31-33
My plan for your future has always been filled with hope�Jeremiah 29:11
Because I love you with an everlasting love�Jeremiah 31:3
My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore�Psalm 139:17-18
And I rejoice over you with singing�Zephaniah 3:17
I will never stop doing good to you�Jeremiah 32:40
For you are my treasured possession�Exodus 19:5
I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul�Jeremiah 32:41
And I want to show you great and marvelous things�Jeremiah 33:3
If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me�Deuteronomy 4:29
Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart�Psalm 37:4
For it is I who gave you those desires�Philippians 2:13
I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine�Ephesians 3:20
For I am your greatest encourager�2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles�2 Corinthians 1:3-4
When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you�Psalm 34:18
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart�Isaiah 40:11
One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes�Revelation 21:3-4
And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth�Revelation 21:3-4
I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus�John 17:23
For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed�John 17:26
He is the exact representation of my being�Hebrews 1:3
He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you�Romans 8:31
And to tell you that I am not counting your sins�2 Corinthians 5:18-19
Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled�2 Corinthians 5:18-19
His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you�1 John 4:10
I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love�Romans 8:31-32
If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me�1 John 2:23
And nothing will ever separate you from my love again�Romans 8:38-39
Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen�Luke 15:7
I have always been Father, and will always be Father�Ephesians 3:14-15
My question is�Will you be my child?�John 1:12-13
I am waiting for you�Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad. Almighty God

And of course, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my papable Celso Ubaldo, our family's "Mr. Congeniality", my "look-a-like" (ok ma, don't frown this time, wahahah!!!), the ever responsible and cool (drumroll) father!!!!woohooo!! So grateful to God for having the best papa in the world (I guess everyone does!). Happy father's day!!!! and also to all the fathers out there esp. who has been my second fathers in church. I may not mention all of your names but you know who you are. Thank you so much ^_^
I know you've seen our Young People's tribute to you a while ago at church but let me show this once again for those who haven't seen it(I'm referring to those abroad who are still a part of Christian Faith Church Family). Enjoy!

My Prayer:

Heavenly father, I know words are not enough to show my sincerest gratitude for all You've done. Thank You and I love You. Thank You for having a great papa like the one I have and for giving me second fathers as well. I am forever grateful ♥ ♥ ♥

Your daughter forever,

Ruthie

Westlife Boys (Uptown Girl tune)

Westlife Boys (Uptown Girl tune) by Ruthie

Oooh...ooohhhh....
Westlife boys, they've been living  in their Westlife world
I imagine how gorgeous are these guys
I bet their mama always tell them why
I'll have a try for the

Westlife boys, they've been living in their music world
I love their music every now and then
Like any other fans feel for them
That's what I am

And when I know who's my crush from this ti-i-i-me
And when I wake up they're all in my mi-i-i-nd
Some see I'm always tough
It's because, I'm in love with the

Westlife boys, you know I've seen them in their Ireland world
They are the best among the bands of boys
And it's because of their such good voice
They are my choice

Oooh....oooohhh...

Westlife boys, you know I can't afford just to be there
But maybe someday when my time comes in
You'll know how loyal fan that I have been
I hope I'll win

And when they're singin' and dancin' so fi-i-i-ne
And when i see them I say that they're mi-i-i-ne

Some say I'm always tough
It's because, I'm in love with the Westlife boys!

Westlife boys, they've been living in their music world
I love their music every now and then
Like any other fans feel for them
That's what I am

Westlife boys
They're my Westlife boys
You know I'm in love...

>>>So I made this and was like a decade ago..when I and my Westlife sisters Mary anne and Unaiza went "gaga" over these gorgeous lads...I made this composition for fun and my dedication to them back then. Believe it or not, I still have the manuscript ..well, just reminiscing those crazy times. No regrets though...I think it's just a part of growing up and growing crazy..wahahaha!!!

By the way, here's the original video which is also a remake of Billy Joel's Uptown Girl.

Moving Ahead of God By Os Hillman

"The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her" (Gen 16:2). 

Have you ever felt that you were supposed to receive something from God but it just hasn't materialized? You wait and wait until finally you decide that maybe God wants you to help out the situation. This is exactly what happened in the case of Abraham and Sarah.

God had promised them a son, but as years passed by they were still without a child. They took their eyes off the One who had made the promise and decided to take matters into their own hands. So, Abraham lay with Sarah's maidservant, Hagar, and she bore a son, Ishmael (see Genesis 16). The son of promise, Isaac, came later through Sarah, just like God had promised. However, the modern day conflict between the Arabs and Israelis is the fruit of this act of disobedience that occurred centuries ago.

I recall a time when I launched a business enterprise only to fall on my face. It had all the hallmarks of a Godly venture, but I was premature and guilty of presumption instead of faith. The resulting financial losses are lasting reminders of a decision that was based on a horizontal choice instead of a vertical dependence that required patience until God said, "Go."

The way to avoid making "Ishmael" decisions is to seek God fully on the matter in prayer, be in an accountable relationship with your spouse and close associates who know you well, and gain agreement through two or more people. The Bible says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"(Jer 17:9).

Whenever we want something strongly, it is a dangerous place because we no longer look at the matter objectively with a willingness to change our viewpoint. We have to approach a matter as being "dead" to the issue in order to fully see God's perspective.

Source:   Moving Ahead of God

Are You Horizontal or Vertical? By Os Hillman

"Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight" (Isaiah 5:21). 

Many of us have been trained to make decisions and respond to problems in a horizontal way instead of vertical. Operating from a horizontal basis means we try to fix the problem through our own self-efforts by bringing greater pressure upon it through our reasoning or our natural skills. Operating from a vertical position means we are seeking God for the answer and waiting for him to impact the problem. Perhaps it is a spouse who fails to put their clothes away, or a boss who is overly critical, or an employee that you clash with. When we operate horizontally we attempt to shame or coerce the other to change their ways.

God knows the solution to the problem before it ever exists. Our responsibility is to ask God for help to solve the problem and to rely on Him for the outcome. The minute we take on the responsibility, God quietly stands by to let us experience failure until we decide to seek Him for the answer.

One of the best examples of the contrast between a vertical and horizontal dimension in scripture is that of King Saul and David (see 1 Samuel 25). King Saul thought the way to preserve his kingdom was to kill David. While in pursuit of him there were several occasions when David had the opportunity to kill Saul, but David chose to wait upon God's timing and await his own deliverance because he understood authority. David had such respect for those who had been put in authority by God over him that he would not take matters into his own hands.

Saul represents the exact opposite of this principle. He thought David was the problem and sought to get rid of him through force. As a result, he lost his kingdom because he chose to rule horizontally instead of vertically under God's rule in his life.

No matter what problem you face today, stay vertical with God.

Source:  Are You Horizontal or Vertical?

Responses to Adversity By Os Hillman

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior" (Hab. 3:17-18). 

When we experience adversity, we generally respond in one of three ways: (1) we become angry; (2) we try to gut it out; or (3) we accept it with joy.

Anger
When adversity comes our way, we say, "Why me, Lord?" We become bitter and resentful and blame God and others for our problems. We view ourselves as victims and demand that God answer our accusing questions: "Why don't You love me, Lord? We feel entitled to life, health, wealth, and happiness.

Gutting It Out
Another way we respond to adversity is by adopting a stoic attitude, repressing our emotions. We lie to ourselves and say, "I'm gutting it out. I'm demonstrating endurance." In reality, we are merely isolating ourselves with a shell of false bravado. We don't meditate on God's love, we don't pray, we don't believe God really has anything good planned for us. We simply tell ourselves, "This will soon be over. I'm a survivor." We never receive what God has planned for us if we stay here.

Acceptance with Joy
This is the response God seeks from us. When adversity comes, we rest in His love and trust that He knows best. We realize that nothing can happen to us without His permission. If there is pain in our lives, we know it's because God deems it necessary for our growth or wishes to use our pain to minister to others.

God revealed to the prophet Habakkuk that Israel was soon to be invaded by the Babylonians. Habakkuk knew that Israel was about to suffer intense adversity as part of God's loving discipline of His people. Habakkuk faced the looming national tragedy with an attitude of acceptance with joy.

If Habakkuk could be joyful in the face of a national calamity, then we can rejoice in the Lord no matter what comes our way.

Hanapin Mo ang Kalooban Niya

 A Christian song at the same time a love song for those who are still searching and waiting for their "God's will."

Hanapin Mo ang Kalooban Niya

Hanapin Mo ang Kalooban Niya

Kahit na ang dulot mong pag-ibig
Ay walang kasing tamis
Ang lahat ng kanyang ikaliligaya
Ay iyong ninanais
Puso mo’y nabibigo pa rin
Nabibigo pa rin
Ang puso mo’y nasasawi pa rin

Koro:
Di pala sapat ang mahal kita
Maging ang kailangan ka
Kung ikaw ay iibig
Kailangan kang manalig
Kung ikaw pala’y magmamahal
Samahan mo ng dasal
Ipasa-Diyos ang iyong pagpapasya
At hanapin mo ang kalooban N’ya

Yeahhh
Ohhh

Tinatanong mo ang iyong sarili
Kung saan ka nagkamali
Alam mo namang taos sa iyong puso
Nilaan mong pagtangi
Kahit na lahat ay ibinigay
Lahat ay ibinigay
Di matitiyak ang tagumpay

(Ulitin ang Koro)

Tulay:
Ang tunay na ligaya
At wagas na pag-ibig
Makakamit mo rin
Makakamit mo rin
Wooohhhh…

Cease Striving and Know That I Am God

Among the many complex and sublime faculties of the human soul, one attribute functions as a servant to all: the nature of the soul is porous. This means that in addition to latent strengths and talents, the soul is also shaped and developed by external stimuli: we learn customs and language, habits, virtues and vices largely by importing reality as it surrounds us. Indeed, the marrow of life itself, as we subjectively know it, is created by the inward flow of these outward realities. Thus, the soul, while it is born with innate powers, it is also the product of its times and circumstances. Because we live in unprecedented, prophetic times, individuals born during the last five or six decades are impacted, not only by the common struggles and joys of life, but also by the unspeakable disasters as they occur around the world. As a result of live media coverage, we vicariously experience repeated participation with human suffering. We see the actual faces of those traumatized by earthquakes and tsunamis, famines and wars. Again, because of the porous nature of the soul, when we view life's terrors, we are repeatedly absorbing these fearful realities into our consciousness. We cannot help but be affected. How do we erase from our minds the faces of earthquake and tsunami victims? How is it possible to forget the horrific memory of people leaping to their deaths from flaming windows high on the Twin Towers on 9/11? What happens to our souls when we view news reports of Iraqis and Israelis being blown apart by terrorists' bombs? If you are an intercessor, or even one who possesses just basic, human compassion, the flood of sorrow and terror rising from terrible disasters cannot be stopped by a levee of human intellect. Life's pains, even when they aren't our own, are still absorbed at some level into our soul, and more so if we know the one suffering. To cope with our vulnerabilities, we have created some positive remedies: hospitals, relief agencies, first responders and charitable giving all are relatively new means of dealing with human sorrow. We are compelled, not only to help the victims, but to help ourselves digest and respond to the emotional overload of our times. Media Manipulates Our Fears It is important to remember that the main goal of the news media is not to communicate current news but to make money doing so. Thus, even minor stories are often sensationalized to bring back viewers. I, for one, am worn out by the highly publicized scandals and moral failures among leaders, whether political or religious. If I am not careful, the flood of these realities can jade my heart, harden my soul and make me cynical. Added to these things we are daily reminded of current economic pressures, plus the threats of disease and the advance of crime and lawlessness in our communities. Our souls churn with the added news. How can mere man cope with the fearful conditions of the world? Magnify the Lord It is here, in this valley of pressure, conflict and fear that would-be saints lose heart and fade from the race. Yet, it is also here that the God seeker is driven closer to the Lord. The psalmist cries, O magnify the Lord with me! (Psalm 34:3). The closer we are to God, the more we are infused by His strength. The world around us may not get any better, but through the Holy Spirit, we gain new strength. In His presence, the demons of our world shrink in proportion. Beloved, in these very circumstances, let's magnify the Lord! We have read the final chapters: every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! (see Philippians 2:10-11). When our enemies multiply and pressures mount, retreat—yes, retreat into the stronghold of God. Are you anxious? Fearful? Remember: He who sits in the heavens laughs (Psalm 2:4). Are you being accused by the enemy? Again, the Lord says, In repentance and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength (Isaiah 30:15). When the accuser comes to incarcerate you in your sin, shame and regret, you do not have to defend yourself. You have a right to remain silent. God Himself has appointed an advocate for you, and it is His very Son, the One who died for your sins. Do not magnify your problems; let God be exalted over all the earth. Do not let your unbelieving words deplete your soul of life, for the more you talk, the more peace you lose. Be slow to speak. Before you can learn to speak for God, you must learn what NOT to speak. This battle is not about overcoming difficult circumstances around you; it is about listening to the Lord, hearing what He intends to do, then following Him to victory. Remember, dear friend, the words of Paul: "Be anxious for nothing." The true battle you are facing is not one of action, but direction: you must ascend vertically to be successful horizontally. Secure your soul in God and you will secure victory in your life. In the presence of God, the porous nature of the human soul is a great advantage. We can escape the stresses of life. We can actually be saturated with the life-restoring substance of God! Psalm 46 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah. Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has wrought desolations in the earth. He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah. Francis Frangipane

Destiny's Irritation

All Hannah wanted was a son, but God wanted a prophet for His people and a friend for Himself. There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah...He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none (1 Samuel 1:1-2). And because the Lord had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her (1 Samuel 1:6). The story of these two women is not an uncommon one. God often uses irritating people to draw us closer to Him and to push us toward our destiny. God will put people in our lives that have what we want (and are willing to torture us with it) in order that we might seek Him for the fulfillment of the promise He has made to us. Peninnah became increasingly smug over the fact that she had been given children and Hannah had not. And she used her children as a weapon to grieve Hannah. This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the Lord, her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat (1 Samuel 1:7). Moved to Desperation God desired to do something great for Hannah, but first He would need to prepare her for it. God used Peninnah's deplorable behavior to provoke Hannah and irritate her. That is right, it is true that God needed to irritate Hannah. He needed to bring Hannah to the point of desperation, so much so that she would be willing to give Samuel to Him (see 1 Samuel 1:11). Hannah's pain and disgrace must have been great or she never would have prayed such a prayer. Her desire for a child must have been agonizing, and now she had promised to give that child away? She had no guarantee of ever having more than one child at this point, but her mind was made up. The child would be given to the Lord. To be without children during that time in history was a great humiliation for a woman. Women of this region were considered children, until they had children. Only as a mother would she be given the respect and authority due an adult. As Hannah got older her disgrace became greater, and she could not escape Peninnah's irritating remarks. This went on for years, until Hannah was so desperate to remove her disgrace that she made a promise to God: if He gave her a son, she would give the boy back to Him. In bitterness of soul, Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord. And she made a vow, saying, "O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant, but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head."—1 Samuel 1:10-11 A Promise is Born Hannah, at the very lowest point of her life, prayed her most desperate prayer. She pleaded with God to take away her barrenness and bless her with a son. "Don't forget me!" she cried. She saw everyone around her receiving blessings from God and getting the desires of their hearts, yet she remained barren. She reached the greatest point of misery she had ever known, and laid out her heart before God. Hannah vowed to make the greatest sacrifice any woman could be asked to make. Her sorrow was so great it turned her soul bitter. Out of this bitter sorrow, a promise was born. Hannah's heart was open before God and her tears were never more sincere. Into this precious scene blundered Eli, but he did not see Hannah for what she truly was. She was a woman after God, but Eli mistook the most sincere and heart wrenching moment of her life for that of drunkenness. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine."—1 Samuel 11:13-14 Perhaps, at times, you have had similar experiences to Hannah's. Your heart was outstretched and open before God, but people around you didn't recognize it as anything out of the ordinary or special. To some you may even seem sinful, but they have judged you incorrectly. The very people we think should recognize our potential are the ones that accuse us of being unspiritual or lacking what it takes to fulfill our potential. Not only did Eli miss the importance of what Hannah was going through, but he also completely misinterpreted her actions toward God. The Avenue of Offense At this moment Hannah could have walked away offended, but her need was much too great. She was desperate and wanted what only God could give her, no matter what she had to endure to get it. Some of our greatest blessings come to us through the avenue of offense. Hannah could have walked away, humiliated and discouraged, but she did not. She explained herself to Eli. When he realized how greatly he had misjudged her, he felt so badly that he blessed her instead. "Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of Him."—1 Samuel 1:17 She received a blessing from Eli that she may not have had he not offended her. She received his blessing as being from God and she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast (verse 18). She was confident that God had blessed her through Eli even though he had misjudged her. She may never have received what she needed from God, except that her longsuffering brought her the answer to her heart's cry. Hannah was not only a godly woman, but her son would eventually take Eli's place in the temple and restore to Israel everything that Eli's sons had lost. A Growing Promise Hannah had already conceived Samuel in her heart before she ever conceived him physically. The dream of him had already been growing inside her. She was pregnant in the Spirit with the promise of God. No one, not even Eli, could see the transformation taking place in her heart. It was between her and God alone. She had a secret, a hope, and a dream. When she was referred to as "barren" by others seeking to injure her, she clung to the hope of God's enduring faithfulness. Similarly, when a woman is first pregnant, no one knows she is pregnant except her. No one else can see what is happening inside her. It is her secret. We, too, carry the promises of God secretly inside us. Others can't see anything special in us because God has hidden it from them. They may even misinterpret our desire for God to be something that is sinful or worldly. No matter how spiritual people are, they cannot see what God has hidden from them. Just like a baby hidden in the womb, so are the promises God has given to us. He speaks to us of our future as if to impregnate us with His will and purpose for our lives. We want to tell the whole world what God has spoken to us. But the promises that the Lord has given to us should be treasured in our hearts and not shared with others who may not be able to see that which God has hidden from them. Destiny's Irritation God desires to do great things for us as well. But, like with Hannah, He must drive us to desperation so great that we are willing to give to Him the very thing we are asking Him for. God uses people like Peninnah, to irritate us (see 1 Samuel 1:6) and provoke us until we are willing to do whatever it takes to receive our destiny in Him. The closer we are to the fulfillment of our destiny, the greater the irritation becomes, until we give up our claims to our destiny. We give up our dreams in exchange for His will; our ambitions for His plan. In return, we not only receive what we were hoping for, but more than we have even dreamt of. Hannah not only got the son she desired, but her family line was established, through Samuel, as priests to the Lord forever. In addition to Samuel, she was also blessed with five other children. God desires to do much more through us than we think is possible, but it must be done His way. Through His mercy, He keeps us from accepting less than all He has for us. All Hannah wanted was a son, but God wanted a prophet for His people and a friend for Himself. Promise Through the Pain In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord—1 Samuel 1:10 I have heard people say that God would not do anything to them that would cause them to suffer. They say, "God wants to bless me!" and I say, Yes, God does want to bless us, but some of our greatest blessings come out of our greatest pain. If we do not experience the pain, it is more difficult for us to appreciate the blessings we are given. It did not please God to cause Hannah such misery, but He could see the future and He needed Samuel. The only way He could get the promise to her was through the pain. God does see your struggle and your pain; He hurts with you and weeps with you. He is begging you not to give up, because He can see your future and it is great! "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11). The Lord's presence remained with all of Israel through Samuel, because Hannah chose not to give up on the dream she had in her heart. She chose to believe that God loved her and saw her as special even when others did not. If the Lord has given you a dream or a promise of something so wonderful that others cannot receive it, keep it hidden in your heart as a secret treasure, until the moment of its birth. Some things should be kept between you and the Lord. He is jealous for your heart and wants you to Himself. Do not look for acceptance from anyone but Him; hold onto the God who loves you. His will will be done! Pray this with me: Dear Father, Keep alive in me all that You have promised me. Cause all the circumstances that I must walk through to turn me toward You, not away from You. Help me to seek You and Your approval, and not the approval of others. Victoria Boyson

Turning Silver Next Year!

T.G.I.M.B. =)

For 24 years of my existence, just wanna share with you my significant 24's:

24 Fave Song Lines

1. Something beautiful, something good. All my confusions He understood. All I have to offer Him was brokenness and strife. but He made something beautiful of my life.

2. I can face uncertain days, because He lives.

3. For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley. When Things go wrong, He'll make them right. And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times. The God of the day, is still God in the night.

4. I'm waiting on You Lord though it is painful..

5. You came into my life one very special day, You came into my heart and showed me a better way. You said You'd never depart, and that is what I say. I just came to praise the Lord.

6. I called you answered, And you came to my rescue.

7. But then the hand of Jesus touched, and now I am no longer the same.

8. I will live to love You.

9. O victory in Jesus, my Savior forever..

10. I will be still and know You are God.

11. What do I have if I don't have You Jesus?

12. For all of my friends, who don't know You, I pray that You will save them too.

13. Oh how many times, have I broken Your heart, still you forgive, if only I ask.

14. I'll bring You more than a song, for the song in itself, it's not what You have required. You search much deeper within through the way things appear, You're looking into my heart. I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and it's all about You Jesus!

14. How great is our God, sing with me how great is our God, and all will sing how great, how great, is our God!

15. Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee, How great thou art!

16. Great is thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see.

17. Forever is a long time to be w/o you in my life. I wanna keep you by my side, coz forever is a long time.

18. All I can do is hope and pray..coz heaven knows..

19. There is no problem too big, God cannot solve it. There is no mountain too tall, He cannot move it. There is no storm too dark, God cannot calm it. There is no sorrow too deep He cannot soothe it!


20. You find it in the deepest friendships, the kind you cherish, all your life. And when you know how much that means, you've found that special thing YOU'RE FLYING WITHOUT WINGS!

21. You were just a dream that I once knew, I never thought I would be right for you, I just can't compare you with anything in this world. You're all I need to be with FOREVERMORE.

22. I can't pretend, that I'm just a friend. Coz I'm thinking maybe we were meant to be..

23. Every moment we shared together is even better than the moments before. If everyday was as good as today was, then I can't wait till, tomorrow comes.

An Open Letter To My Future Husband

An Open Letter To My Future Husband

Even though I don't know exactly who you'll be yet, I think of you often. I wonder how you're living your life now. It matters to me, you know, because how you live your life now determines the kind of man you're becoming . . . and the kind of man I'll spend the rest of my life with.

Apparently, for some bizarre reason manhood doesn't come automatically for males. Some guys seem to spend their entire lives trying to "prove their manhood" by hunting, playing sports, driving fast . . . and, unfortunately, be having sex. It seems rather strange to us women that guys think having sex proves they're a man. To us, it just proves that they've reached puberty. And we don't really consider that, in itself, to be any great accomplishment. Becoming a man is a much more complicated process.

The funny thing is, even in this day and age, most guys want to marry a girl who respects her sexuality. A guy doesn't like the idea of his future wife in the back seat with someone else, or of her being the subject of a sexual conquest story in the locker room. They'll brag about girls like that, but they won't marry them. They want to marry a girl, whether she's never "done it" or done it and regretted it, who recognizes that sex speaks the language of forever, committed love . . . someone like me.

Why would I want to marry someone like that, someone who wants to marry a virgin but spends his dating years robbing other girls of their virginity so that he can prove his manhood or wasting his own virginity to fit in or feel good? He's not a "real man" in my eyes---he's a selfish, immature boy driven by insecurity, not love---And I'm not interested.

I want more from you. I want you to respect your sexuality as much as I respect mine. I want you to be a real, confident man, not a wimp who has to use women to feed his insecurity. A guy like that couldn't use all of those women and then suddenly love me. He may be "good" in bed, but he's no good at loving.

I want you to learn to really love. Learning to love is learning to put the other first. A guy who messes around outside of marriage isn't putting the good of the other first. He's using a girl . . . speaking the "body language" of permanent commitment when the relationship isn't permanent. He's putting the girl at risk of pregnancy, and he's putting himself at risk for some nasty diseases . . . diseases he can then later give his wife. He's also risking emotional distress, both for him and for the girl. That's not making love. A real man loves women---all women---and wants what's best for them. And he doesn't let his desires control his actions. He controls his desires instead.

I want you to develop self control. That's important to me. I don't want to marry a man who can't control himself. Men like that make lousy husbands. A guy who isn't used to saying "no" to sex isn't going to be any better at it at 40 than he is at 18. I've seen women who worry every time their husbands hire an attractive secretary. I don't want that. What kind of marriage could I have with someone I couldn't even trust on a business trip?

In the short run, I'm sure there aren't too many rewards for a guy living this way. Society tells you that you're missing out on your "sexual peak." Your silence during the locker room bragging sessions can seem deafening. You may have even heard from the girls you date that something must be "wrong" with you because you won't take them to bed. Deep down, you must know that having sex won't prove you're a man. It's just irritating that no one else seems to know it, isn't it?

But somebody does know it. I know it, and in the end, I'm the only someone who matters.

And no, I'm not as narrow-minded as those guys who say they'll only marry a virgin. Society isn't too supportive of virginity, especially male virginity. I can forgive mistakes in your past. But I'm interested in your future, starting now. When I meet you, I want you to be a man who has made a conscious decision to wait . . . out of love for our future family and commitment to our marriage. I want you to be a real man, who's developed the control, maturity and unselfishness that waiting brings. They may not be popular traits in the locker room, but they're popular with me. They'll make you a better husband, and a better father. To me, that's sexy.

I've abstained from sex all of these years, and it hasn't been from the lack of offers. I've had plenty of opportunities, and saying "no" hasn't always been easy. I'm sure it's not always easy for you, either. But it will make our marriage so much stronger. Sex will be our gift to each other, our exclusive "language." It'll belong to us, not "us and everyone else we ever dated."

Thanks for waiting for me. I promise you won't regret it.


(http://www.angelfire.com/mi/iacah/openletter.html)