The Next Higher Spiritual Steps

We are in different stages in the development of our character and spirituality in our quest to be with our Lord. Ever wondered why, in spite of all our efforts to do the will of God in our lives, and in spite of the joy and pleasure the presence of God brings to our lives, we are not spared from tremendous trials and burdens from the Lord? Why? Do you sometimes experience that numbing feeling that the Lord may not be faithful after all in keeping all His promises? No! That is farthest from the truth. The Lord is faithful to all His promises and He never lies. But why have we not obtained yet the realization of certain promises that we continually claim, like complete healing or the granting of our heart's desires? Why? Because God wants us to take the next higher spiritual step in our ascent to His throne of grace. If the Lord required us to make a leap of faith in some projects or ministry where He directed us before, now He wants us to take the next higher spiritual step up the ladder of spiritual development to His throne of grace. Jacob was shown a vision of angels ascending and descending the ladder between heaven and earth. And that is what the Lord wants us to do. He wants us to make the next higher step in the spiritual ladder that connects heaven and earth and commune with Him in His heavenly abode. Before we can descend that ladder to be a guiding light in the darkness of the world, we have to ascend first God's spiritual stairway to heaven . In the meantime, we have to discard all icons and idols that stand in the way of our complete and perfect relationship with God. Remember, our God is a jealous God and will never countenance any rival to the throne embedded in our hearts and minds.



Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Next Higher Step, Throne of Grace, Development of Character, Spirituality, Will of God, Presence of God, Trials and Burdens, Faithful, God's Promises, Complete Healing, Heart's Desire, Leap of Faith, Ministry, Spiritual Development, Jacob, Ascending and Descending, Heaven and Earth, Commune With God, Guiding Light, Jealous God, Gospel, Word of God, Holy Bible

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Urgent Prayer Request For Shiela Wall of Bluebirdy (Life- 4 Hours At A Time)

This an urgent prayer request for Shiela of Bluebirdy (Life- 4 Hours At A Time). She is so sick and has just been rushed to the hospital with her equally sick mother. She just suffered severe lupus flares. Please pray for her, for her healing and that of her mother and sick brother and for God's divine providence for them. Thank you all very much. God bless us all.

I am reprinting her email answer to my frantic letter to her regarding her present condition . To wit:

Hi Mel;

I don't think I've ever had a friend care so much about me. Thank you. Mom and I were both in the hospital, and I was quite sick for a long time before I finally decided to go get help. We got out last night. Mom was given medicine that made her feel better already, but I was told that I will get worse before I get better. This emotional grieving caused my lupus to rage. Rage is a good words because it has caused red, angry, hot, painful inflammation all throughout my body; which also messes up all my body functions like blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar, and every other chemical in my body...so I have spent a lot of time semi-conscious or just unable to think or function. I am not even able to get up and shower and get dressed. My heart stopped again a couple of times again. When my first husband left me with only 3 hours notice, (and I didn't even know we had a problem,) about a month later, my heart stopped a few times. Now it's happening again after losing this husband, so when a person with lupus grieves, they suffer not only emotionally, but physically.

For bout 2 weeks, Mom and I were too sick to even check on each other or help each other. All we could do is call each other on the phone, so finally we needed help. We were not even able to get up to get enough to drink or eat. We talked about hiring help, but we are not even well enough to get up train the person and show the person where things are. Maybe I will hire help when I feel a bit better, so that if we get this sick again, they will help. We are just doubled up in pain, existing...but this too shall pass. Mom is already up and around and doing better. I will take a bit longer.

My mind logically tells me that the Lord has kept me alive for a purpose, and that I will get better so I can function enough to accomplish what He is keeping me here for, but at the moment, it feels like I am only half alive.

My heart is deeply touched that you even noticed that I have not been well enough to do much on the computer. For 10 years I never failed to meet my goal of answering 100 emails a day, but I have not even been reading my emails unless they are from someone dear to me, like you. I just have no strength right now, and more pain than I can bear. It will pass, it's just a hard stage I am going through right now. The Lord has been carrying me through it. Things could be so much worse. I really don't have any right to complain, but also not enough energy to think of something great to post online, so I just stayed silent. I think of you and your family often, and pray for you when those thoughts come.

I have passed out so many times just writing this...it's so frustrating! I have probably repeated myself a few times. Sorry, my mind is not clear. You are such a precious friend. I am so thankful to have you in my life.

Bless you in all ways!
Sheila

Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Prayer Request, Shiela Wall, Bluebirdy, Life- 4 Hours At A Time, Compassion, Lupus, Fibromyalgia, Flares, Suffering, Trials, Prayers, Prayer Warriors, Overcome, Deliverance, Healing, Blessings, Gospel, Word of God, Hope, Faith, Love, Joy, Peace, Holy Bible


Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Forgiveness

How often have we been in a situation where somebody hurt us so bad that we just cannot forgive the person much less forget what she/he has done to us? How we relived in our minds the bitter details of the hurt over and over again? How we could not sleep at night, tossing and turning because we were just so upset by the incident that produced the pain and bitterness in our hearts. Forgive? Ha, easier said than done when the pain and bitterness still linger in our hearts and minds. But that is what we are always doing to God. We hurt Him so bad with all kinds of sins that produce thorns in His heart and sufferings in His mind. But He is always there ready and willing to forgive us every time we return to Him from our prodigal ways. Many times we even treat Him as our avenue of last resort when we have nowhere else to go. We even entertain doubts in our minds whether He could really fix our troubles which were of our own making in the first place. God admonished us to forgive those who have sinned against us, even saying that if we could not forgive them neither would our sins be forgiven. That is perfect divine justice unlike our own set of double standard of justice. Even if we still feel the pain and the bitterness is still there, we should strive to orally forgive the person who hurt us so we can move on. We will have a more peaceful sleep at night and the joy and peace that such forgiveness can bring, for in the process, we are imitating God who always forgive and forget. Oh by the way, God will surely avenge you if you were truly oppressed by the person who hurt you. "HE WHO HAS NO SIN, LET HIM CAST THE FIRST STONE" (John 8:7).


Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Forgiveness, Forgive and Forget, Pain, Hurt, Bitterness, Avenue of Last Resort, Troubles, Double Standard of Justice, Move On, Peaceful Sleep, First Stone, Gospel, Word of God, Holy Bible

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Affirmations

When I was not yet a born again Christian, I was fascinated then with the New Age group doctrines especially on affirmations. I believed then, as I still believe now, that the secret to do miraculous things was to unlock the powers of the subconscious mind. The only difference between my beliefs then and now was the very person that was elevated into the position of power. In my beliefs then, the I or ego was the center of my existence and all powers emanated from within. Whereas now, God is the center of my existence and all powers emanate from Him. Oh yes, I believed then that there was a God but everything was achieved through personal efforts and achievements. Some examples of my personal affirmations then were:

1. What the mind can conceived, man can achieved.
2. My mind and body are perfect. The forces of aging have no power over me. I am ageless. I am the master of my soul.
3. I am the captain of my ship, I am the master of my soul.

When I became born again in the year 2000, I discarded all the learning I gained from a lifetime of studies and search for the truth and just concentrated on the Bible and other Christian books. I enrolled in an International Bible College and immersed myself into the doctrines of the Christian beliefs. I now realize that I got more miracles in holding on to the promises of God than in those fine sounding affirmations that elevated only the self instead of God. Now, God is the center of my life and everything in it revolves around Him. Instead of affirmations, I hold on to the many promises of God to tide me over in these perilous times. I live and die by the grace of God. ALL WHO CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.



Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Affirmations, New Age Group, Doctrines, Born Again Christian, Subconcious Mind, Beliefs, Ego, Center of My Existence, Promises of God, Lifetime of Studies, Search For Truth, International Bible College, Word of God, Gospel, Holy Bible


Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

The Earth Will Be Destroyed By Fire

THE EARTH WILL BE DESTROYED BY FIRE
Of all the posts I ever made in this blog, this post was probably the one I was very hesitant to make for it may instill fear among my readers. But this was inspired writing and I can never have any peace until I have posted this. This is an eschatological warning. The Book of 2Peter chapter 3 verses 10 to 13 says, "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare." Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness."

The first destruction of all life on earth was done by water in a universal deluge where all creatures of the earth, except those who were kept in the ark of Noah, perished. That was just a precursor of the final destruction of the heavens and the earth in a cataclysm of fire where all elements will melt. This is the fiery end of all life on earth where everything will be renewed when God will make a new heaven and a new earth. This is the Biblical account of the end of the earth in the Book of 2Peter 3:10-13. It is not for me to interpret these verses for the Bible clearly warned against self interpretations without the expressed will of the Holy Spirit. What I can do is just make a conjecture or hypothesis of probable scenarios on that day. Most probably, there will be meteorites that will bombard the earth and knock it out of its orbit and pull it nearer the sun. The sun would probably be bombarded too by asteroids that will result in widespread solar flares that will burn all planets especially the earth. Then everything on earth will burn out in a widespread conflagration that will kill all living things on earth. Nobody will survive that. This is just a possible scenario of that fateful day. As the verse above says, "You (we) ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming" (2Peter 3: 11b-12a). ALL WHO CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.



Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, 2Peter 3: 10-13, Earth, Destroyed, Fire, Eschatological Warning, Heavens, Elements, Holy and Godly Lives, Day of The Lord, New Heaven and New Earth, Deluge, Noah's Ark, Sun, Solar Flares, Meteorites, Asteroids, No Survivors, Word of God, Holy Bible

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Clear Conscience

Conscience is the still small voice calling our attention whenever we are doing what is contrary to the will of God. But conscience can be seared and desensitized. It is the Holy Spirit that gives us the warning to avoid displeasing God . But continuous disregard of that still small voice can result in the hardening of the heart and the deadening of our conscience. Hence we developed a so called warped conscience. What is a warped conscience? A warped conscience is a conscience that has actually no relation to the will of God because it has already been compromised. It is a pseudo conscience that has replaced the will of God in our lives to that of our own biased ideas of what is right or wrong. It is formed by a process similar to brain washing. Whenever a person sins or does something contrary to the will of God, he usually justifies his actions with all sorts of justifications just to escape the warnings of that still small voice. At first, he becomes uneasy in his sins, but as he regularly commits the same sin, he becomes enamored to it and virtually becomes a slave to it. Heartless murderers will tell you that the hardest and most difficult killing is the first one because they have to wrestle with their conscience. But after that, the killings become an orgy of sheer delight because the conscience has been thoroughly checked. This is also the case of philandering husbands. It is usually the first tryst that is so hard to enjoy because the person has to wrestle with his conscience. But after he has excused himself with all sorts of justifications, the succeeding tryst are all pure delight because they are stolen pleasures that overshadowed whatever is left of the faint voice of his conscience. That is why people invent all sorts of philosophies and spiritual dogmas in life to justify their warped conscience.

But a clear conscience is one who follows the dictates of that still small voice that convicts us whenever we go astray or commit a sin. It is a conscience that is ever aware of the presence of God in his life. It is a conscience that acknowledges God's complete dominion over his life. It is a conscience that has a reverential fear and awe of God and the person lives in order to please God and give glory to His name. What do you choose, a warped conscience or a clear conscience? "ALL WHO CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."


Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Conscience, Clear Conscience, Warped Conscience, Still Small Voice, Hardening of The Heart, Deadening of Conscience, Pseudo Conscience, Will of God, Orgy of Sheer Delight, Philandering Husbands, Tryst, Justifications, Presence of God, Fear and Awe of God, Call on The Name of The Lord



Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational

Doubt- Antithesis Of Faith

Doubting Thomas



There will never be any miracle or success for those who are perennial doubters. Faith requires a believing heart and doubters do not have this. In this fast changing world and the ever increasing pace of society, where people cannot just trust anybody, it is always safe to doubt the motives of others. That's fine! But in terms of one's advancement in any aspect of one's life, a single iota of doubt in one's mind has already inflicted defeat in him even before he can get started. Many are those who say they believe in God and in His promises, but at the back of their minds, doubts linger. The Bible describes these people as unstable in mind who will accomplish nothing. Remember the whole Israelite people whom God led to freedom from Egypt? They wandered in the desert for forty years and all of them except Moses, Joshua and Caleb perished because of their unbelief as they doubted that God can deliver to them the Promise Land. Even if the various situations in our lives appear to contradict the promises of God, we must persist in our faith in His words and in His faithfulness to keep His promises and we must never doubt. Doubt is a negative trait inflicted by the enemy to those whose hearts are weak. It is the twin sister of fear that wrecks havoc to one's faith. But to the men and women of God, they hold fast to the promises of God for God is ever faithful and never lies.



Tags: God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, Doubt, Antithesis of Faith, Miracle, Success, Perennial Doubters, Faith, Believing Heart, Fast Changing World, Ever Increasing Pace of Society, Motives, Advancement, Single Iota of Doubt, Unstable Minds, Israelites, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Promise Land, Negative Trait, Men and Women of God, Promises of God, God is Faithful, God Never Lies, Word of God, Holy Bible

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Spiritual/Inspirational/Motivational